UNIVERSITY  OF 
LLINO/S  LIBRARY 


LI  E)  R.A  FlY 

OF   THE 

U  N  IVLRSITY 

Of    ILLINOIS 

H62S 


IllINOIS  mmmi  SURYET 


HISTORY 


OP 


TAZEWELL  C01IST\' 


J 


ILLINOIS; 


TOGETHER  WITH  SKETCHES  OF  ITS  CITIES.  VILLAGES  AND  TOWNSHIPS;  EDUCA- 
TIONAL, RELIGIOUS,  CIVIL,  MILITARY,  AND  POLITICAL  HISTORY;  POR- 
TRAITS OF  PROMINENT  PERSONS  AND  BIOGRAPHIES  OF 
REPRESENTATIVE  CITIZENS. 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS. 

EMBRACING  ACCOUNTS  OF  THE  PKE-IIISTORIC  RACES,  ABORIGINES,  FRENCH, 

ENGLISH  AND  AMERICAN  CONQUESTS,  AND  A  GENERAL  REVIEW 

OF  ITS  CIVIL,  POLITICAL  AND  MILITARY  HISTORY. 

DIGEST  OF  STATE  LAWS. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


CHICAGO: 

CHAS.    C.    CHAPMAN   &   CO, 

1879. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1879,  by 

CHAS.  C.  CHAPMAN  &  CO., 

In  the  Office  of  the  Libnirian  of  Congress,  at  Wasliington,  D.  C. 


J.    W.   FRANKS  .t  SONS, 

PKINTKRS     AND     BINDERS, 

I'EORIA,   ILI/. 


PREFACE 


•  The  earlj'  historj'  of  Tazewell  county  is  peculiarly  interesting,  and  we 
are  enabled  to  give  it  from  the  very  earliest  occupancy  of  Illinois  by  the 
whites.  In  point  of  time  of  its  soil  being  disturbed  by  Europeans,  it  is 
more  remote  than  any  other  section  of  our  great  Prairie  State.  The  second 
centennial  of  its  first  settlement  is  at  hand.  In  the  county  are  places  of 
unusual  historic  interest,  and  to  those  who  have  located  here  we  judge  it 
will  be  a  source  of  no  little  gratification  to  inform  themselves  on  the  ante- 
pioneer  history  of  the  county,  which  we  detail  at  considerable  length.  In 
the  compilation  of  this  work  we  pass  over  a  period  of  two  hundred  years. 

We  have  taken  much  care  in  recording  the  pioneer  history,  that  future 
generations,  those  who  will  not  have  the  early  settler  to  relate  to  them 
the  history  incident  to  the  settlement  and  development  of  this  county, 
may  familiarize  themselves  with  it  through  this  medium;  and  that  the 
reader  may  see  the  county  in  all  its  various  stages  of  progression.  We  do 
not  profess  to  have  fully  delineated  the  trials,  suflTerings,  and  hardships 
that  were  experience*!  in  converting  even  this  fertile  land  from  its  virgin 
wildness  into  the  luxuriant  and  densely  populate<l  country  it  now  is.  No! 
for  human  tongue  or  pen  is  far  from   being  adequate  to  that  task. 

Different  persons  have  given  us  honest  and  sincere,  but  nevertheless 
conflicting  accounts  of  the  same  events,  and  it  has  been  both  a  difficult 
and  delicate  task  to  harmonize  them,  and  draw  therefrom  reasonable  and 
approximately  correct  conclusions.  We  had  only  one  aim  in  view,  one 
plan  to  carry  out,  and  that  was,  to  record  events  impartially  —  to  detail 
them  as  they  have  actually  occurred. 

That  we  have  completed  our  work,  fulfilled  all  our  promises  to  the 
uttermost,  we  feel  conscientiously  assured,  and  we  submit  the  result  of 
our  labors  to  the  charitable  consideration  of  this  intelligent  an<l  liberal 
people.  It  must  not  be  expected  that,  in  the  multiplicity  of  names,  dates, 
and  events,  no  errors  will  be  detected.  We  do  not  dare  hope  that,  in  the 
numerous  and  varied  details,  this  book  is  absolutely  correct,  nor  is  it  ex- 


PREFACE. 


pected  that  it  is  beyoml  (.riticisni,  yet  we  believe  it  will  be  found  to  be 
nieasurablj'  correct  and  reliable.  We  have  labored  assiduously  and  with 
studious  care  to  make  it  a  standard  work  of  reference,  as  well  as  an 
authoritative  record  for  future  historians  to  build  upon. 

Believing  a  work  of  this  nature  would  be  comparatively  incomplete 
without  speaking  of  the  history  of  the  State,  of  which  Tazewell  county 
forms  no  unimportant  portion,  we  have  carefully  prepared  a  condensed, 
yet  very  complete  history  of  Illinois,  which  we  incorporate  in  this  volume. 
And  as  a  valuable  aid  in  transacting  every-day  business,  we  append  a 
carefully  compiled  digest  of  Illinois  State  Laws,  which  both  the  l>;.isiness 
man  and  farmer  will  find  of  great  value.  *- 

Before  laying  aside  our  pen,  we  desire  to  express  our  warmest  thanks 

to  the  editors  of  the  various  newspapers  pul)lished  throughout  the  county; 

to  the  county  officials,  and  to  the  people  in  general  for  the  assistance  and 

lil)eral  patronage  given  us- 

CHAS.  C.  CHAPMAN   &  CO. 
Pekin,  June,  1879. 


CONTENTS. 


HISTORY  OF   ILLINOIS. 


MOUND-Bl'ILDERS  17 

INDIANS 21 

Illinois  Confodcnicv 23 

Starvfd  Uock .". 2o 

Sites  iiiul  Foxes 24 

Miiiuiers  and  Cnslonis 27 

Sinj.'le-lnin(kMl  Conihat  with  Indians  ...  2'.) 

EAULY    DISCOVEKIES ;!1 

Nicholas  I'errot :'.l 

)liet  anil  Marquette :!1 

LaSalle's  Explorations ;!;5 

(Jreat  Hattle  of  the  Illinois :il 

Tonti  safe  at  (irci'n  liiiy ;. 11 

LaSalle's  Assa.ssination i:! 

FKKNCH  (Hcr I' ATION 44 

First  Settlements 44 

Thi'  .Mississii)i>i  Coninanv 45 

ENGLISH  HILK ." 47 

(!ei).  (.'lark's  Exploits 51 

ILLINOIS 55 

Coinitv  of  Illinois 55 

NOKTHWESTEUN   TEKIUTOHY 55 

Onlinanee  of  17s7 50 

St.  Clair  <;overnorof  N.  \V.  TeiTitor>' ..  59 

ILLINOIS  TEKIUTOKY  59 

WAR  OF  1M2-TIIE  OL'TlUiEAK 59 

Ma.ssiicre  ()f  Fort   Dearborn till 

Exi>editions  up  the  Missis.sippi 71 

ILLINOIS   AS  A  STATE 74 

Orpiniziition  74 

Derivation  of  the  name  Illinois 77 

State  Hank 7.S 

LaFayette's  Visit 

(iranimar  luid  Cook  contrasted 

HISTOKY   OF 

CHAPTER  I. 

Settlement  and  Orpinization 1,VJ 

La.'^alle's  Ex]>lorations 189 

The  War  of  1.S12 u. 19(; 

The  I'ioneers 2()U 

Oriranizalion  of  I  ho  County '2117 

Fii-si  Mill .". 2119 

A  leu  First  Things 210 

The  Di'e])  Snow '214 

Suilileii  Change 217 

High  Water 21.S 

The  lieantiful  Prairies 2-20 

CllAPTEK  II. 
Ini])ortant  Labors  of  the  County  Comniis 
sioner's  Court ". 


79 
82 


CHAPTER  III. 
Black  Hiiwk  War i'>('> 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Geology 207 

CHAPTER  V. 
Zoology  and  Rotjvny 272 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Criminal  Record 28S 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Important  Labors  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
vLsors :«)0 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Blooded  Stock ;!0s 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Under-ground  Railroad 313 


INDIAN  TROUBLES 

Winnebago  War 

BLACK   HAWK  WAR 

Stillnian's  Run 

Battle  of  Bad  Axe 

Black  Hawk  Cajitured 

Biographical  Skelcii  of  Black  Hawk 

FROM  l.s:;4  TO   1.S42 

Internal  lni]inivemeiits 

Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal 

Martvr  for  Liberty. 

PRAIRIE  PIRATK?" 

.MORMON  WAR 

MEXICAN  WAR ■..'." 

Battle  (»f  Ihiena  Vista 

THE  WAR  FOR  THE  UNION  

States  !<( 'ceiling 

The  Fall  of  Sumter '. 

Call  for  Troops  promptly  answered 

The  War  ended  — The  Union  restored 

Schedule  of  Regiment.s 

DUELS 

DKESS  AND  M.^NNERS 

PHYSICAL  FE.VTURES  OF  ILLINOIS 

AGRICUKTUKE 

GOVERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS 

Lieiitenant  (iovernors 

Stale  Odieials 

U.  S.  Senators 

Representatives  in  Congress 

CHICAGO 

The  (Jri'at  Fire 

Commerce  of  (.'hicago 

STATES  OF  THE  UNION 

TAZKWKI.L   COUNTY. 

CHAPTER  X. 
Pioneer  Life 

CHAPTER   XL 

The  Rebellion 

Tazewell  County  Volunteers 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Tazewell  (.'ounty  B:ir 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
T0WN.SI111'  IIi.sTiiKii:s:— 

Boy  n  ton 

Cincinnati  

Deer  Creek  

iH'lavan 

Dillon 

I-:im  (irovc 

Fond  du  Lac 

Groveland 

Hitlle 

Hopedale 

Little  Mackinaw 

Malone 

Morton 

Mackinaw 

Pekin 

Sand  Prairie 

Spring  I^ake 

Treniont  

Washington 

CHAPTER  XIV. 


80 
«3 
84 
87 
90 
91 
92 
95 
95 
97 
98 
102 
104 

lis 

119 
1-25 
120 
1'27 
128 
137 
i:w 
141 
149 
l.M 
l.V) 
l.")7 
100 
101 
102 
105 
170 
172 
173 
177 


321 


351 


38-1 


M 


308 
414 
427 
4-2;! 
451 
40<J 
4rhS 
475 
480 
491 
51:; 
5'2ti 
5:u 
.5-14 


017 
Vu'A) 
lk")2 
60-2 


County  Oflicials  and  Political  Historj'. 
Election  Returns 


706 
711 


COXTEXTS. 


Pikin  Times 

Tiizewell  County  Repubii'(5^n.' 

\Nti.shiiif,'ion  Ilcnilii.f. 

iK'hiviin  AfivtriisLT 

Delavaii  Times 

Miiiior  News . 

'nu;i.,velIIn.JependentV.'.r.;:; n'^ 

Ia-k».\  Tfiider 

Frtie  Presse 


718 
722 
-■24 
726 
727 


Starved  Rrxk  . 


728 

720 

TM 

ILLUSTKATIONS, 


CHAPTKR  XVI 
Railroads:— 

I-,  B.  <t  w.  Ry. 

f:  K  &  J.  K.  R.;;; 

t;- A.  6,  St.  L.  R.  R ::::;;;:::;: 

P-,  L.  A:  D.  Ry. 

T„  P.  ct  w.  R'y ..::::; 

111.  Midland  R    R         

C,  P.  iV  8.  \V.  R.    


R.. 


7;i2 
7a3 
TM 
735 
TJH 
739 
730 


All  Inxjiiois  Chief  •• ^' 

<;i'n.  Cn-o.  K.  (lark        '*' 

49 


tieii.  Artliur  St.  Clair 

Old  Fort  Deurboni  ^ 

Old  Kiiizic  House...  ''^ 

Pontiuc  bo 


Scene  on  Fox  River 

Lineoln  .Monuiiant  ^-^ 

A.sylum  furFeel.le  Minded.""" HI 

N..U  hern  Normal  Iniver^ity      }^ 

(  entral  In.sane  Ilo.spital '' 

Indu.sinal  Lniversliy iii;; "?" 


Black  Hawk  ...... ..'.'.'." G-*       F:.\j)o.sitioii  Building  ^"^ 

'k  '^-  ^i  iV  ^  K-  K.  n^n:::::: .'S    La«'>i,i«  street  Tunuei;;;;;.;;. ]^i 

Lve  and  I-Jir  Iidir.nurv  ^.        ,1?       J.^^  ^nb -  1^2 

louse ^^^ 

Tazeweucoiuity".'.'.";/;.;;";;;;;;;;;;;;j^2? 


( 

Evi  a„u  ijir  iimr.nury   . 
Deaf  and  Dumb  Institute 


111 
11.5 


Allensworth,  W  P  J'OKTRAIT.S, 

Alfs.  Ovrd.         ^^ 

BiKon,  E.  H      -l-l 

Bemis,  T.  K.        -^^ 


Iie<iueaith,  Johii"'. tJ'-? 

Be<iueaith,  KlizabethV.V.V. „!? 

Breniieman,  Jacob  ....         ik^ 

<  latoii,  John...  •^^' 

Crabb,  Daniel  .       ■^^'^ 

Cobleigh,  G.  R....; 322 

Crawford,  James .'^1 

Darah,  Robert...  ■^^' 

Frey,  Rudolph ■'•'■♦' 

Gaines,  John  ..  •**- 

(iolden,  C.  L....     -»-! 

<jt».lden,  Mrs.  Kliz,i  ii. ■;.■;; ^J') 

Gnesemer,  Adam Vii^ 

IIjuls,  Kli  ...  40/ 

IIa<i.s,  Ann  Catherine;;;:;:: SH 

iraa.s,  hdward  **^-' 

Hall.  Ini  B ftW 


553 
575 
497 
432 
W4 
315 


Luuisey,  Jean 

Luppen,  Luppe 

McI)owell,  Mrs.  Kitty 
McKinstry,  John  ... 
Marshall,  Horaces...' 
Martin,  James  p 
Minicr,  Geo.  W . 

Minier,  .Sarah  ^^'^ 

Minicr,  T.L...     ^^^ 

Minier,  Ellen    ^^^ 

Nichols,  Geo        '^^^ 

Orendorfi;  G.  P *^- 

R^mkjn,  Daniel  m"V ^ 

Rankin,  John  S  ^-^ 

Reardon,  John       "'-^ 

bundle,  wiiiiaui::;;;.;:; -^^ 

Shurtleir,  Flavel  ^^ 

Smith,  D.  c."      229 

Smith,  Fred ^'^ 

Smith,  Ties    ^"5 


Hill,  Xehemiah...        ^'~  Stoehr,  Geoitre  ^'^ 

ilill,  Einilv .^W  Stoehr,  Mar%- M -^-^ 

Jlippen.  h!  W ; o4S  Studyviu,  John •*-'•' 

Hottinan,  John  ...  ^"•''•'  ^Vil.son,  Dr  R  ii  yi ■''■'' 

Ireland,  Fraiicis;:." ^'•'^  Woods,  Abraham "  "^ 


of  Courts 


74:: 
74;j 


Irwin,  Joe  B  .  39 

Larimore,  TimoVhv'.V.'. fir 

Lindsey,  James  A '^^ 

oo3 

T„  DIGE.ST   OF 

Laws 

Juris<iietion 
C«junty 
Com.  o 
Fences 
Drainagi 

Trespass  of  SU)Ck.'.'." J-*^ 

Kstravs im 

Horses ;;;:;; 749 

Marks  and  Brand.s "* 

Articles  of  AgreemeiitV." iJj 

Judgment  N'ote...::: '^2 

Interest  .  7.J3 

Wills ;"""'.v.'.v;;;;;;;;; i^ 


■-—•'',  Abraham co^ 

\\oods,  Harriet  M ^l 

^^ood,  Dr.  E  F  636 

Ziiiger,  Louis.....::;;; ™i 

•■ 599 


•STATK   LAWS. 

Subscription. 


'% *,v."!?' ;;.;;;;;;;;;;; ~fi   ['y^^'^^-t  for  PereoiVara-nic^i ^, 

1.  of  Highways if*        ^ e" si w^rt Libel.  '^"»'^es ^4 

ees ^4-1        Lender "5 

nage .'.".V "4C.       Drunkcnnes.s  ; -  "^^ 


Dc.scent.... 

Deeds .;;;;;;; 

Tr,T'rlf  ^'^.""'^ '''"^"st  Deedl': 

1  rust  Deeds 

I-eiiis .. 

Bill  of  Sale ;;:.'.'.'.'.";; '••- 

Daysof  (Jraoe   "W 

7t»,5 

7(J5 
706 


755 
7.V.( 
7W) 
761 
7(52 


niiess 

Marriage  Contract 

School  Months 

Infants 

Adoi.tion  of  ciiiidreVi  v.: 

Church  Organizations... 

Game 

Millers ;.■.■.■.■."; 

I'aupers 

I'ublic  and  PrivaieConVeyancti' 
^N  ages  and  Suikeholdera.  f 
Sundav 

Ie^o!l'iv'''VV^''"^''^"^i«''ToiT^s:... 
jA'gal  Weights!      "  " 
Bees 

Dogs '..; 


•  and  Meiusures  .. 


777 

.  778 

.  7S0 

.  780 

.  781 

.  781 

.  782 

785 

785 

786 

787 

7SS 

7.SK 

7S,S 

789 


Limitation  of  Action.'." ' ".' 
Iteceipts 

E.veiiipii,,„si^rom  F\7rcedj^^^^^^^ 

Ijii)dl..r.ls  and  Tenants  '^' 

Criminal  ]jiw..  '67 

Taxes ! 770 


cnieity  toAiVimak;::;;;;;;; Zfj? 


Names 
f.  S.  Mail.*!.....""' 
Itates  of  Postage 
Rates  of  p 


790 
790 
792 


i^^-:t:?k.W!?ter'  ^''-'•■^^"-Matte-r::::::  m 

Mc.iey  urriers .;: i^f 

794 


■■■■■■iir^'M 


■4 


w>«^^ 


*Si^ 


M 


/ 


,c'ri*^' tr.  :v.,,^ 


()i-^ 


3^7l';)yj';f.L  €IIUNT¥ 


^Li.iNin'^ 


r 


Scale  ■/' Miles  lo  f/ir  ineJi. 

/Mm '/I  /ari/,rI/isforxo/'7hznM'ff('oXl 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS. 


FORMER  OCCUPANTS. 


MOUND-BUILDERS. 

The  numerous  and  well-authenticated  accounts  of  antiquities 
found  in  various  parts  of  our  country,  clearlj'  demonstrate  that  a 
people  civilized,  and  even  highly  cultivated,  occupied  the  broad 
surface  of  our  continent  before  its  possession  by  the  present  In- 
dians; but  the  date  of  their  rule  of  the  Western  World  is  so  re- 
mote that  all  traces  of  their  history,  their  progress  and  decay,  lie 
buried  in  deepest  obscurity.  Nature,  at  the  time  the  first  Euro- 
peans came,  had  asserted  her  original  dominion  over  the  earth;  the 
forests  were  all  in  their  full  luxuriance,  the  growth  of  many  cen- 
turies; and  naught  existed  to  point  out  who  and  what  they  were 
who  formerly  lived,  and  loved,  and  labored,  and  died,  on  the  conti- 
nent of  America.  This  pre-historic  race  is  known  as  the  Mound- 
Builders,  from  the  numerous  large  mounds  of  earth-works  left  by 
them.  The  remains  of  the  works  of  this  people  form  the  most  in- 
teresting class  of  antiquities  discovered  in  the  United  States.  Their 
character  can  be  but  partially  gleaned  from  the  internal  evidences 
and  the  peculiarities  of  the  only  remains  left, — the  mounds.  They 
consist  of  remains  of  what  were  apparently  villages,  altars,  temples, 
idols,  cemeteries,  monuments,  camps,  fortifications,  pleasure 
grounds,  etc.,  etc.  Their  habitations  must  have  been  tents,  struc- 
tures of  wood,  or  other  perishable  material;  otherwise  their  remains 
would  be  numerous.  If  the  Mound-Builders  were  not  the  ancestors 
of  the  Indians,  who  were  they'^  The  oblivion  which  has  closed  over 
them  is  so  complete  that  only  conjecture  can  be  given  in  answer  to 
the  question.  Those  who  do  not  believe  in  the  common  parentage 
of  mankind  contend  that  they  were  an  indigenous  race  of  the  West- 
ern hemisphere;  others,  with  more  plausibility,  think  they  came 
from  the  East,  and  imagine  they  can  see  coincidences  in  the  religion 
of  the  Hindoos  and  Southern  Tartars  and  the  supposed  theology  of 


18  HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 

the  Mound-Builders.  They  were,  no  doubt,  idolators,  and  it  has 
been  conjectured  that  the  sun  was  the  object  of  their  adoration.  The 
mounds  were  generally  built  in  a  situation  affording  a  view  of  the 
rising  Bun:  when  enclosed  in  walls  their  gateways  were  toward  the 
east;  the  caves  in  which  their  dead  were  occasionally  buried  always 
opened  in  the  same  direction;  whenever  a  mound  was  partially  en- 
closed by  a  semi-circular  pavement,  it  was  on  the  east  side;  when 
bodies  were  buried  in  graves,  as  was  frequently  the  case,  they  were 
laid  in  a  direction  east  and  west;  and,  finally,  medals  have  been 
found  representing  the  sun  and  his  rays  of  light. 

At  what  period  they  came  to  this  countr}',  is  likewise  a  matter  of 
speculation.  From  the  comparatively  rude  state  of  the  arts  among 
them,  it  has  been  inferred  that  the  time  was  very  remote.  Their 
axes  were  of  stone.  Their  raiment,  judging  from  fragments  which 
have  been  discovered,  consisted  of  the  bark  of  trees,  interwoven 
with  feathers;  and  their  military  works  were  such  as  a  people 
would  erect  who  had  just  passed  to  che  pastoral  state  of  society 
from  that  dependent  alone  upon  hunting  and  fishing. 

The  mounds  and  other  ancient  earth-works  constructed  by  this 
people  are  far  more  abundant  than  generally  supposed,  from  the  fact 
that  while  some  are  quite  large,  tlie  greater  part  of  them  are  small 
and  inconspicuous.  Along  nearly  all  our  water  courses  that  are 
large  enough  to  be  navigated  with  a  canoe,  the  mounds  are  almost 
invariably  found,  covering  the  base  points  and  headlands  of  the 
bluffs  which  border  the  narrower  valleys;  so  that  when  one  finds  him- 
self in  such  positions  as  to  command  the  grandest  views  for  river 
Bcenery,  he  may  almost  always  discover  that  he  is  standing  upon, 
or  in  close  proximity  to,  some  one  or  more  of  these  traces  of  the 
labors  of  an  ancient  people. 

GALENA    MOUNDS. 

On  the  top  of  the  high  bluffs  that  skirt  the  west  bank  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  Galena,  are  a  number  of 
these  silent  monuments  of  a  pre-historic  age.  The  spot  is  one  of 
surpassing  beauty.  From  that  point  may  be  obtained  a  view  of  a 
portion  of  three  States, — Illinois,  Iowa  and  Wisconsin.  A  hundred 
feet  below,  at  the  foot  of  the  perpendicular  cliffs,  the  trains  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  thunder  around  the  curve,  the  portage  is 
in  full  yiew^  and  the  "  Father  of  Waters,"  with  its  numerous  bayous 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS.  19 

and  islands,  sketches  a  grand  paraoraina  for  miles  above  and  below. 
Here,  probably  tlioiisands  of  years  ago,  a  race  of  men  now  extinct, 
and  unknown  even  in  the  traditions  of  the  Indians  who  inhabited 
that  section  for  centuries  before  the  discovery  of  America  by  Colum- 
bus, built  these  strangely  wonderful  and  enigmatical  mounds.  At 
this  point  these  mounds  are  circular  and  conical  in  form.  The  larg- 
est one  is  at  least  forty  feet  in  diameter  at  the  b&.  9,  and  not  less 
than  fifteen  feet  high,  even  yet,  after  it  has  been  bt,  ten  by  the 
storms  of  many  centuries.  On  its  top  stands  the  large  stump  of  an 
oak  tree  that  was  cut  down  about  fifty  years  ago,  and  its  annual 
rings  indicate  a  growth  of  at  least  200  years. 

One  of  the  most  singular  earth-works  in  the  State  was  found  on 
the  top  of  a  ridge  near  the  east  bank  of  the  Sinsinawa  creek  in  the 
lead  region.  It  resembled  some  huge  animal,  the  head,  ears,  nose, 
legs  and  tail,  and  general  outline  of  which  being  as  perfect  as 
if  made  bv  men  versed  in  modern  art.  The  ridore  on  which  it  was 
situated  stands  on  the  prairie,  300  yards  wide,  100  feet  in  height, 
and  rounded  on  the  top  by  a  deep  deposit  of  clay.  Centrally, 
along  the  line  of  its  summit,  and  thrown  up  in  the  form  of  an 
embaiikment  three  feet  high,  extended  the  outline  of  a  quadruped 
measuring  250  feet  from  the  tip  of  the  nose  to  the  end  of  the 
tail,  and  having  a  width  of  IS  feet  at  the  center  of  the  body.  The 
head  was  35  feet  in  length,  the  ears  10  feet,  legs  60  and  tail  75.  The 
curvature  in  both  the  fore  and  hind  legs  was  natural  to  an  animal 
lying  on  its  side.  The  general  outline  of  the  figure  most  nearly 
resembled  the  extinct  animal  known  to  geologists  as  the  Megathe- 
rium. The  question  naturally  arises.  By  whom  and  for  what  pur- 
pose was  this  earth  figure  raised?  Some  have  conjectured  that 
numbers  of  this  now  extinct  animal  lived  and  roamed  over  the  prai- 
ries of  Illinois  when  the  Mound-Builders  first  made  their  appearance 
on  the  upper  part  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  that  their  wonder 
and  admiration,  excited  by  the  colossal  dimensions  of  these  huge 
creatures,  found  some  expression  in  the  erection  of  this  figure. 
The  bones  of  some  similar  gigantic  animals  were  exhumed  on  this 
stream  about  three  miles  from  the  same  place. 

LARGE    CITIES. 

Mr.  Breckenridge,  who  examined  the  antiquities  of  the  Western 
country  in  ISIT,  speaking  of  the  mounds  in  the  American  Bottom, 
says:     "The  great  number  and  extremely  large  size   of  some  of 


20  HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 

them  may  be  regarded  as  furnishing,  with  other  circumstances, 
evidences  of  their  antiquity.  I  have  sometimes  been  induced  to 
think  that  at  the  period  when  they  were  constructed  there  was  a 
population  here  as  numerous  as  that  which  once  animated  the 
borders  of  the  Nile  or  Euphrates,  or  of  Mexico.  The  most  num- 
erous, as  well  as  considerable,  of  these  remains  are  found  in  pre- 
cisely those  parts  of  the  country  where  the  traces  of  a  numerous 
population  might  be  looked  for,  namely,  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Ohio  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  to  the  Illinois  river,  and 
on  the  west  from  the  St.  Francis  to  the  Missouri.  I  am  perfectly 
satisfied  that  cities  similar  to  those  of  ancient  Mexico,  of  several 
hundred  thousand  souls,  have  existed  in  this  country." 

It  must  be  admitted  that  whatever  the  uses  of  these  mounds — 
whether  as  dwellings  or  burial  places — these  silent  monuments 
were  built,  and  the  race  who  built  them  vanished  from  the  face 
of  the  earth,  ages  belbre  the  Indians  occupied  the  land,  but  their 
date  must  probably  forever  baffle  human  skill  and  ingenuity. 

It  is  sometimes  difficult  to  distinguish  the  places  of  sepulture 
raised  by  the  Mound-Builders  from  the  more  modern  graves  of  the 
Indians.  The  tombs  of  the  former  were  in  general  larger  than 
those  of  the  latter,  and  were  used  as  receptacles  for  a  greater  number 
of  bodies,  and  contained  relics  of  art,  evincing  a  higher  degree  of  civ- 
ilization than  that  attained  by  the  Indians.  The  ancient  earth- 
works of  the  Mound-Builders  have  occasionally  been  appropriated 
as  burial  places  by  the  Indians,  but  the  skeletons  of  the  latter  may 
be  distinguished  from  the  osteological  remains  of  the  former  by 
their  greater  stature. 

What  finally  became  of  the  Mound-Builders  is  another  query 
which  has  been  extensively  discussed.  The  fact  that  their  works 
extend  into  Mexico  and  Peru  has  induced  the  belief  that  it  was 
their  posterity  that  dwelt  in  these  countries  when  they  were  first 
visited  by  the  Spaniards.  The  Mexican  and  Peruvian  works,  with 
the  exception  of  their  greater  magnitude,  are  similar.  Relics  com- 
mon to  all  of  them  have  been  occasionally  found,  and  it  is  believed 
that  the  religious  uses  whicii  they  subserved  were  the  same.  If, 
indeed,  the  Mexicans  and  Peruvians  were  the  progeny  of  the 
more  ancient  Mound-Builders,  Spanish  rapacity  for  gold  was  the 
cause  of  their  overthrow  and  final  extermination. 

A  thousand  other  queries  naturally  arise  respecting  these  nations 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  21 

which  now  repose  under  the  ground,  but  the  most  searching  investi- 
gation can  give  us  only  vagae  speculations  for  answers.  No  histo- 
rian has  preserved  the  names  of  their  mighty  chieftains,  or  given  an 
account  of  their  exploits,  and  even  tradition  is  silent  respecting 
them. 

INDIANS. 

Following  the  Mound-Builders  as  inhabitants  of  North  America, 
were,  as  it  is  supposed,  the  people  who  reared  the  magnificent 
cities  the  rains  of  which  are  found  in  Central  America.  This  peo- 
ple was  far  more  civilized  and  advanced  in  the  arts  than  were  the 
Mound-Builders.  The  cities  built  by  them,  judging  from  the  ruins 
of  broken  columns,  fallen  arches  and  crumbling  walls  of  temples, 
palaces  and  pyramids,  which  in  some  places  for  miles  bestrew  the 
ground,  mast  have  been  of  great  extent,  magnificent  and  very  pop- 
ulous. When  we  consider  the  vast  period  of  time  necessary  to  erect 
Buch  colossal  structures,  and,  again,  the  time  required  to  reduce 
them  to  their  present  ruined  state,  we  can  conceive  something  of 
their  antiquity.  These  cities  must  have  been  old  when  many  of 
the  ancient  cities  of  the  Orient  were  beino:  bailt. 

The  third  race  inhabiting  North    America,   distinct   from   the 
former  two  in   every  particular,  is  the  present  Indians.       They 
were,  when  visited  by  the  early  discoverers,  without  cultivation, 
refinement   or  literature,  and  far  behind  the  Mound-Builders  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  arts.     The  question  of  their  origin  has  long 
interested  archieologists,  and  is  the  most  difficult  they  have  been 
called  upon  to  answer.     Of  their  predecessors  the   Indian  tribes 
knew  nothing;  they  even  had  no  traditions  respecting  them.     It  is 
quite  certain  that  they  were  the  successors  of  a  race  which  had 
entirely  passed  away  ages  before  the  discovery  of  the  New  "World. 
One  hypothesis  is  that  the  American  Indians  are  an  original  race 
indigenous  to  the  Western  hemisphere.     Those  who  entertain  this 
view  think  their  peculiarities   of  physical  structure  preclude  the 
possibility  of  a  common  parentage   with  the  rest  of    mankind. 
Prominent  among  those  distinctive  traits  is  the  hair,  which  in  the 
red  man  is  round,  in  the  white  man  oval,  and  in  the  black  man  flat. 
A  more  common  supposition,  however,  is  that  they  are  a  derivative 
race,  and  sprang  from  one  or  more  of  the  ancient  peoples  of  Asia. 
In  the  absence  of  all  authentic  history,  and  when  even  tradition  is 


32  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

wanting,  any  attempt  to  point  out  the  particular  location  of  their 
origin  must  prove  unsatisfactory.  Though  the  exact  place  of  origin 
may  never  be  known,  yet  the  striking  coincidence  of  physical 
organization  between  the  Oriental  type  of  mankind  and  the  Indians 
point  unmistakably  to  some  part  of  Asia  as  the  place  whence  they 
emigrated,  which  was  originally  peopled  to  a  great  extent  by  the 
children  of  Shem.  In  this  connection  it  has  been  claimed  that  the 
meeting  of  the  Europeans,  Indians  and  Africans  on  the  continent 
of  America,  is  the  fulfillment  of  a  prophecy  as  recorded  in  Gen- 
esis ix.  27:  "God  shall  enlarge  Japheth,  and  he  shall  dwell  in  the 
tents  of  Shem ;  and  Canaan  shall  be  his  servant."  Assuming  the 
theory  to  be  true  that  the  Indian  tribes  are  of  Shemitic  origin, 
they  were  met  on  this  continent  in  the  fifteenth  century  by  the 
Japhetic  race,  after  the  two  stocks  had  passed  around  the  globe  by 
directly  different  routes.  A  few  years  afterward  the  Hamitic 
branch  of  the  human  family  were  brought  from  the  coast  of  Africa. 
During  the  occupancy  of  the  continent  by  the  three  distinct  races, 
the  children  of  Japheth  have  grown  and  prospered,  while  the  called 
and  not  voluntary  sons  of  Ham  have  endured  a  servitude  in  the 
wider  stretching  valleys  of  the  tents  of  Shem. 

When  Christopher  Columbus  had  finally  succeeded  in  demon- 
strating the  truth  of  his  theory  that  by  sailing  westward  from  Eu- 
rope land  would  be  discovered,  landing  on  the  Island  of  Bermuda 
he  supposed  he  had  reached  the  East  Indies.  This  was  an  error, 
but  it  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  name  of  "  Indians  "  for  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  Island  and  the  main  land  of  America,  by  which  name 
the  red  men  of  America  have  ever  since  been  known. 

Of  the  several  great  branches  of  Korth  American  Indians  the 
only  ones  entitled  to  consideration  in  Illinois  history  are  the  Algon- 
quins  and  Iroquois.  At  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  America  the 
former  occupied  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  while  the  home  of  the 
Iroquois  was  as  an  island  in  this  vast  area  of  Algonquin  popula- 
tion. The  latter  great  nation  spread  over  a  vast  territory,  and  various 
tribes  of  Algonquin  lineage  sprung  up  over  the  country,  adopting, 
in  time,  distinct  tribal  customs  and  laws.  An  almost  continuous 
warfare  was  carried  on  between  tribes;  but  later,  on  the  entrance  of 
the  white  man  into  their  beloved  homes,  every  foot  of  territory 
was  fiercely  disputed  by  the  confederacy  of  many  neighboring  tribes. 
The  Algonquins  formed  the  most  extensive  alliance  to  resist  the 
encroachment  of  the  whites,  especially  the  English.     Such  was  the 


HISTOKY   OF   ILLINIOS.  23 

nature  of  King  Philip's  war.  This  King,  with  his  Algonquin 
braves,  spread  terror  and  desolation  throughout  New  England.With 
the  Algonquins  as  the  controlling  spirit,  a  confederacy  of  conti- 
nental proportions  was  the  result,  embracing  in  its  alliance  the  tribes 
of  every  name  and  lineage  from  the  Northern  lakes  to  the  gulf. 
Pontiac,  having  breathed  into  them  his  implacable  hate  of  the 
English  intruders,  ordered  the  conflict  to  commence,  and  all  the 
British  colonies  trembled  before  the  desolating  fury  of  Indian 
vengeance. 

ILLINOIS    CONFEDERACY. 

The  Illinois  confederacy,  the  various  tribes  of  which  comprised 
most  of  the  Indians  of  Illinois  at  one  time,  was  composed  of  five 
tribes:  the  Tamaroas,  Michigans,  Kaskaskias,  Cahokas,  and  Peorias. 
The  Illinois,  Miamis  and  Delawares  were  of  the  same  stock.  As 
early  as  1670  the  priest  Father  Marquette  mentions  frequent  visits 
made  by  individuals  of  this  confederacy  to  the  missionary  station  at 
St.  Esprit,  near  the  western  extremity  of  Lake  Superior.  At  that 
time  they  lived  west  of  the  Mississippi,  in  eight  villages,  whither 
they  had  been  driven  from  the  shores  of  Lake  Michigan  by  the 
Iroquois.  Shortly  afterward  they  began  to  return  to  their  old 
hunting  ground,  and  most  of  them  finally  settled  in  Illinois. 
Joliet  and  Marquette,  in  1673,  met  with  a  band  of  them  on  their 
famous  voyage  of  discovery  down  the  Mississippi.  They  were 
treated  with  the  greatest  hospitality  by  the  principal  chief.  On  their 
return  voyage  up  the  Illinois  river  they  stopped  at  the  principal 
town  of  the  confederacy,  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  river  seven 
miles  below  the  present  town  of  Ottawa.  It  was  then  called  Kas- 
kaskia.  Marquette  returned  to  the  village  in  1675  and  established 
the  mission  of  tlie  Immaculate  Conception,  the  oldest  in  Illinois. 
When,  in  1679,  LaSalle  visited  the  town,  it  had  greatly  increased, 
numbering  460  lodges,  and  at  the  annual  assembly  of  the  difierent 
tribes,  from  6,000  to  8,000  souls.  In  common  with  other  western 
tribes,  they  became  involved  in  the  conspiracy  of  Pontiac,  although 
displaying  no  very  great  warlike  spirit.  Pontiac  lost  his  life  by 
the  hands  of  one  of  the  braves  of  the  Illinois  tribe,  which  so  enraged 
the  nations  that  had  followed  him  as  their  leader  that  they  fell  upon 
the   Illinois  to  avenge  his  death,  and   almost   annihilated    them. 

STARVED     ROOK. 

Tradition  states  that  a  band  of  this  tribe,  in  order  to  escape  the 
general  slaughter,  took  refuge  upon  the  high  rock  on  the  Illinois 


34  HISTOEY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

river  since  known  as  Starved  Rock.  Nature  has  made  this  one  of 
the  most  formidable  military  fortresses  in  the  world.  From  the 
waters  which  wash  its  base  it  rises  to  an  altitude  of  125  feet.  Three 
of  its  sides  it  is  impossible  to  scale,  while  the  one  next  to  the  land 
may  be  climbed  with  difficulty.  From  its  summit,  almost  as  inac- 
cessible as  an  eagle's  nest,  the  valley  of  the  Illinois  is  seen  as 
a  landscape  of  exquisite  beauty.  The  river  near  by  struggles 
between  a  number  of  wooded  islands,  while  further  below  it  quietly 
meanders  through  vast  meadows  till  it  disappears  like  a  thread  of 
light  in  the  dim  distance.  On  the  summit  of  this  rock  the  Illinois 
were  besieged  by  a  superior  force  of  the  Pottawatomies  whom  the 
great  strength  of  their  natural  fortress  enabled  them  to  keep  at  bay. 
Hunger  and  thirst,  however,  soon  accomplished  what  the  enemy 
was  unable  to  effect.  Surrounded  by  a  relentless  foe,  without  food 
or  water,  they  took  a  last  look  at  their  beautiful  hunting  grounds, 
and  with  true  Indian  fortitude  lay  down  and  died  from  starvation. 
Years  afterward  their  bones  were  seen  whitening  in  that  place. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  the  remnants  of  this 
once  powerful  confederacy  were  forced  into  a  small  compass  around 
Kaskaskia.  A  few  years  later  they  emigrated  to  the  Southwest, 
and  in  1850  they  were  in  Indian  Territory,  and  numbered  but  84: 
persons. 

SACS   AND    FOXES. 

The  Sacs  and  Foxes,  who  figured  most  conspicuously  in  the  later 
history  of  Illinois,  inhabited  the  northwestern  portion  of  the  State. 
By  long  residence  together  and  intermarriage  they  had  substan- 
tially become  one  people.  Drake,  in  his  "Life  of  Black  Hawk," 
speaks  of  these  tribes  as  follows :  "  The  Sacs  and  Foxes  fought  their 
way  from  the  waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Green  Bay,  and  after 
reaching  that  place,  not  only  sustained  themselves  against  hostile 
tribes,  but  were  the  most  active  and  courageous  in  the  subjugation, 
or  rather  the  extermination,  of  the  numerous *and  powerful  Illinois 
confederacy.  They  had  many  wars,  ofiensive  and  defensive,  with 
the  Sioux,  the  Pawnees,  the  Osages,  and  other  tribes,  some  of  which 
are  ranked  among  the  most  fierce  and  ferocious  warriors  of  the 
whole  continent;  and  it  does  not  appear  that  in  these  conflicts,  run- 
ning through  a  long  period  of  years,  they  were  found  wanting  in 
this,  the  greatest  of  all  savage  virtues.  In  the  late  war  with  Great 
Britain,  a  party  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  fought  under  the  British 


iLi.K';:liiiliiiiiiiJ!:;itlii^i' 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS.  ^7 


Standard  as  a  matter  of  choice;  and  in  the  recent  contest  between  a 
fragment  of  these  tribes  and  the  United  States,  although  deteated 
and  literally  cut  to  pieces  by  an  overwhelming  force,  it  is  very 
questionable  whether  their  reputation  as  braves  would  sufler  by  a 
comparison  with  that  of  their  victors.  It  is  believed  that  a  caretul 
review  of  their  history,  from  the  period  when  they  lirst  established 
themselves  on  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  down  to  the  present 
time  will  lead  the  inquirer  to  the  conclusion  that  the  bacs  and 
Foxes  were  trulv  a  courageous  people,  shrewd,  politic,  and  enter- 
prising, with  no"  more  ferocity  and  treachery  of  character  than  is 
common  among  the  tribes  by  whom  they  were  surrounded."  These 
tribes  at  the  time  of  the  Black  Hawk  War  were  divided  into  twenty 
families,  twelve  of  which  were  Sacs  and  eight  Foxes.  The  lollow- 
ino-  were  other  prominent  tribes  occupying  Illinois:  the  Kickapoos, 
Slilwuees,  Eascoulins,  Piaukishaws,  Pottawatomies,  Chippewas, 
and  Ottawas. 

MANNERS   AND    CUSTOMS. 

The  art  of  hunting  not  only  supplied  the  Indian  with  food,  but, 
like  that  of  war,  was  a  means  of  gratifying  his  love  of  distinction 
The  male  children,  as  soon  as  they  acquired  sufficient   age  and 
strength,  were  furnished  with  a  bow  and  arrow  and  taught  to  shoot 
birds°and  other  small  game.     Success  in  killing  large  quadrupeds 
required  years  of  careful   study  and  practice,  and  the  art  was  as 
sedulously  inculcated  iu  the  minds  of  the  rising  generation  as  are 
the  elements  of  reading,  writing  and  arithmetic  in  the  common 
schools  of  civilized  communities.     The  mazes  of  the  forest  and  the 
dense,  tall  grass  of  the  prairies  were  the  best  fields  for  the  exercise 
of  the  hunter's  skill.     No  feet  could  be  impressed  in  the  yielding 
soil  but  that  the  tracks  were  the  objects  of  the  most  searching 
scrutiny,  and  revealed  at  a  glance  the  animal  that  made  them,  the 
direction  it  was  pursuing,  and  the  time  that  had  elapsed  since  it 
had  passed.     In  a  forest  country   he  selected   the  valleys,  because 
they  were  most  frequently  the  resort  of  game.     The  most  easily 
taken,  perhaps,  of  all  the  animals  of  the  chase  was  the  deer.     It  is 
endowed  with  a  curiosity  which  prompts  it  to  stop  in  its  flight  and 
look  back  at  the  approaching  hunter,  who  always  avails  himself  of 
this  opportunity  to  let  fly  the  fatal  arrow. 

Their  general  councils  were  composed  of  the  chiefs  and  old  men. 
When  in'' council,  they  usually  sat  in  concentric  circles  around  the 


28  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

speaker,  and  each  individual,  notwithstanding  the  fiery  passions 
that  rankled  within,  preserved  an  exterior  as  immovable  as  if  cast 
in  bronze.  Before  commencing  business  a  person  appeared  with 
the  sacred  pipe,  and  another  with  fire  to  kindle  it.  After  being 
lighted,  it  was  first  presented  to  heaven,  secondly  to  the  earth, 
thirdly  to  the  presiding  spirit,  and  lastly  the  several  councilors, 
each  of  whom  took  a  wliift'.  These  formalities  were  observed  with 
as  close  exactness  as  state  etiquette  in  civilized  courts. 

The  dwellings  of  the  Indians  were  of  the  simplest  and  rudest 
character.  On  some  pleasant  spot  by  the  bank  of  a  river,  or  near 
an  ever-running  spring,  they  raised  their  groups  of  wigwams,  con- 
structed of  the  bark  of  trees,  and  easily  taken  down  and  removed 
to  another  spot.  The  dwelling-places  of  the  chiefs  were  sometimes 
more  spacious,  and  constructed  with  greater  care,  but  of  the  same 
materials.  Skins  taken  in  the  chase  served  them  for  repose. 
Though  principally  dependent  upon  hunting  and  fishing,  the 
uncertain  supply  from  those  sources  led  them  to  cultivate  small 
patches  of  corn.  Every  family  did  everything  necessary  within 
itself,  commerce,  or  an  interchange  of  articles,  being  almost  unknown 
to  them.  In  cases  of  dispute  and  dissension,  each  Indian  relied 
upon  himself  for  retaliation.  Blood  for  blood  was  the  rule,  and 
the  relatives  of  the  slain  man  were  bound  to  obtain  bloody  revenge 
for  his  death.  This  principle  gave  rise,  as  a  matter  of  course,  to 
innumerable  and  bitter  feuds,  and  wars  of  extermination  where  such 
were  possible.  War,  indeed,  rather  than  peace,  was  the  Indian's 
glory  and  delight, — war,  not  conducted  as  civilization,  but  war 
where  individual  skill,  endurance,  gallantry  and  cruelty  were  prime 
requisites.  For  such  a  purpose  as  revenge  the  Indian  would  make 
great  sacrifices,  and  display  a  patience  and  perseverance  truly  heroic; 
but  when  the  excitement  was  over,  he  sank  back  into  a  listless,  un- 
occupied, well-nigh  useless  savage.  During  the  intervals  of  his 
more  exciting  pursuits,  the  Indian  employed  his  time  in  decorating 
his  person  with  all  the  refinement  of  paint  and  feathers,  and  in  the 
manufacture  of  his  arms  and  of  canoes.  These  were  constructed  of 
bark,  and  so  light  that  they  could  easily  be  carried  on  the  shoulder 
from  stream  to  stream.  His  amusements  were  the  war-dance,  ath- 
letic games,  the  narration  of  his  exploits,  and  listening  to  the  ora- 
tory of  the  chiefs;  but  during  long  periods  of  such  existence  he 
remained  in  a  state  of  torpor,  gazing  listlessly  upon  the  trees  of 
the  forests  and  the  clouds  that  sailed  above  them;  and  this  vacancy 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 


29 


imprinted  an  habitual  gravity,  and  even  melancholy,  upon  his  gen- 
eral deportment. 

The  main  labor  and  drudgery  of  Indian  communities  fell  upon 
the  women.  The  planting,  tending  and  gathering  of  the  crops,^ 
making  mats  and  baskets,  carrying  burdens,— in  fact,  all  things  of 
the  kind  were  performed  by  them,  thus  making  their  condition  but 
little  better  than  that  of  slaves.  Marriage  was  merely  a  matter  of 
bargain  and  sale,  the  husband  giving  presents  to  the  father  of  the 
bride.  In  general  they  had  but  few  children.  They  were  sub- 
jected to  many  and  severe  attacks  of  sickness,  and  at  times  famine 
and  pestilence  swept  away  whole  tribes. 

SINGLE-HANDED    COMBAT   WITH   INDIANS. 

The  most   desperate   single-handed  combat  with   Indians  ever 
fought  on  the  soil  of  Illinois  was  that  of  Tom  Higgins,  August  21, 
1814.      Higgins  was   25   years  old,  of  a  muscular   and   compact 
build,  not  tin,  but  strong  and  active.      In  danger  he  possessed  a 
quick  and  discerning  judgment,  and  was  without  fear.      He  was  a 
member  of  Journey's  rangers,  consisting  of  eleven  men,  stationed 
at  Hill's  Fort,  eight  miles  southwest  of  the  present  Greenville,  Put- 
nam county.     Discovering  Indian  signs  near  the  fort,  the  company, 
early  the  following  morning,  started  on  the  trail.      They  had  not 
gone  far  before  they  were  in  an  ambuscade  of  a  larger  party.     At 
the  first  fire  their  commander,  Journey,  and  three  men  fell,  and 
six  reti-eated  to  the  fort;    but  Higgins  stopped  to  "have  another 
pull  at  the  red-skins,"  and,  taking  deliberate  aim  at  a  stragglmg 
savage,  shot  him  down.     Higgins'  horse  had  been  wounded  at  the 
first  fire,  as  he  supposed,  mortally.     Coming  to,  he  was  about  to 
efi'ect  his  escape,  when  the  tamiliar  voice  of  Burgess  hailed  him 
from  the  long  grass,  "  Tom,  don't  leave  me."     Higgins  told  him  to 
come  along,  but  Burgess  replied  that  his  leg  was  smashed.       Hig- 
gins attempted  to  raise  him  on  his  horse,  but  the  animal  took  fright 
and  ran  away.     Higgins  then  directed  Burgess  to  limp  off"  as  well 
as  he  could;  and  by  crawling  through  the  grass  he  reached  the  fort, 
\^diile  the  former  loaded  his  gun  and  remained  behind  to  protect 
him-  against  the  pursuing  enemy.      When  Burgess  was  well  out  of 
the  way,  Higgins  took  another  route,  which  l6d  by  a  small  thicket, 
to  throw  any  wandering  enemy  off  the  trail.     Here  he  was  con- 
fronted by  three  savages  approaching.       He  ran  to  a  little  ravine 
near  for  shelter,  but  in  the  efi'ort  discovered  for  the  first  time  that 


80  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

he  was  badly  wounded  in  the  leg.  He  was  closely  pressed  by  the 
largest,  a  powerful  Indian,  who  lodged  a  ball  in  his  thigh.  He  fell, 
but  instantly  rose  again,  only,  however,  to  draw  the  fire  of  the  other 
two,  and  again  fell  wounded.  The  Indians  now  advanced  upon  him 
with  their  tomahawks  and  scalping  knives;  but  as  he  presented  his 
gun  first  at  one,  then  at  another,  from  his  place  in  the  ravine,  each 
wavered  in  his  purpose.  Neither  party  had  time  to  load,  and  the 
large  Indian,  supposing  finally  that  Higgins'  gun  was  empty,  rushed 
forward  with  uplifted  tomahawk  and  a  yell;  but  as  he  came  near 
enough,  was  shot  down.  At  this  the  others  raised  the  war-whoop, 
and  rushed  upon  the  wounded  Higgins,  and  now  a  hand-to-hand 
conflict  ensued.  They  darted  at  him  with  their  knives  time  and 
again,  inflicting  many  ghastly  flesh-wounds,  which  bled  profusely. 
One  of  the  assailants  threw  his  tomahawk  at  him  with  such  pre- 
cision as  to  sever  his  ear  and  lay  bare  his  skull,  knocking  him  down. 
They  now  rushed  in  on  him,  but  he  kicked  them  ofi^,  and  grasping 
one  of  their  spears  thrust  at  him,  was  raised  up  by  it.  He  quickly 
seized  his  gun,  and  by  a  powerful  blow  crushed  in  the  skull  of  one, 
but  broke  his  rifle.  His  remaining  antagonist  still  kept  up  the  con- 
test, making  thrusts  with  his  knife  at  the  bleeding  and  exhausted 
Higgins,  which  he  parried  with  his  broken  gun  as  well  as  he  could. 
Most  of  this  desperate  engagement  was  in  plain  view  of  the  fort; 
but  the  rangers,  having  been  in  one  ambuscade,  saw  in  this  fight 
only  a  ruse  to  draw  out  the  balance  of  the  garrison.  But  a  Mrs. 
Pursely,  residing  at  the  fort,  no  longer  able  to  see  so  brave  a  man 
contend  for  his  life  unaided,  seized  a  gun,  mounted  a  liorse,  and 
started  to  his  rescue.  At  this  the  men  took  courage  and  hastened 
along.  The  Indian,  seeing  aid  coming,  fled.  Higgins,  being  near- 
ly hacked  to  pieces,  fainted  from  loss  of  blood.  He  was  carried  to 
the  fort.  There  being  no  surgeon,  his  comrades  cut  two  balls  from 
his  flesh;  others  remained  in.  For  days  his  life  was  despaired  of; 
but  by  tender  nursing  he  ultimately  regained  his  liealth,  although 
badly  crippled.  He  resided  in  Fayette  county  for  many  years  after, 
and  died  in  1829. 


HISTOET   OF   ILLINOIS.  31 


EARLY  DISCOVERIES 

NICHOLAS    PERROT. 

The  first  white  man  who  ever  set  foot  on  the  soil  embraced  within 
the  boundary  of  the  present  populous  State  of  Illinois  was  Nich- 
olas Perrot,  a  Frenchman.  He  was  sent  to  Chicago  in  the  year  1671 
by  M.  Talon,  Intendant  of  Canada,  for  the  purpose  of  inviting  the 
Western  Indians  to  a  great  peace  convention  to  be  held  at  Green 
Bay.  This  convention  had  for  its  chief  object  the  promulgation  of 
a  plan  for  the  discovery  of  the  Mississippi  river.  This  great  river 
had  been  discovered  by  De  Soto,  the  Spanish  explorer,  nearly  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years  previously,  but  his  nation  left  the  country 
a  wilderness,  without  further  exploration  or  settlement  within  its 
borders,  in  which  condition  it  remained  until  the  river  was  dis- 
covered by  Joliet  and  Marquette  in  1673.  It  was  deemed  a  wise 
policy  to  secure,  as  far  as  possible,  the  friendship  and  co-operation 
of  the  Indians,  far  and  near,  before  venturing  upon  an  enterprise 
which  their  hostility  might  render  disastrous.  Thus  the  great  con- 
vention was  called. 

JOLIET    AND     MARQUETTE. 

Although  Perrot  was  the  first  European  to  visit  Illinois,  he  was 
not  the  first  to  make  any  important  discoveries.  This  was  left  for 
Joliet  and  Marquette,  which  they  accomplished  two  years  thereafter. 
The  former,  Louis  Joliet,  was  born  at  Quebec  in  1615.  He  was 
educated  for  the  clerical  profession,  but  he  abandoned  it  to 
engage  in  the  fur  trade.  His  companion,  Father  Jacques  Mar- 
quette, was  a  native  of  France,  born  in  1637.  He  was  a  Jesuit 
priest  by  education,  and  a  man  of  simple  faith  and  great  zeal  and 
devotion  in  extending  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  among  the  In- 
dians. He  was  sent  to  America  in  1666  as  a  missionary.  To  con- 
vert the  Indians  he  penetrated  the  wilderness  a  thousand  miles 
in  advance  of  civilization,  and  by  his  kind  attention  in  their  afilic- 
tions  he  won  their  affections  and  made  them  his  lasting  friends. 
There  were  others,  however,  who  visited  Illinois  even  prior  to  the 
famous  exploration  of  Joliet  and  Marquette.     In  1672  the  Jesuit 


32  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

missionaries,  Fathers  Claude  Allouez  and  Claude  Dablon,  bore  the 
standard  of  the  Cross  from  their  mission  at  Green  Bay  through 
western  Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois. 

According  to  the  pre-arranged  plan  referred  to  above,  at  the  Jes- 
uit mission  on  the  Strait  of  Mackinaw,  Joliet  joined  Marquette, 
and  with  five  other  Frenchmen  and  a  simple  outfit  the  daring  ex- 
plorers on  the  17th  of  Maj^,  1673,  set  out  on  their  perilous  voyage 
to  discover  the  Mississippi.  Coasting  along  the  northern  shore  of 
Lake  Michigan,  they  entered  Green  Bay,  and  passed  thence  up  Fox 
river  and  Lake  "Winnebago  to  a  village  of  the  Muscatines  and 
Miamis,  where  great  interest  was  taken  in  the  expedition  by  the 
natives.  With  guides  thej^  proceeded  down  the  river.  Arriving 
at  the  portage,  they  soon  carried  their  light  canoes  and  scanty  bag- 
gage to  the  Wisconsin,  about  three  miles  distant.  Their  guides 
now  refused  to  accompany  them  further,  and  endeavored,  by  re- 
citing the  dangers  incident  to  the  voyage,  to  induce  them  to  return. 
They  stated  that  huge  demons  dwelt  in  the  great  river,  whose  voices 
could  be  heard  a  long  distance,  and  who  engulfed  in  the  raging 
waters  all  who  came  within  their  reach.  They  also  represented  that 
if  any  of  them  should  escape  the  dangers  of  the  river,  fierce  tribes  of 
Indians  dwelt  upon  its  banks  ready  to  complete  the  work  of  de- 
struction. They  proceeded  on  their  journey,  however,  and  on  the 
17th  of  June  pushed  their  frail  barks  on  the  bosom  of  the  stately 
Mississippi,  down  which  they  smoothly  glided  for  nearly  a  hundred 
miles.  Here  Joliet  and  Marquette,  leaving  their  canoes  in  charge 
of  their  men,  went  on  the  western  shore,  where  they  discovered  an 
Indian  village,  and  were  kindly  treated.  They  journeyed  on  down 
the  unknown  river,  passing  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois,  then  run- 
ning into  the  current  of  the  muddy  Missouri,  and  afterwaid  the 
waters  of  the  Ohio  joined  with  them  on  their  journey  southward. 
Near  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas  they  discovered  Indians  who 
showed  signs  of  hostility;  but  when  Marquette's  mission  of  peace 
was  made  known  to  them,  they  were  kindly  received.  After  pro- 
ceeding up  the  Arkansas  a  short  distance,  at  the  advice  of  the 
natives  they  turned  their  faces  northward  to  retrace  their  steps.  Af- 
ter several  weeks  of  hard  toil  they  reached  the  Illinois,  up  which 
stream  they  proceeded  to  Lake  Michigan.  Following  the  western 
shore  of  the  lake,  they  entered  Green  Bay  the  latter  part  of  Sep- 
tember, having  traveled  a  distance  of  2,500  miles. 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  33 

On  his  way  np  the  Illinois,  Marquette  visited  the  Kaskaskias, 
near  what  is  now  Utica,  in  LaSalle  county.  The  following  year 
he  returned  and  established  among  them  the  mission  of  the  Im- 
maculate Virgin  Mary.  This  was  the  last  act  of  his  life.  He  died 
in  Michigan,  May  18,  1675. 

lasalle's   explokations. 

The  first  French  occupation  of  Illinois  was  eifected  by  LaSalle, 
in  16S0.     Having  constructed  a  vessel,   the  "  Griffin,"  above  the 
falls  of  Niagara,  he  sailed   to  Green  Bay,  and  passed  thence  in 
canoe  to  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Joseph  river,  by  which  and  the  Kan- 
kakee he  reached  the  Illinois  in  January,  1680;  and  on  the  3d  he 
entered  the  expansion  of  the  river  now  called  Peoria  lake.     Here, 
at  the  lower  end  of  the  lake,  on  its  eastern  bank,  now  in  Tazewell 
county,  he  erected  Fort  Crevecoeur.     The  place  where  this  ancient 
fort  stood  may  still  be  seen  just  below  the  outlet  of  Peoria  lake.  It 
had,  however,  but  a  temporary  existence.    From  this  point  LaSalle 
determined,  at  that  time,  to  descend  the  Mississippi  to  its  mouth. 
This  he  did  not  do,  however,  until  two  years  later.     Returning  to 
Fort  Frontenac  for  the  purpose  of  getting  material  with  which  to 
rig  his  vessel,  he  left  the  fort  at  Peoria  in  charge  of  his  lieutenant, 
Henri  Tonti,  an   Italian,  who  had  lost  one  of   his  hands  by  the 
explosion  of  a  grenade  in  the  Sicilian  wars.     Tonti  had  with  him 
fifteen  men,  most  of  whom  disliked  LiiSalle,  and  were  ripe  for  a 
revolt  the  first  opportunity.  Two  men  who  had,  previous  to  LaSalle's 
departure,  been  sent  to  look  for  the  "  Griffin  "  now  returned  and 
reported  that  the  vessel  was  lost  and  that  Fort  Frontenac  was  in 
the  hands  of  LaSalle's  creditors.      This  disheartening  intelligence 
had  the  effect  to  enkindle  a  spirit  of  mutiny  among  the  garrison. 
Tonti  had  no  sooner  left  the  fort,  with  a  few  men,  to  fortify  what 
was   afterward  known  as  Starved  Kock,  than  the  garrison  at  the 
fort  refused  longer  to  submit  to  authority.     They  destroyed  the 
fort,  seized  the  ammunition,  provisions,  and  other  portables  of  value, 
and  fied.     Only  two  of  their  number  remained  true.     Tliese  hast- 
ened to  apprise  Tonti  of  what  had  occurred.     He  thereupon  sent 
four  of  the  men  with  him  to  inform  LaSalle.       Tims  was  Tonti  in 
the  midst  of  treacherous  savages,  with  only  five  men,  two  of  whom 
were  the  friars  Ribourde  and  Membre.    With  these  he  immediately 
returned  to  the  fort,  collected  what  tools  had  not  been  destroyed, 
and  conveyed  them  to  the  great   town  of  the   Illinois  Indians. 


34  HISTOEY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

By  this  voluntary  display  of  confidence  he  hoped  to  remove  the 
jealousy  created  in  the  minds  of  the  Illinois  by  the  enemies  of  La- 
Salle.     Here  he  awaited,  unmolested,  the  return  of  LaSalle. 

GREAT     BATTLE     OF    THE     ILLINOIS. 

Neither  Tonti  nor  his  wild  associates  suspected  that  hordes  of  Iro- 
quois were  gathering  preparatory  to  rushing  down  upon  their 
country  and  reducing  it  to  an  uninhabited  waste.  Already  these 
hell-hounds  of  the  wilderness  had  destroyed  the  Hurous,  Eries,  and 
other  natives  on  the  lakes,  and  were  now  directing  their  attention 
to  the  Illinois  for  new  victims.  Five  hundred  Iroquois  warriors 
set  out  for  the  home  of  the  Illinois.  All  was  fancied  security  and 
idle  repose  in  the  great  town  of  this  tribe,  as  the  enemy  stealthily 
approached.  Suddenly  as  a  clap  of  thunder  from  a  cloudless  sky 
the  listless  inhabitants  were  awakened  from  their  lethargy.  A 
Shawnee  Indian,  on  his  return  home  after  a  visit  to  the  Illinois, 
first  discovered  the  invaders.  To  save  his  friends  from  the  im- 
pending danger,  he  hurriedly  returned  and  apprised  them  of  the 
coming  enemy.  This  intelligence  spread  with  lightning  rapidity 
over  the  town,  and  each  wigwam  disgorged  its  boisterous  and  as- 
tounded inmates.  Women  snatched  their  children,  and  in  a  delirium 
of  fright  wandered  aimlessly  about,  rending  the  air  with  their 
screams.  The  men,  more  self-possessed,  seized  their  arms  ready 
for  the  coming  fray.  Tonti,  long  an  object  of  suspicion,  was  soon 
surrounded  by  an  angry  crowd  of  warriors,  who  accused  him  of  be- 
ing an  emissary  of  the  enemy.  His  inability  to  defend  himself 
properly,  in  consequence  of  not  fully  understanding  their  language 
left  them  still  inclined  to  believe  him  guilty,  and  they  seized  his 
effects  from  the  fort  and  threw  them  into  the  river.  The  women 
and  children  were  sent  down  the  river  for  safety,  and  the  warriors, 
not  exceeding  four  hundred,  as  most  of  their  young  men  were  off 
hunting,  returned  to  the  village.  Along  the  shores  of  the  river 
they  kindled  huge  bonfires,  and  spent  the  entire  night  in  greasing 
their  bodies,  painting  their  faces,  and  performing  the  war-dance, 
to  prepare  for  the  approaching  enemy.  At  early  dawn  the  scouts 
who  had  been  sent  out  returned,  closely  followed  by  the  Iroquois. 
The  scouts  had  seen  a  chief  arrayed  in  French  costume,  and  re- 
ported their  suspicions  that  LaSalle  was  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy, 
and  Tonti  again  became  an  object  of  jealousy.  A  concourse  of 
wildly  gesticulating  savages  immediately  gathered  about  him,  de- 


HISTOKY   OF   ILLINOIS.  35 

manding  his  life,  and  nothing  s^ved  him  from  their  uplifted  weap- 
ons but  a  promise  that  he  and  his  men  would  go  with  them  to  meet 
the  enemy.  With  their  suspicions  partly  lulled,  they  hurriedly 
crossed  the  river  and  met  the  foe,  when  both  commenced  firing. 
Tonti,  seeing  that  the  Illinois  were  outnumbered  and  likely  to 
be  defeated,  determined,  at  the  imminent  risk  of  his  life,  to  stay 
the  fight  by  an  attempt  at  mediation.  Presuming  on  the  treaty  of 
peace  then  existing  between  the  French  and  Iroquois,  he  exchanged 
hia  gun  for  a  belt  of  wampum  and  advanced  to  meet  the  savage 
multitude,  attended  by  three  companions,  who,  being  unnecessarily 
exposed  to  danger,  were  dismissed,  and  he  proceeded  alone.  A 
short  walk  brought  him  in  the  midst  of  a  pack  of  yelping  devils, 
writhing  and  distorted  with  fiendish  rage,  and  impatient  to  shed 
his  blood.  As  the  result  of  his  swarthy  Italian  complexion  and 
half-savage  costume,  he  was  at  first  taken  for  an  Indian,  and  before 
the  mistake  was  discovered  a  young  warrior  approached  and  stabbed 
at  his  heart.  Fortunately  the  blade  was  turned  aside  by  coming 
in  contact  with  a  rib,  yet  a  large  flesh  wound  was  inflicted,  which 
bled  profusely.  At  this  juncture  a  chief  discovered  his  true  char- 
acter, and  he  was  led  to  the  rear  and  efforts  were  made  to  staunch 
his  wound.  When  sufiiciently  recovered,  he  declared  the  Illinois 
were  under  the  protection  of  the  French,  and  demanded,  in  consid- 
eration of  the  treaty  between  the  latter  and  the  Iroquois,  that  they 
should  be  suffered  to  remain  without  further  molestation.  During 
this  conference  a  young  warrior  snatched  Tonti's  hat,  and,  fleeing 
with  it  to  the  front,  held  it  aloft  on  the  end  of  his  gun  in  view  of 
the  Illinois.  The  latter,  judging  that  Tonti  had  been  killed, 
renewed  the  fight  with  great  vigor.  Simultaneously,  intelligence 
was  brought  to  the  Iroquois  that  Frenchmen  were  assisting  their 
enemies  in  the  fight,  when  the  contest  over  Tonti  was  renewed 
with  redoubled  fury.  Some  declared  that  he  should  be  immediately 
put  to  death,  while  others,  friendly  to  LaSalle,  with  equal  earnest- 
ness demanded  that  he  should  be  set  at  liberty.  During  their 
clamorous  debate,  his  hair  was  several  times  lifted  by  a  huge  sav- 
age who  stood  at  his  back  with  a  scalping  knife  ready  for  execution. 
Tonti  at  length  turned  the  current  of  the  angry  controversy  in  his 
favor,  by  stating  that  the  Illinois  were  1,200  strong,  and  that  there 
were  60  Frenchmen  at  the  village  ready  to  assist  them.  This  state- 
ment obtained  at  least  a  partial  credence,  and  his  tormentors  now 


36  HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

determined  to  use  him  as  an  instrument  to  delude  the  Illinois  with  a 
pretended  truce.  The  old  warriors,  therefore,  advanced  to  the  front 
and  ordered  the  firing  to  cease,  while  Tonti,  dizzy  from  the  loss  of 
blood,  was  furnished  with  an  emblem  of  peace  and  sent  staggering 
across  the  plain  to  rejoin  the  Illinois.     The  two  friars  who  had  just 
returned  from  a  distant  hut,  whither  thej  had  repaired  for  prayer 
and  meditation,  were  the  first  to  meet  him  and  bless  God  for  wliat 
they  regarded  as  a  miraculous  deliverance.     With  the  assurance 
brouo-ht  by  Tonti,  the  Illinois  re-crossed  the  river  to  their  lodges, 
followed  by  the  enemy  as  far  as  the  opposite  bank.    Not  long  after, 
large  numbers  of  the  latter,  under  the  pretext  of  hunting,  also  crossed 
the  river  and  hung  in  threatening  groups  about  the    town.  These 
hostile  indications,  and  the  well-known  disregard  which  the  Iroquois 
had  always  evinced  for  their  pledges,  soon  convinced  the  Illinois 
that  their  only  safety  was  in  flight.     With  this  conviction  they  set 
tire  to  their  village,  and  while  the  vast  volume  of  flames  and  smoke 
diverted  the  attention  of  the  enemy,  they  quietly  dropped  down  the 
river  to  join  their  women  and  children.  As  soon  as  the  flames  would 
permit,  the  Iroquois  entrenched  themselves  on  the  site  of  the  vil- 
lao-e.     Tonti  and  his  men  were  ordered  by  the  suspicious  savages 
to  leave  their  hut  and  take  up  their  abode  in  the  fort. 

At  first  the  Iroquois  were  much  elated  at  the  discomfiture  of  the 
Illinois,  but  when  two  days  afterward  they  discovered  them  recon- 
noitering  their  intrenchments,  their  courage  greatly  subsided. 
With  fear  they  recalled  the  exaggerations  of  Tonti  respecting  their 
numbers,  and  concluded  to  send  him  with  a  hostage  to  make  over- 
tures of  peace.  He  and  his  hostage  were  received  with  delight  by 
the  Illinois,  who  readily  assented  to  the  proposal  which  he  brought, 
and  in  turn  sent  back  with  him  a  hostage  to  the  Iroquois.  On  his 
return  to  the  fort  his  life  was  again  placed  in  jeopardy,  and  the 
treaty  was  with  great  difficulty  ratified.  The  young  and  inexpe- 
rienced Illinois  hostage  betrayed  to  his  crafty  interviewers  the  nu- 
merical weakness  of  his  tribe,  and  the  savages  immediately  rushed 
upon  Tonti,  and  charged  him  with  having  deprived  them  of  the  spoils 
and  honors  of  victory.  It  now  required  all  the  tact  of  which  he  was 
master  to  escape.  After  much  difficulty  however,  the  treaty  was  con- 
cluded, but  the  savages,  to  show  their  contempt  for  it,  immediately 
commenced  constructing  canoes  in  which  to  descend  the  river  and 
attack  the  Illinois. 


;:^;as)^* 


AN  IROQUOIS  CHIEF. 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  39 

FRENCHMEN    DRIVEN    AWAY. 

Tonti  managed  to  apprise  the  latter  of  their  designs,  and  he  and 
Membre  were  soon  after  summoned  to  attend  a  council  of  the  Iro- 
quois, who  still  labored  under  a  wholesome  fear  of  Count  Frontenac, 
and  disliking  to  attack  the  Illinois  in  the  presence  of  the  French, 
thej  thought  to  try  to  induce  them  to  leave  the  country.  At  the 
assembling  of  the  council,  six  packages  of  beaver  skins  were  intro- 
duced, and  the  savage  orator,  presenting  them  separately  to  Tonti, 
explained  the  nature  of  each.  "The  first  two,"  said  he,  "  were  to  de- 
clare that  the  children  of  Count  Frontenac,  that  is,  the  Illinois, 
should  not  be  eaten;  the  next  was  a  plaster  to  heal  the  wounds  of 
Tonti;  the  next  was  oil  wherewith  to  anoint  him  and  Membre, 
that  they  might  not  be  fatigued  in  traveling;  the  next  proclaimed 
that  the  sun  was  bright;  and  the  sixth  and  last  required  them  to 
decamp  and  go  home." 

At  the  mention  of  going  home,  Tonti  demanded  of  them  when 
they  intended  to  set  the  example  by  leaving  the  Illinois  in  the 
peaceable  possession  of  their  country,  which  they  had  so  unjustly  in- 
vaded. The  council  grew  boisterous  and  angry  at  the  idea  that 
they  should  be  demanded  to  do  what  they  required  of  the  French, 
and  some  of  its  members,  forgetting  their  previous  pledge,  declared 
that  they  would  "eat  Illinois  flesh  before  they  departed."  Tonti,  in 
imitation  of  the  Indians'  manner  of  expressing  scorn,  indignantly 
kicked  away  the  presents  of  fur,  saying,  since  they  intended  to  de- 
vour the  children  of  Frontenac  with  cannibal  ferocity,  he  would  not 
accept  their  gifts.  This  stern  rebuke  resulted  in  the  expulsion  of 
Tonti  and  his  companion  from  the  council,  and  the  next  day  the 
chiefs  ordered  them  to  leave  the  country. 

Tonti  had  now,  at  the  great  peril  of  his  life,  tried  every  expedient 
to  prevent  the  slaughter  of  the  Illinois.  There  was  little  to  be  ac- 
complished by  longer  remaining  in  the^country,  and  as  longer  delay 
might  imperil  the  lives  of  his  own  men,  he  determined  to  depart,  not 
knowing  where  or  when  he  would  be  able  to  rejoin  LaSalle.  With 
this  object  in  view,  the  party,  consisting  of  six  persons,  embarked  in 
canoes,  which  soon  proved  leaky,  and  they  were  compelled  to  land 
for  the  purpose  of  making  repairs.  "While  thus  employed,  Father  Ri- 
bourde,  attracted  by  the  beauty  of  the  surrounding  landscape,  wan- 
dered forth  among  the  groves  for  meditation  and  prayer.  Not  return- 
ing in  due  time,  Tonti  became  alarmed,  and  started  with  a  compan- 


40  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

ion  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  long  delay.  They  soon  discovered 
tracks  of  Indians,  by  whom  it  was  supposed  he  had  been  seized,  and 
guns  were  fired  to  direct  his  return,  in  case  he  was  alive.  Seeing 
nothing  of  him  during  the  day,  at  night  they  built  fires  along  the 
bank  of  the  river  and  retired  to  the  opposite  side,  to  see  who  might 
approach  them.  Near  midnight  a  number  of  Indians  were  seen 
flitting  about  the  light,  by  whom,  no  doubt,  had  been  made  the  tracks 
Been  the  previous  day.  It  was  afterward  learned  that  they  were  a 
band  of  Kickapoos,  who  had  for  several  days  been  hovering  about 
the  camp  of  the  Iroquois  in  quest  of  scalps.  They  had  fell  in 
with  the  inofiensive  old  friar  and  scalped  him.  Thus,  in  the  65th 
year  of  his  age,  the  only  heir  to  a  wealthy  Burgundian  house  per- 
ished under  the  war-club  of  the  savages  for  whose  salvation  he  had 
renounced  ease  and  affluence. 

INHUMAN    BUTCHERY. 

During  this  tragedy  a  far  more  revolting  one  was  being  enacted 
in  the  great  town  of  Illinois.     The  Iroquois  were  tearing  open  the 
graves  of  the  dead,  and  wreaking  their  vengeance  upon  the  bodies 
made  hideous  by  putrefaction.     At  this  desecration,  it  is  said,  they 
even  ate  portions  of  the  dead  bodies,  while  subjecting  them  to  every 
indignity  that  brutal  hate  could  inflict.     Still  unsated  by  their  hell- 
ish brutalities,  and  now  unrestrained  by  the  presence  of  the  French, 
they  started  in  pursuit  of  the  retreating  Illinois.      Day  after  day 
they  and  the  opposing  forces  moved  in  compact  array  down  the 
river,  neither  being  able  to  gain  any  advantage  over  the  other.    At 
length  the  Iroquois  obtained  by  falsehood    that  which  number  and 
prowess  denied  them.     They  gave  out  that  their  object  was  to  pos- 
sess the  country,  not  by  destroying,  but  by  driving  out  its  present 
inhabitants.     Deceived  by  this  false  statement,  the  Illinois  separa- 
ted, some  descending  the  Mississippi  and  others  crossing  to    the 
western  shore.     The  Tamaroas,  more  credulous  than  the  rest,  re- 
mained near  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois,  and  were  suddenly  attacked 
by  an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy.     The  men  fled  in  dismay, 
and  the  women  and  children,  to  the  number  of  700,  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  ferocious  enemy.     Then  followed  the  tortures,  butch- 
eries and  burnings  which  only  the  infuriated  and  imbruted  Iroquois 
could  perpetrate.     LaSalle  on  his  return  discovered  the  half-charred 
bodies  of  women  and  children  still  bound  to  the  stakes  where  they 
had  suffered  all  the  tornjents  hellish  hate  could  devise.  In  addition 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  41 

to  those  who  had  been  burnt,  the  mangled  bodies  of  women  and 
children  thickly  covered  the  ground,  many  of  which  bore  marks  of 
brutality  too  horrid  for  record. 

After  the  ravenous  horde  had  sufficiently  glutted  their  greed  for 
carnage,  they  retired  from  the  country.  The  Illinois  returned  and 
rebuilt  their  town. 

TONTI     SAFE    AT    GREEN    BAT. 

After  the  death  of  Ribourde,  Tonti  and  his  men  again  resumed 
their  journey.  Soon  again  their  craft  became  disabled,  when  they 
abandoned  it  and  started  on  foot  for  Lake  Michigan,  Their 
supply  of  provisions  soon  became  exhausted,  and  they  were 
compelled  to  subsist  in  a  great  measure  on  roots  and  herbs. 
One  of  their  companions  wandered  off  in  search  of  game,  and  lost 
his  way,  and  several  days  elapsed  before  he  rejoined  them.  In  his 
absence  he  was  without  flints  and  bullets,  yet  contrived  to  shoot 
some  turkeys  by  using  slugs  cut  from  a  pewter  porringer  and  afire- 
brand  to  discharge  his  gun.  Tonti  fell  sick  of  a  fever  and  greatly 
retarded  the  progress  of  the  march.  Nearing  Green  Bay,  the  cold 
increased  and  the  means  of  subsistence  decreased  and  the  party  would 
have  perished  had  they  not  found  a  few  ears  of  corn  and  some  froz- 
en squashes  in  the  fields  of  a  deserted  village.  Near  the  close  of 
November  they  had  reached  the  Pottawatomies,  who  warmly  greet- 
ed them.  Their  chief  was  an  ardent  admirer  of  the  French,  and 
was  accustomed  to  say:  "  There  were  but  three  great  captains  in  the 
world, — himself,  Tonti  and  LaSalle."  For  the  above  account  of 
Tonti's  encounter  with  the  Iroquois,  we  are  indebted  to  Davidson 
and  Stuve's  History  of  Illinois. 

lasalle's  return. 

LaSalle  returned  to  Peoria  only  to  meet  the  hideous  picture  of 
devastation.  Tonti  had  escaped,  but  LaSalle  knew  not  whither.  Pass- 
ins  down  the  lake  in  search  of  him  and  his  men,  LaSalle  discov- 
ered  that  the  fort  had  been  destroyed;  but  the  vessel  which  he  had 
partly  constructed  was  still  on  the  stocks,  and  but  slightly  injured. 
After  further  fruitless  search  he  fastened  to  a  tree  a  painting  repre- 
senting himself  and  party  sitting  in  a  canoe  and  bearing  a  pipe  of 
peace,  and  to  the  painting  attached  a  letter  addressed  to  Tonti. 

LaSalle  was.born  in  France  in  1643,  of  wealthy  parentage,  and  edu- 
cated in  a  college  of  the  Jesuits,  from  which  he  separated  and  came 
to  Canada,  a  poor  man,  in  1666.     He  was  a  man  of  daring  genius, 


42  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS, 

and  outstripped  all  his  competitors  in  exploits  of  travel  and  com- 
merce with  the  Indians.  He  was  granted  a  large  tract  of  land  at 
LaChine,  where  he  established  himself  in  the  fur  trade.  In  1669 
he  visited  the  headquarters  of  the  great  Iroquois  confederacy,  at 
Onondaga,  New  York,  and,  obtaining  guides,  explored  the  Ohio 
river  to  the  falls  at  Louisville,  For  many  years  previous,  it  must 
be  remembered,  missionaries  and  traders  were  obliged  to  make  their 
way  to  the  Northwest  through  Canada  on  account  of  the  fierce 
hostility  of  the  Iroquois  along  the  lower  lakes  and  Niagara  river, 
which  entirely  closed  this  latter  route  to  the  upper  lakes.  They 
carried  on  their  commerce  chiefly  by  canoes,  paddling  them  through 
Ottawa  river  to  Lake  Nipissing,  carrying  them  across  the  portage 
to  French  river,  and  descending  that  to  Lake  Huron.  This  being 
the  route  by  which  they  reached  the  Northwest,  we  have  an  explana- 
tion of  the  fact  that  all  the  earliest  Jesuit  missions  were  established 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  upper  lakes.  LaSalle  conceived  the 
grand  idea  of  opening  the  route  by  Niagara  river  and  the  lower 
lakes  to  Canada  commerce. by  sail  vessels,  connecting  it  with  the 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  and  thus  opening  a  magnificent  water 
communication  from  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico, This  truly  grand  and  comprehensive  purpose  seems  to  have 
animated  him  in  his  wonderful  achievements,  and  the  matchless 
difliculties  and  hardships  he  surmounted.  As  the  first  step  in  the 
accomplishment  of  this  object  he  established  himself  on  Lake 
Ontario,  and  built  and  garrisoned  Fort  Frontenac,  the  site  of  the 
present  city  of  Kingston,  Canada.  Here  he  obtained  a  grant  of 
land  from  the  French  crown,  and  a  body  of  troops,  by  which  he 
repulsed  the  Iroquois  and  opened  passage  to  Niagara  Falls,  Hav- 
ing by  this  masterly  stroke  made  it  safe  to  attempt  a  hitherto 
untried  expedition,  his  next  step,  as  we  have  seen,  was  to  build  a 
ship  with  which  to  sail  the  lakes.  He  was  successful  in  this  under- 
taking, though  his  ultimate  purpose  was  defeated  by  a  strange  com- 
bination of  untoward  circumstances.  The  Jesuits  evidently  hated 
LaSalle  and  plotted  against  him,  because  he  had  abandoned  them 
and  united  with  a  rival  order.  The  fur  traders  were  also  jealous  of 
his  success  in  opening  new  channels  of  commerce.  While  they  were 
plodding  with  their  bark  canoes  through  the  Ottawa,  he  was  con- 
structing sailing  vessels  to  command  the  trade  of  the  lakes  and  the 
Mississippi.     These  great  plans  excited  the  jealousy  and  envy  of 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS.  43 

small  traders,  introduced  treason  and  revolt  into  the  ranks  of  his 
men,  and  finally  led  to  the  foul  assassination  by  which  his  great 
achievements  were  permanently  ended. 

lasalle's  assassination. 
Again  visiting  the  Illinois  in  the  year  1682,  LaSalle  de- 
scended the  Mississippi  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  He  erected  a 
standard  upon  which  he  inscribed  the  arms  of  France,  and  took 
formal  possession  of  the  whole  valley  of  this  mighty  river  in  the 
name  of  Louis  XIY.,  then  reigning,  and  in  honor  of  whom  he  named 
the  country  Louisiana.  LaSalle  then  returned  to  France,  was 
appointed  Governor,  and  returned  with  a  fleet  of  immigrants  for  the 
purpose  of  planting  a  colony  in  Illinois.  They  arrived  in  due  time 
in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  but  failing  to  find  the  mouth  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, up  which  they  intended  to  sail,  his  supply  ship,  with  the 
immigrants,  was  driven  ashore  and  wrecked  on  Matagorda  Bay. 
"With  the  fragments  of  the  vessel  he  constructed  rude  huts  and 
stockades  on  the  shore  for  the  protection  of  his  followers,  calling 
tiie  post  Fort  St.  Louis.  He  then  made  a  trip  into  New  Mexico 
in  search  of  silver  mines,  but,  meeting  with  disappointment, 
returned  to  find  his  colony  reduced  to  forty  souls.  He  then  resolved 
to  travel  on  foot  to  Illinois.  With  some  twenty  of  his  men  they 
filed  out  of  their  fort  on  the  12th  of  January,  1GS7,  and  after  the  part- 
ing,— which  was  one  of  sighs,  of  tears,  and  of  embraces,  all  seeming 
intuitively  to  know  that  they  should  see  each  other  no  more, — they 
started  on  their  disastrous  journey.  Two  of  the  party,  Du  Haut 
and  Leotot,  when  on  a  hunting  expedition  in  company  with  a 
neohew  of  LaSalle,  assassinated  him  while  asleep.  The  long 
absence  of  his  nephew  caused  LaSalle  to  go  in  search  of  him.  On 
approaching  the  murderers  of  his  nephew,  they  fired  upon  him,  kill- 
ing him  instantly.  They  then  despoiled  the  body  of  its  clothing, 
aiic  left  it  to  be  devoured  by  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest.  Thus, 
at  the  age  of  43,  perished  one  whose  exploits  have  so  greatly 
enriched  the  history  of  the  New  World.  To  estimate  aright  the 
marvels  of  his  patient  fortitude,  one  must  follow  on  his  track 
through  the  vast  scene  of  his  interminable  journeyings,  those  thou- 
sands of  weary  miles  of  forest,  marsh  and  river,  where,  again  and 
again,  in  the  bitterness  of  baffled  striving,  the  untiring  pilgrim 
pushed  onward  toward  the  goal  he  never  was  to  attain.  America 
owes  him  an  enduring  memory ;  for  in  this  masculine  figure,  cast 


44  HISTORY   OF   lULINOlS. 

in  iron,  she  sees  the  heroic  pioneer  who  guided  her  to  the  possession 
of  her  richest  heritage. 

Tonti,  who  liad  been  stationed  at  the  fort  on  the  Illinois,  learning 
of  LaSalle's  unsuccessful  voyage,  immediately  started  down  the 
Mississippi  to  his  relief.  Reaching  the  Gulf,  he  found  no  traces  of 
the  colony.  He  then  returned,  leaving  some  of  his  men  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Arkansas.  These  were  discovered  by  the  remnant  of 
LaSalle's  followers,  who  guided  them  to  the  fort  on  the  Illinois, 
where  they  reported  that  LaSalle  was  in  Mexico.  The  little  band 
left  at  Fort  St.  Louis  were  finally  destroyed  by  the  Indians,  and  the 
murderers  of  LaSalle  were  shot.  Thus  ends  the  sad  chapter  of 
"Robert  Cavalier  de  LaSalle's  exploration. 

FRENCH  OCCUPATION. 

FIRST    SETTLEMENTS. 

The  first  mission  in  Illinois,  as  we  have  already  seen,  was  com- 
menced by  Marquette  in  April,  1675.  He  called  the  religious 
society  which  he  established  the  "  Mission  of  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception," and  the  town  Kaskaskia.  The  first  military  occupation  of 
the  country  was  at  Fort  Crevecoeur,  erected  in  1680;  but  there  is  no 
evidence  that  a  settlement  was  commenced  there,  or  at  Peoria,  on 
the  lake  above,  at  that  early  date.  The  first  settlement  of  which  there 
is  any  authentic  account  was  commenced  with  the  building  of  Fort 
St.  Louis  on  the  Illinois  river  in  1682;  but  this  was  soon  abandoned. 
The  oldest  permanent  settlement,  not  only  in  Illinois,  but  in  the  val- 
ley of  the  Mississippi,  is  at  Kaskaskia,  situated  six  miles  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Kaskaskia  river.  This  was  settled  in  1690  by  the 
removal  of  the  mission  from  old  Kaskaskia,  or  Ft.  St.  Louis,  on  the 
Illinois  river.  Cahokia  was  settled  about  the  same  time.  Tlie 
reason  for  the  removal  of  the  old  Kaskaskia  settlement  and  mission, 
was  probably  because  the  dangerous  and  difficult  route  by  Lake 
Michigan  and  the  Chicago  portage  had  been  almost  abandoned,  and 
travelers  and  traders  traveled  down  and  up  the  Mississippi  by  the 
Fox  and  Wisconsin  rivers.  It  was  removed  to  the  vicinity  of  the 
Mississippi  in  order  to  be  in  the  line  of  travel  from  Canada  to 
Louisiana,  that  is,  the  lower  part  of  it,  for  it  was  all  Louisiana  then 
south  of  the  lakes.  Illinois  came  into  possession  of  the  French  in 
1682,  and  was  a  dependency  of  Canada  and  a  part  of  Louisiana. 
During  the  period  of  French  rule  in  Louisiana,  the  population 


HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS.  4:5 

probably  never  exceeded  ten  thousand.  To  the  year  1730  the  fol- 
lowing five  distinct  settlements  were  made  in  the  territory  of 
Illinois,  numbering,  in  population,  140  French  families,  about  600 
"  converted  "  Indians,  and  many  traders ;  Cahokia,  near  the  mouth 
of  Cahokia  creek  and  about  five  miles  below  the  present  city  of 
St,  Louis;  St.  Philip,  about  forty-five  miles  below  Cahokia;  Fort 
Chartres,  twelve  miles  above  Kaskaskia;  Kaskaskia,  situated  on  the 
Kaskaskia  river  six  miles  above  its  confluence  with  the  Mississippi, 
and  Prairie  du  Kocher,  near  Fort  Chartres.  Fort  Chartres  was 
built  under  the  direction  of  the  Mississippi  Company  in  1718,  and 
was  for  a  time  the  headquarters  of  the  military  commandants  of 
the  district  of  Illinois,  and  the  most  impregnable  fortress  in  North 
America.  It  was  also  the  center  of  wealth  and  fashion  in  the  West. 
For  about  eighty  years  the  French  retained  peaceable  possession 
of  Illinois.  Their  amiable  disposition  and  tact  of  ingratiating  them- 
selves with  the  Indians  enabled  them  to  escape  almost  entirely  the 
broils  which  weakened  and  destroyed  other  colonies.  Whether 
exploring  remote  rivers  or  traversing  hunting  grounds  in  pursuit 
of  game,  in  the  social  circle  or  as  participants  in  the  religious  exer- 
cises of  the  church,  the  red  men  became  their  associates  and  were 
treated  with  the  kindness  and  consideration  of  brothers.  For  more 
than  a  hundred  years  peace  between  the  white  man  and  the  red  was 
unbroken,  and  when  at  last  this  reign  of  harmony  terminated  it 
was  not  caused  by  the  conciliatory  Frenchman,  but  by  the  blunt 
and  sturdy  Anglo-Saxon.  During  this  century,  or  until  the  coun- 
try was  occupied  by  the  English,  no  regular  court  was  ever  held. 
When,  in  1765,  the  country  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  English, 
many  of  the  French,  rather  than  submit  to  a  change  in  their  insti- 
tutions, preferred  to  leave  their  homes  and  seek  a  new  abode. 
There  are,  however,  at  the  present  time  a  few  remnants  of  the  old 
French  stock  in  the  State,  who  still  retain  to  a  great  extent  the 
ancient  habits  and  customs  of  their  fathers. 

THE    MISSISSIPPI    COMPANY. 

During  the  earliest  period  of  French  occupation  of  this  country, 
M.  Tonti,  LaSalle's  attendant,  was  commander-in-chief  of  all  the 
territory  embraced  between  Canada  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and 
extending  east  and  west  of  the  Mississippi  as  far  as  his  ambition  or 
imagination  pleased  to  allow.  He  spent  twenty-one  years  in  estab- 
lishing forts  and  organizing  the  first  settlements  of  Illinois.      Sep- 


46  HISTOEY  OF   ILLINOIS. 

tember  14,  1712,  the  Frencli  government  granted  a  monopoly  of  all 
the  trade  aud  commerce  of  the  country  to  M.  Crozat,  a  wealthy 
merchant  of  Paris,  who  established  a  trading  company  in  Illinois, 
and  it  was  by  this  means  that  the  early  settlements  became  perma- 
nent and  others  established.  Crozat  surrendered  his  charter  in 
1717,  and  the  Company  of  the  West,  better  known  as  the  Missis- 
sippi Company,  was  organized,  to  aid  and  assist  the  banking  system 
of  John  Law,  the  most  famous  speculator  of  modern  times,  and 
perhaps  at  one  time  the  wealthiest  private  individual  the  world 
has  ever  known;  but  his  treasure  was  transitory.  Under  the 
Company  of  the  West  a  branch  was  organized  called  the  Company 
of  St.  Philip's,  for  the  purpose  of  working  the  rich  silver  mines  sup- 
posed to  be  in  Illinois,  and  Philip  Kenault  was  appointed  as  its 
agent.  In  1719  he  sailed  from  France  with  two  hundred  miners, 
laborers  and  mechanics.  During  1719  the  Company  of  the  West 
was  by  royal  order  united  with  the  Royal  Company  of  the  Indies, 
and  had  the  influence  and  support  of  the  crown,  who  was  deluded 
by  the  belief  that  immense  wealth  would  flow  into  the  empty  treas- 
ury of  France.  This  gigantic  scheme,  one  of  the  most  extensive 
and  wonderful  bubbles  ever  blown  up  to  astonish,  deceive  and  ruin 
thousands  of  people,  was  set  in  operation  by  the  fertile  brain  of 
John  Law.  Law  was  born  in  Scotland  in  1671,  and  so  rapid  had 
been  his  career  that  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  he  was  a  "  bankrupt, 
an  adulterer,  a  murderer  and  an  exiled  outlaw."  But  he  possessed 
great  financial  ability,  and  by  his  agreeable  and  attractive  manners, 
and  his  enthusiastic  advocacy  of  his  schemes,  he  succeeded  in 
inflaming  the  imagination  of  the  mercurial  Frenchmen,  whose  greed 
for  gain  led  them  to  adopt  any  plans  for  obtaining  wealth. 

Law  arrived  in  Paris  with  two  and  a  half  millions  of  francs, 
which  he  had  gained  at  the  gambling  table,  just  at  the  right  time. 
Louis  XIY.  had  just  died  and  left  as  a  legacy  empty  cofiers  and  an 
immense  public  debt.  Every  thing  and  everybody  was  taxed  to 
the  last  penny  to  pay  even  the  interest.  All  the  sources  of  in- 
dustry were  dried  up;  the  very  wind  which  wafted  the  barks  of 
commerce  seemed  to  have  died  away  under  the  pressure  of  the 
time;  trade  stood  still;  the  merchant,  the  trader,  the  artificer,  once 
flourishing  in  affluence,  were  transformed  into  clamorous  beggars. 
The  life-blood  that  animated  the  kingdom  was  stagnated  in  all 
its  arteries,  and  the  danger  of  an  awful  crisis  became  such  that 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  47 

the  nation  was  on  the  verge  of  bankruptcy.  At  this  critical  junc- 
ture John  Law  arrived  and  proposed  his  grand  scheme  of  the 
Mississippi  Company;  200,000  shares  of  stock  at  500  livres  each  were 
at  first  issued.  Tliis  sold  readily  and  great  profits  were  realized. 
More  stock  was  issued,  speculation  became  rife,  the  fever  seized 
everybody,  and  the  wildest  speculating  frenzy  pervaded  the  whole 
nation.  Illinois  was  thought  to  contain  vast  and  rich  mines  of 
minerals.  Kaskaskia,  then  scarcely  more  than  the  settlement  of  a 
few  savages,  was  spoken  of  as  an  emporium  of  the  most  extensive 
traffic,  and  as  rivaling  some  of  the  cities  of  Europe  in  refinement, 
fashion  and  religious  culture.  Law  was  in  the  zenith  of  his  glory,  and 
the  people  in  the  zenith  of  their  infatuation.  The  high  and  the  low, 
the  rich  and  the  poor,  were  at  once  filled  with  visions  of  untold 
wealth,  and  every  age,  set,  rank  and  condition  were  buying  and  selling 
stocks.  Law  issued  stock  again  and  again,  and  readily  sold  until 
2,235,000,000  livres  were  in  circulation,  equaling  about  $450,000,000. 
While  confidence  lasted  an  impetus  was  given  to  trade  never  before 
known.  An  illusory  policy  everywhere  prevailed,  and  so  dazzled 
the  eye  that  none  could  see  in  the  horizon  the  dark  cloud  announc- 
ing the  approaching  storm.  Law  at  the  time  was  the  most  influ- 
ential man  in  Europe.  His  house  was  beset  from  morning  till 
night  with  eager  applicants  for  stock.  Dukes,  marquises  and 
counts,  with  their  wives  and  daughters,  waited  for  hours  in  the 
street  below  his  door.  Finding  his  residence  too  small,  he  changed 
it  for  the  Place  Vendome,  whither  the  crowd  followed  him,  and  the 
spacious  square  had  the  appearance  of  a  public  market.  The  boule- 
vards and  public  gardens  were  forsaken,  and  the  Place  Vendome 
became  the  most  fashionable  place  in  Paris;  and  he  was  unable  to 
wait  upon  even  one-tenth  part  of  his  applicants.  The  bubble  burst 
after  a  few  years,  scattering  ruin  and  distress  in  every  direction. 
Law,  a  short  time  previous  the  most  popular  man  in  Europe,  fled 
to  Brussels,  and  in  1729  died  in  Venice,  in  obscurity  and  poverty. 

ENGLISH  KULE. 

As  early  as  1750  there  could  be  perceived  the  first  throes  of  the 
revolution,  which  gave  a  new  master  and  new  institutions  to  Illi- 
nois. France  claimed  the  whole  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  and  Eng- 
land the  right  to  extend  her  possessions  westward  as  far  as  she 
might  desire.      Through  colonial  controversies   the   two  mother 


48  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

countries  were  precipitated  into  a  bloody  war  within  the  North- 
western Territory,  George  Washington  firing  the  first  gun  of  the 
military  struggle  which  resulted  in  the  overthrow  of  the  French 
not  only  in  Illinois  but  in  North  America.  The  French  evinced  a 
determination  to  retain  control  of  the  territory  bordering  the  Ohio 
and  Mississippi  from  Canada  to  the  Gulf,  and  so  long  as  the  En- 
glish colonies  were  confined  to  the  sea-coast  there  was  little  reason 
for  controversy.  As  the  English,  however,  became  acquainted 
with  this  beautiful  and  fertile  portion  of  our  country,  they  not  only 
learned  the  value  of  the  vast  territory,  but  also  resolved  to  set  up  a 
counter  claim  to  the  soil.  The  French  established  numerous  mili- 
tary and  trading  posts  from  the  frontiers  of  Canada  to  New  Or- 
leans, and  in  order  to  establish  also  their  claims  to  jurisdiction  over 
the  country  they  carved  the  lilies  of  France  on  the  forest  trees,  or 
sunk  plates  of  metal  in  the  ground.  These  measures  did  not, 
however,  deter  the  English  from  going  on  with  their  explorations; 
and  though  neither  party  resorted  to  arms,  yet  the  conflict  was 
gathering,  and  it  was  only  a  question  of  time  when  the  storm 
should  burst  upon  the  frontier  settlement.  The  French  based 
their  claims  upon  discoveries,  the  English  on  grants  of  territory 
extending  from  ocean  to  ocean,  but  neither  party  paid  the  least 
attention  to  the  prior  claims  of  the  Indians.  From  this  posi- 
tion of  affairs,  it  was  evident  that  actual  collision  between  the 
contending  parties  would  not  much  longer  be  deferred.  The  En- 
glish Government,  in  anticipation  of  a  war,  urged  the  Governor 
of  Yirginia  to  lose  no  time  in  building  two  forts,  which  were 
equipped  by  arms  from  England.  The  French  anticipated  the 
English  and  gathered  a  considerable  force  ta  defend  their  possessions. 
The  Governor  determined  to  send  a  messenger  to  the  nearest 
French  post  and  demand  an  explanation.  This  resolution  of  the 
Governor  brought  into  the  history  of  our  country  for  the  first  time 
the  man  of  all  others  whom  America  most  loves  to'Jionor,  namely, 
George  Washington.  He  was  chosen,  although  not  yet  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  as  the  one  to  perform  this  delicate  and  difiicult  mission. 
With  five  companions  he  set  out  on  Nov.  10,  1753,  and  after  a  per- 
ilous journey  returned  Jan.  6,  1754.  The  struggle  commenced  and 
continued  long,  and  was  bloody  and  fierce;  but  on  the  10th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1765,  the  ensign  of  France  was  replaced  on  the  ramparts  of 
Fort  Chartres  by  tlie  flag  of  Great  Britain.     This  fort  was  the 


GEN.  GEORGE  ROGERS  CLARK. 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 


51 


depot  of  supplies  and  the  place  of  rendezvous  for  the  united  forces 
of  the  French.  At  this  time  the  colonies  of  the  Atlantic  seaboard 
were  assembled  in  preliminary  congress  at  New  York,  dreaming  of 
liberty  and  independence  for  the  continent;  and  Washington,  who 
led  the  expedition  against  the  French  for  the  English  king,  in  less 
than  ten  years  was  commanding  the  forces  opposed  to  the  English 
tyrant.  Illinois,  besides  being  constructively  a  part  of  Florida  for 
over  one  hundred  years,  during  which  time  no  Spaniard  set  foot 
upon  her  soil  or  rested  his  eyes  upon  her  beautiful  plains,  for  nearly 
ninety  years  had  been  in  the  actual  occupation  of  the  French,  their 
puny  settlements  slumbering  quietly  in  colonial  dependence  on  the 
distant  waters  of  the  Kaskaskia,  Illinois  and  Wabash. 


GEN.     CLAKk's    exploits. 


The  Northwest  Territory  was  now  entirely  under  English  rule, 
and  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  war  the  British  held 
every  post  of  importance  in  the  West.  While  the  colonists  of  the 
East  were  maintaining  a  fierce  struggle  with  the  armies  of  England, 
their  western  frontiers  were  ravaged  by  merciless  butcheries  of  In- 
dian warfare.  The  jealousy  of  the  savage  was  aroused  to  action  by 
the  rapid  extension  of  American  settlement  westward  and  the  im- 
proper influence  exerted  by  a  number  of  military  posts  garrisoned  by 
British  troops.  To  prevent  indiscriminate  slaughters  arising  from 
these  causes,  Illinois  became  the  theater  of  some  of  the  most  daring 
exploits  connected  with  American  history.  The  hero  of  the  achieve- 
ments by  which  this  beautiful  land  was  snatclied  as  a  gem  from 
the  British  Crown,  was  George  Rogers  Clark,  of  Yirginia.  He  had 
closely  watched  the  movements  of  the  British  throughout  the 
Northwest,  and  understood  their  whole  plan;  he  also  knew  the 
Indians  were  not  unanimously  in  accord  with  the  English,  and 
therefore  was  convinced  that  if  the  British  could  be  defeated  and 
expelled  from  the  Northwest,  the  natives  might  be  easily  awed  into 
neutrality.  Having  convinced  himself  that  the  enterprise  against 
the  Illinois  settlement  might  easily  succeed,  he  repaired  to  the  cap- 
ital of  Yirginia,  arriving  Nov.  5,  1777.  Wliile  he  was  on  his  way, 
fortunately,  Burgoyne  was  defeated  (Oct.  17),  and  the  spirits  of  the 
colonists  were  thereby  greatly  encouraged.  Patrick  Henry  was 
Governor  of  Yirginia,  and  at  once  entered  heartily  into  Clark's 
plans.  After  satisfying  the  Yirginia  leaders  of  the  feasibility  of 
hie  project,  he  received  two  sets  of  instructions, — one  secret,  the 


U.OF^U.UB. 


62  HISTOKT   OF   ILLINOIS. 

other  open.  The  latter  authorized  him  to  enlist  seven  companies 
to  go  to  Kentucky,  and  serve  three  months  after  their  arrival  in 
the  West.  The  secret  order  authorized  him  to  arm  these  troops, 
to  procure  his  powder  and  lead  of  General  Hand  at  Pittsburg,  and 
to  proceed  at  once  to  subjugate  the  country. 

HE    TAKES     KASKASKIA. 

With  these  instructions  Col.  Clark  repaired  to  Pittsburg,  choos- 
ing rather  to  raise  his  men  west  of  the  mountains,  as  he  well  knew 
all  were  needed  in  the  colonies  in  the  conflict  there.  He  sent  Col. 
"W.  B.  Smith  to  Holstein  and  Captains  Helm  and  Bowman  to 
other  localities  to  enlist  men;  but  none  of  them  succeeded  in  rais- 
ing the  required  number.  The  settlers  in  these  parts  were  afraid 
to  leave  their  own  firesides  exposed  to  a  vigilant  foe,  and  but  few 
could  be  induced  to  join  the  expedition.  With  these  companies 
and  several  private  volunteers  Clark  commenced  his  descent  of  the 
Ohio,  which  he  navigated  as  far  as  the  falls,  where  he  took  posses- 
sion of  and  fortified  Corn  Island,  a  small  island  between  the  present 
cities  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  New  Albany,  Ind.  Here,  after  having 
completed  his  arrangements  and  announced  to  the  men  their  real 
destination,  he  left  a  small  garrison;  and  on  the  24th  of  June,  dur- 
ing a  total  eclipse  of  the  sun,  which  to  them  augured  no  good,  they 
floated  down  the  river.  His  plan  was  to  go  by  water  as  far  as  Fort 
Massac,  and  thence  march  direct  to  Kaskaskia.  Here  he  intended  to 
surprise  the  garrison,  and  after  its  capture  go  to  Cahokia,  then  to 
Yincennes,  and  lastly  to  Detroit.  Should  he  fail,  he  intended  to 
march  directly  to  the  Mississippi  river  and  cross  it  into  the  Spanish 
country.  Before  his  start  he  received  good  items  of  information: 
one  that  an  alliance  had  been  formed  between  France  and  the  United 
States,  and  the  other  that  the  Indians  throughout  the  Illinois 
country  and  the  inhabitants  at  the  various  frontier  posts  had  been  led 
by  the  British  to  believe  that  the  "  Long  Knives,"  or  Virginians, 
were  the  most  fierce,  bloodthirsty  and  cruel  savages  that  ever  scalped 
a  foe.  With  this  impression  on  their  minds,  Clark  saw  that 
proper  management  would  cause  them  to  submit  at  once  from  fear, 
if  surprised,  and  then  from  gratitude  would  become  friendly,  if 
treated  with  unexpected  lenity.  The  march  to  Kaskaskia  was 
made  through  a  hot  July  sun,  they  arriving  on  the  evening  of  the 
4th  of  July,  1778.  They  captured  the  fort  near  tlie  village  and 
soon  after  the  village  itself,  by  surprise,  and  without  the  loss  of 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  53 

a  single  man  and  without  killing  any  of  the  enemy.  After  suffi- 
ciently working  on  the  fears  of  the  natives,  Clark  told  them  they 
were  at  perfect  liberty  to  worship  as  they  pleased,  and  to  take 
whichever  side  of  the  great  conflict  they  would;  also  he  would  pro- 
tect them  against  any  barbarity  from  British  or  Indian  foe.  This 
had  the  desired  efiect;  and  the  inhabitants,  so  unexpectedly  and  so 
gratefully  surprised  by  the  unlooked-for  turn  of  affairs,  at  once 
swore  allegiance  to  the  American  arms;  and  when  Clark  desired 
to  go  to  Cahokia  on  the  6th  of  July,  they  accompanied  him,  and 
through  their  influence  the  inhabitants  of  the  place  surrendered 
and  gladly  placed  themselves  under  his  protection. 

In  the  person  of  JVI.  Gibault,  priest  of  Kaskaskia,  Clark  found  a 
powerful  ally  and  generous  friend.  Clark  saw  that,  to  retain  pos- 
session of  the  iSTorthwest  and  treat  successfullj-  with  the  Indians,  he 
must  establish  a  government  for  the  colonies  he  had  taken.  St.  Yin- 
cent,  the  post  next  in  importance  to  Detroit,  remained  yet  to  be 
taken  before  the  Mississippi  valley  was  conquered.  M.  Gibault 
told  him  that  he  would  alone,  by  persuasion,  lead  Yincennes  to 
throw  off  its  connection  with  England.  Clark  gladly  accepted  this 
offer,  and  July  lith,  in  company  with  a  fellow-townsman,  Gibault 
started  on  his  mission  of  peace.  On  the  1st  of  August  he  returned 
with  the  cheerful  intelligence  that  everything  was  peaceably  ad- 
justed at  Yincennes  in  favor  of  the  Americans.  During  the  inter- 
val. Col.  Clark  established  his  courts,  placed  garrisons  at  Kaskaskia 
and  Cahokia,  successfully  re-enlisted  his  men,  and  sent  word  to 
have  a  fort  (which  proved  the  germ  of  Louisville)  erected  at  the 
falls  of  the  Ohio. 

While  the  American  commander  was  thus  negotiatinof  with  the 
Indians,  Hamilton,  the  British  Governor  of  Detroit,  heard  of  Clark's 
invasion,  and  was  greatly  incensed  because  the  country  which  he 
had  in  charge  should  be  wrested  from  him  by  a  few  ragged  militia. 
He  therefore  hurriedly  collected  a  force,  marched  by  way  of  the 
Wabash,  and  appeared  before  the  fort  at  Yincennes.  The  inhabi- 
tants made  an  effort  to  defend  the  town,  and  when  Hamilton's 
forces  arrived.  Captain  Helm  and  a  man  named  Henry  were  the 
only  Americans  in  the  fort.  These  men  had  been  sent  by  Clark. 
The  latter  charged  a  cannon  and  placed  it  in  the  open  gateway,  and 
the  Captain  stood  by  it  with  a  lighted  match  and  cried  out,  as  Ham- 
ilton came  in  hailing  distance,  "Halt!"     The  British  officer,  not 


54  niSTOEY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

knowing  the  strength  of  the  garrison,  stopped,  and  demanded  the 
surrender  of  tlie  fort.  Helm  exclaimed,  "  No  man  shall  enter  here 
till  I  know  the  terms."  Hamilton  responded,  "  You  shall  have  the 
honors  of  war."  The  entire  garrison  consisted  of  one  officer  and  one 
private. 

VINCENNES    CAPTURED. 

On  taking  Kaskaskia,  Clark  made  a  prisoner  of  Rocheblave, 
commander  of  the  place,  and  got  possession  of  all  his  written 
instructions  for  the  conduct  of  the  war.  From  these  papers  he 
received  important  information  respecting  the  plans  of  Col.  Ham- 
ilton, Governor  at  Detroit,  who  was  intending  to  make  a  vigorous 
and  concerted  attack  upon  the  frontier.  After  arriving  at  Yin- 
cennes,  liowever,  he  gave  up  his  intended  campaign  for  the  winter, 
and  trusting  to  his  distance  from  danger  and  to  the  difficulty  of 
approaching  him,  sent  off  his  Indian  warriors  to  prevent  troops  from 
coming  down  the  Ohio,  and  to  annoy  the  Americans  in  all  ways.  Thus 
he  sat  quietly  down  to  pass  the  winter  with  only  about  eighty  soldiers, 
but  secure,  as  he  thought,  from  molestation.  But  he  evidently  did 
not  realize  the  character  of  the  men  with  whom  he  was  contending. 
Clark,  although  he  could  muster  only  one  hundred  and  thirty  men, 
determined  to  take  advantage  of  Hamilton's  weakness  and  security, 
and  attack  him  as  the  only  nieans  of  saving  himself;  for  unless  he 
captured  Hamilton,  Hamilton  would  capture  him.  Accordingly, 
about  the  beginning  of  February,  1779,  he  dispatched  a  small  galley 
which  he  had  fitted  out,  mounted  with  two  four-pounders  and  four 
swivels  and  manned  with  a  company  of  soldiers,  and  carrying  stores 
for  his  men,  with  orders  to  force  her  way  up  the  Wabash,  to  take 
her  station  a  few  miles  below  Yincennes,  and  to  allow  no  person  to 
pass  her.  He  himself  marched  with  his  little  band,  and  spent  six- 
teen days  in  traversing  the  country  from  Kaskaskia  to  Yincennes, 
passing  with  incredible  fatigue  through  woods  and  marshes.  He 
was  five  days  in  crossing  the  bottom  lands  of  the  Wabash;  and  for 
five  miles  was  frequently  up  to  the  breast  in  water.  After  over- 
coming difficulties  which  had  been  thought  insurmountable,  he 
appeared  before  the  place  and  completely  surprised  it.  The  inhab- 
itants readily  submitted,  but  Hamilton  at  first  defended  himself  in 
the  fort.  Next  day,  however,  he  surrendered  himself  and  his  gar- 
rison prisoners-of-war.  By  his  activity  in  encouraging  the  hostili- 
ties of  the  Indians  and  by  the  revolting  enormities  perpetrated  by 


HI6T0KY   OF    ILLINOIS.  55 

those  savages,  Hamilton  had  rendered  himself  so  obnoxious  that  he 
was  thrown  in  prison  and  put  in  irons.  During  his  command  of 
the  British  frontier  posts  he  oifered  prizes  to  the  Indians  for  all  the 
scalps  of  the  Americans  thej  would  bring  him,  and  earned  in  con- 
sequence thereof  the  title,  "Hair-Bujer  General,"  by  which  he  was 
ever  afterward  known. 

The  services  of  Clark  proved  of  essential  advantage  to  his  coun- 
trymen. They  disconcerted  the  plans  of  Hamilton,  and  not  only  saved 
the  western  frontier  from  depredations  by  the  savages,  but  also 
greatly  cooled  the  ardor  of  the  Indians  for  carrying  on  a  contest  in 
which  they  were  not  likely  to  be  the  gainers.  Had  it  not  been  for 
this  small  army,  a  union  of  all  the  tribes  from  Maine  to  Georgia 
against  the  colonies  might  have  been  effected,  and  the  whole  current 
of  our  history  changed. 

ILLINOIS. 

COUNTY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

In  October,  1778,  after  the  successful  campaign  of  Col.  Clark,  the 
assembly  of  Virginia  erected  the  conquered  country,  embracing  all 
the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  river,  into  the  County  of  Illi- 
nois, which  was  doubtless  the  largest  county  in  the  world,  exceeding 
in  its  dimensions  the  whole  of  Great  Britian  and  Ireland.  To  speak 
more  definitely,  it  contained  the  territory  now  embraced  in  the  great 
States  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Wisconsin  and  Michigan.  On  the 
12th  of  December,  1778,  John  Todd  was  appointed  Lieutenant- 
Commandant  of  this  county  by  Patrick  Henry,  then  Governor  of 
Yirginia,  and  accordingly,  also,  the  first  of  Illinois  County. 

NOETHWESTERN  TERRITORY. 

Illinois  continued  to  form  a  part  of  Yirginia  until  March  1, 1784, 
when  that  State  ceded  all  the  territory  north  of  the  Ohio  to  the 
United  States.  Immediately  the  general  Government  proceeded  to 
establish  a  form  of  government  for  the  settlers  in  the  territories 
thus  ceded.  This  form  continued  until  the  passage  of  the  ordi- 
nance of  1787,  for  the  government  of  the  Northwestern  Terri- 
tory.  No  man  can  study  the  secret  history  of  this  ordinance  and 
not  feel  that  Providence  was  guiding  with  sleepless  eye  the  des- 


56  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

tinies  of  these  unborn  States.  American  legislation  has  never 
achieved  anything  more  admirable,  as  an  internal  government, 
than  this  comprehensive  ordinance.  Its  provisions  concerning  the 
distribution  of  property,  the  principles  of  civil  and  religious  liberty 
which  it  laid  at  the  foundation  of  the  communities  since  established, 
and  the  efficient  and  simple  organization  by  which  it  created  the 
first  machinery  of  civil  society,  are  worthy  of  all  the  praise  that  has 
ever  been  given  them. 

OKDINANCE    OF    1787. 

This  ordinance  has  a  marvelous  and  interesting  history.  Con- 
siderable controversy  has  been  indulged  in  as  to  who  is  entitled  to 
the  credit  for  framing  it.  This  belongs,  undoubtedly,  to  Nathan 
Dane;  and  to  Eufus  King  and  Timothy  Pickering  belong  the 
credit  for  suggesting  the  proviso  contained  in  it  against  slavery, 
and  also  for  aids  to  religion  and  knowledge,  and  for  assuring  for- 
ever the  common  use,  without  charge,  of  the  great  national  high- 
ways of  the  Mississippi,  the  St.  Lawrence  and  their  tributaries  to 
all  the  citizens  of  the  United  States.  To  Thomas  Jeflferson  is  also 
due  much  credit,  as  some  features  of  this  ordinance  were  embraced 
in  his  ordinance  of  1784.  But  the  part  taken  by  each  in  the  long, 
laborious  and  eventful  struggle  which  had  so  glorious  a  consum- 
mation in  the  ordinance,  consecrating  forever,  by  one  imprescript- 
ible and  unchangeable  monument,  the  very  heart  of  our  country  to 
Freedom,  Knowledge,  and  Union,  will  forever  lionor  the  names  of 
those  illustrious  statesmen. 

Mr.  Jeiferson  had  vainly  tried  to  secure  a  system  of  government 
for  the  E"orthwestern  Territory.  He  was  an  emancipationist  and 
favored  the  exclusion  of  slavery  from  the  territory,  but  the  South 
voted  him  down  every  time  he  proposed  a  measure  of  this  nature. 
In  1787,  as  late  as  July  10,  an  organizing  act  without  the  anti- 
slavery  clause  was  pending.  This  concession  to  the  South  was 
expected  to  carry  it.  Congress  was  in  session  in  New  York.  On 
July  5,  Kev.  Manasseh  Cutler,  of  Massachusetts,  came  into  New 
York  to  lobby  on  the  Northwestern  Territory.  Everything 
seemed  to  fall  into  his  hands.  Events  were  ripe.  The  state  of  the 
public  credit,  the  growing  of  Southern  prejudice,  the  basis  of  his 
mission,  his  personal  character,  all  combined  to  complete  one  of 
those  sudden  and  marvelous  revolutions  of  public  sentiment  that 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  67 

once  in  five  or  ten  centuries  are  seen  to  sweep  over  a  country  like 
the  breath  of  the  Ahnighty. 

Cutler  was  a  graduate  of  Yale.  He  had  studied  and  taken  de- 
grees in  the  three  learned  professions,  medicine,  law,  and  divinity. 
He  had  published  a  scientific  examination  of  the  plants  of  New 
Eno-land,  As  a  scientist  in  America  liis  name  stood  second  only  to 
that  of  Franklin  He  was  a  courtly  gentleman  of  the  old  style, 
a  man  of  commanding  presence  and  of  inviting  face.  The  Southern 
members  said  they  had  never  seen  such  a  gentleman  in  the  North. 
He  came  representing  a  Massachusetts  company  that  desired  to 
purchase  a  tract  of  land,  now  included  in  Ohio,  for  the  purpose  of 
planting  a  colony.  It  was  a  speculation.  Government  money  was 
worth  eighteen  cents  on  the  dollar.  This  company  had  collected 
enough  to  purchase  1,500,000  acres  of  land.  Other  speculators  in 
New  York  made  Dr.  Cutler  their  agent,  which  enabled  him  to 
represent  a  demand  for  5,500,000  acres.  As  this  would  reduce  the 
national  debt,  ai:d  Jeiferson's  policy  was  to  provide  for  the  public 
credit,  it  presented  a  good  opportunity  to  do  something. 

Massachusetts  then  owned  the  territory  of  Maine,  which  she  was 
crowding  on  the  market.  She  was  opposed  to  opening  the  North- 
western region.  This  fired  the  zeal  of  Virginia.  The  South  caught 
the  inspiration,  and  all  exalted  Dr.  Cutler.  The  entire  South  ral- 
lied around  him,  Massachusetts  could  not  vote  against  him,  be- 
cause many  of  the  constituents  of  her  members  were  interested 
personally  in  the  Western  speculation.  Thus  Cutler,  making 
friends  in  the  South,  and  doubtless  using  all  the  arts  of  the  lobby, 
was  enabled  to  command  the  situation.  True  to  deeper  convic- 
tions, he  dictated  one  of  the  most  compact  and  finished  documents 
of  wise  statesmanship  that  has  ever  adorned  any  human  law  book. 
He  borrowed  from  Jefferson  the  term  "Articles  of  Compact,"  which, 
preceding  the  federal  constitution,  rose  into  the  most  sacred  char- 
acter. He  then  followed  very  closely  the  constitution  of  Massa- 
chusetts, adopted  three  years  before.  Its  most  prominent  points 
were: 

1.  The  exclusion  of  slavery  from  the  territory  forever. 

2.  Provision  for  public  schools,  giving  one  township  for  a  semi- 
nary and  every  section  numbered  16  in  each  township;  that  is,  one 
thirty-sixth  of  all  the  land  for  public  schools. 

3.  A  provision  prohibiting  the  adoption  of  any  constitution  or 


58  HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 

the  enactment  of  any  law  that  should  nullify  pre-existing  contracts. 
Beit  forever  remembered  that  this  compact  declared  that  "re- 
ligion, morality,  and  knowledge  being  necessary  to  good  govern- 
ment and  the  happiness  of  mankind,  schools  and  the  means  of  edu- 
cation shall  always  be  encouraged."     Dr.  Cutler  planted  himself 
on  this  platform  and  would  not  yield.     Giving  his  unqualified  dec- 
laration that  it  was  that  or  nothing,— that  unless  they  could  make 
the  land  desirable  they  did  not  want  it,— he  took  his  horse  and  buggy 
and  started  for  the  constitutional  convention  at  Philadelphia.     On 
July  13,  1787,  the  bill  was  put  upon  its  passage,  and  was  unani- 
mously adopted.     Thus  the  great  States  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
Michigan,  and  "Wisconsin,  a  vast  empire,  were  consecrated  to  free- 
dom, intelligence,  and  morality.    Thus  the  great  heart  of  the  nation 
was  prepared  to  save  the  union  of  States,  for  it  was  this  act  that  was 
the  salvation  of  the  republic  and  the  destruction  of  slavery.     Soon 
the  South  saw  their  great  blunder  and  tried  to  have  the  compact 
repealed.     In  1803  Congress  referred  it  to  a  committee,  of  which 
John  Kandolph  was  chairman.     He  reported  that  this  ordinance 
was  a  compact  and  opposed  repeal.     Thus  it  stood,  a  rock  in  the 
way  of  the  on-rushing  sea  of  slavery. 

SYMPATHY    WITH    SLAVERY. 

With  all  this  timely  aid  it  was,  however,  a  most  desperate  and 
protracted  struggle  to  keep  the  soil  of  Illinois  sacred  to  freedom. 
It  was  the  natural  battle-field  for  the  irrepressible  conflict.  In  the 
southern  end  of  the  State  slavery  preceded  the  compact.  It  ex- 
isted among  the  old  French  settlers,  and  was  hard  to  eradicate. 
That  portion  was  also  settled  from  the  slave  States,  and  this  popu- 
lation brought  their  laws,  customs,  and  institutions  with  them.  A 
stream  of  population  from  the  North  poured  into  the  northern  part 
of  the  State.  These  sections  misunderstood  and  hated  each  other 
perfectly.  The  Southerners  regarded  the  Yankees  as  a  skinning, 
tricky,  penurious  race  of  peddlers,  filling  the  country  with  tinware, 
brass  clocks,  and  wooden  nutmegs.  The  Northerner  thought  of  the 
Southerner  as  a  lean,  lank,  lazy  creature,  burrowing  in  a  hut,  and 
rioting  in  whisky,  dirt,  and  ignorance.  These  causes  aided  in 
making  the  struggle  long  and  bitter.  So  strong  was  the  sympathy 
with  slavery  that,  in  spite  of  the  ordinance  of  1787,  and  in  spite  of 
the  deed  of  cession,  it  was  determined  to  allow  the  old  French  set- 
tlers to  retain  their  slaves.     Planters  from  the  slave  States  might 


GEN.  ARTHUR  ST.  CLAIR. 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS.  69 

bring  their  slaves  if  they  would  give  them  an  opportunity  to  choose 
freedom  or  years  of  service  and  bondage  for  their  cliildren  till  they 
should  become  thirty  years  of  age.  If  they  chose  freedom  they 
must  leave  the  State  within  sixty  days,  or  be  sold  as  fugitives. 
Servants  were  whipped  for  offenses  for  which  white  men  were  fined. 
Each  lash  paid  forty  cents  of  the  fine.  A  negro  ten  miles  from 
home  without  a  pass  was  whipped.  These  famous  laws  were  im- 
ported from  the  slave  States,  just  as  the  laws  for  the  inspection  of 
flax  and  wool  were  imported  when  there  was  neither  in  the  State. 

ST,    CLAIR,    GOVERNOR    OF     NORTHWESTERN    TERRITORY. 

On  October  5,  17S7,  Maj,  Gen.  Arthur  St.  Clair  was,  by  Congress, 
elected  Governor  of  this  vast  territory.  St.  Clair  was  born  in  Scot- 
land and  emigrated  to  America  in  1755.  He  served  in  the  French 
and  English  war,  and  was  major  general  in  the  Revolution.  In 
1786  he  was  elected  to  Congress  and  chosen  President  of  that  body. 

ILLINOIS  TEREITORY. 

After  the  division  of  the  jSTorth western  Territory  Illinois  became 
one  of  the  counties  of  the  Territory  of  Indiana,  from  which  it  was 
separated  by  an  act  of  Congress  Feb.  3,  1809,  forming  the  Territory 
of  Illinois,  with  a  population  estimated  at  9,000,  and  then  included 
the  present  State  of  "Wisconsin.  It  was  divided,  at  the  time,  into 
two  counties, — St.  Clair  and  Randolph.  John  Boyle,  of  Ken- 
tucky, was  appointed  Governor,  by  the  President,  James  Madison, 
but  declining,  Ninian  Edwards,  of  the  same  State,  was  then 
appointed  and  served  with  distinction;  and  after  the  organization 
of  Illinois  as  a  State  he  served  in  the  same  capacity,  being  its  third 
Governor. 

WAR  OF  1812.    THE  OUTBREAK. 

For  some  years  previous  to  the  war  between  the  United  States 
and  England  in  1812,  considerable  trouble  was  experienced  with  the 
Indians.  Marauding  bands  of  savages  would  attack  small  settle- 
ments and  inhumanly  butcher  all  the  inhabitants,  and  mutilate 
their  dead  bodies.  To  protect  themselves,  the  settlers  organized 
companies  of  rangers,  and  erected  block  houses  and  stockades  in 
every  settlement.  The  largest,  strongest  and  best  one  of  these  was 
Fort  Russell,  near  the  present  village  of  Edwardsville.  This  stockade 


60  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

was  made  the  main  rendezvous  for  troops  and  military  stores,  and 
Gov.  Edwards,  who  during  the  perilous  times  of  1812,  when  Indian 
hostilities  threatened  on  every  hand,  assumed  command  of  the  Illi- 
nois forces,  established  his  headquarters  at  this  place.  The  Indians 
were  incited  to  many  of  these  depredations  by  English  emissaries, 
who  for  years  continued  their  dastardly  work  of  "  setting  the  red 
men,  like  dogs,  upon  the  whites." 

In  the  summer  of  1811  a  peace  convention  was  held  with  the 
Pottawatomies  at  Peoria,  when  they  promised  that  peace  should 
prevail;  but  their  promises  were  soon  broken.  Tecumseh,  the  great 
warrior,  and  fit  successor  of  Pontiac,  started  in  the  spring  of  1811, 
to  arouse  the  Southern  Indians  to  war  against  the  whites.  The  pur- 
pose of  this  chieftain  was  well  known  to  Gov.  Harrison,  of  Indiana 
Territory,  who  determined  during  Tecumseh's  absence  to  strike  and 
disperse  the  hostile  forces  collected  at  Tippecanoe.  This  he  success- 
fully did  on  Nov.  7,  winning  the  sobriquet  of  "  Tippecanoe,"  by 
which  he  was  afterwards  commonly  known.  Several  peace  councils 
were  held,  at  which  the  Indians  promised  good  behavior,  but  only 
to  deceive  the  whites.  Almost  all  the  savages  of  the  Northwest 
were  thoroughly  stirred  up  and  did  not  desire  peace.  The  British 
agents  at  various  points,  in  anticipation  of  a  war  with  the  United 
States,  sought  to  enlist  the  favor  of  the  savages  by  distributing  to 
them  large  supplies  of  arms,  ammunition  and  other  goods. 

The  English  continued  their  insults  to  our  flag  upon  the  high 
seas,  and  their  government  refusing  to  relinquish  its  offensive  course, 
all  hopes  of  peace  and  safe  commercial  relations  were  abandoned, 
and  Congress,  on  the  19th  of  June,  1812,  formally  declared  war 
against  Great  Britain.  In  Illinois  the  threatened  Indian  troubles 
had  already  caused  a  more  thorough  organization  of  the  militia  and 
greater  protection  by  the  erection  of  forts.  As  intimated,  the  In- 
dians took  the  war-path  long  before  the  declaration  of  hostilities 
between  the  two  civilized  nations,  committing  great  depredations, 
the  most  atrocious  of  which  was  the 

MASSACRE   AT   FOKT   DEAKBOEN. 

During  the  war  of  1812  between  the  United  States  and  England, 
the  greatest,  as  well  as  the  most  revolting,  massacre  of  whites  that 
ever  occurred  in  Illinois,  was  perpetrated  by  the  Pottawatomie  In- 
dians, at  Fort  Dearborn.  This  fort  was  built  by  the  Government, 
in  1804,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Chicago  river,  and  was  garrisoned 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 


61 


by  54  men  under  command  of  Capt.  Nathan  Heald,  assisted  by 
Lieutenant  Helm  and  Ensign  Ronan;  Dr.  Voorhees,  surgeon.  The 
residents  at  the  post  at  that  time  were  the  wives  of  officers  Heald 
and  Helm  and  a  few  of  the  soldiers,  Mr.  Kinzie  and  his  family,  and 
a  few  Canadians.  The  soldiers  and  Mr,  Kinzie  were  on  the  most 
friendly  terms  with  the  Pottawatomies  and  Winuebagoes,  the  prin- 
cipal tribes  around  them. 

On  the  7th  of  August,  1812,  arrived  the  order  from  Gen,  Hull,  at 
Detroit,  to  evacuate  Fort  Dearborn,  and  distribute  all  United  States 
property  to  the  Indians.     Chicago  was  so  deep  in  the  wilderness 


OLD  FORT  DEARBORN, 

that  this  was  the  first  intimation  the  garrison  received  of  the  dec- 
laration of  war  made  on  the  19th  of  June.  The  Indian  chief  who 
brought  the  dispatch  advised  Capt.  Heald  not  to  evacuate,  and 
that  if  he  should  decide  to  do  so,  it  be  done  immediately,  and  by 
forced  marches  elude  the  concentration  of  the  savages  before  the 
news  could  be  circulated  among  them.  To  this  most  excellent  ad- 
vice the  Captain  gave  no  heed,  but  on  the  12th  held  a  council  with 


62  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

the  Indians,  apprising  them  of  the  orders  received,  and  offering  a 
liberal  reward  for  an  escort  of  Pottawatomies  to  Fort  Wayne.  The 
Indians,  with  many  professions  of  friendship,  assented  to  all  he 
proposed,  and  promised  all  he  required.  The  remaining  officers  re- 
fused to  join  in  the  council,  for  they  had  been  informed  that  treach- 
ery was  designed, — that  the  Indians  intended  to  murder  those  in 
the  council,  and  then  destroy  those  in  the  fort.  The  port  holes  were 
open,  displaying  cannons  pointing  directly  upon  the  council.  This 
action,  it  is  supposed,  prevented  a  massacre  at  that  time. 

Mr.  Kinzie,  who  knew  the  Indians  well,  begged  Capt.  Heald 
not  to  confide  in  their  promises,  or  distribute  the  arms  and  ammu- 
nitions among  them,  for  it  would  only  put  power  in  their  hands  to 
destroy  the  whites.  This  argument,  true  and  excellent  in  itself, 
was  now  certainly  inopportune,  and  would  only  incense  the  treach- 
erous foe.  But  the  Captain  resolved  to  follow  it,  and  accordingly  on 
the  night  of  the  13tli,  after  the  distribution  of  the  other  property,  the 
arms  were  broken,  and  the  barrels  of  whisky,  of  which  there  was  a 
large  quantity,  were  rolled  quietly  through  the  sally-port,  their 
heads  knocked  in  and  their  contents  emptied  into  the  river.  On  that 
night  the  lurking  red-skins  crept  near  the  fort  and  discovered  the 
destruction  of  the  promised  booty  going  on  within.  The  next  morn- 
ing the  powder  was  seen  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  river,  and 
the  Indians  asserted  that  such  an  abundance  of  "  fire-water"  had 
been  emptied  into  the  river  as  to  make  it  taste  "  groggy."  Many 
of  them  drank  of  it  freely. 

On  the  14th  the  desponding  garrison  was  somewhat  cheered  by 
the  arrival  of  Capt.  Wells,  with  15  friendly  Miamis.  Capt.  Wells 
heard  at  Fort  Wayne  of  the  order  to  evacuate  Fort  Dearborn,  and 
knowing  the  hostile  intentions  of  the  Indians,  made  a  rapid  march 
through  the  wilderness  to  protect,  if  possible,  his  niece,  Mrs.  Heald, 
and  the  officers  and  the  garrison  from  certain  destruction.  But 
he  came  too  late.  Every  means  for  its  defense  had  been  destroyed 
the  night  before,  and  arrangements  were  made  for  leaving  the  fort 
on  the  following  morning. 

The  fatal  morning  of  the  16th  at  length  dawned  brightly  on  the 
world.  The  sun  shone  in  unclouded  splendor  upon  the  glassy  waters 
of  Lake  Michigan.  At  9  a.  m.,  the  party  moved  out  of  the  south- 
ern gate  of  the  fort,  in  military  array.  The  band,  feeling  the  solem- 
nity of  the  occasion,  struck  up   the  Dead  March  in  Saul.     Capt. 


HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS.  63 

Wells,  with  his  face  blackened  after  the  manner  of  the  Indians,  led 
the  advance  guard  at  the  head  of  his  friendly  Miamis,  the  garrison 
with  loaded  arms,  the  baggage  wagons  with  the  sick,  and  the  women 
and  children  following,  while  the  Pottawatomie  Indians,  about  500 
in  number,  who  had  pledged  their  honor  to  escort  the  whites  in 
safety  to  Fort  Wayne,  brought  up  the  rear.  The  party  took  the 
road  along  the  lake  shore.  On  reaching  the  range  of  sand-hills 
separating  the  beach  from  the  prairie,  about  one  mile  and  a  half- 
from  the  fort,  the  Indians  defiled  to  the  right  into  the  prairie,  bring 
ing  the  sand-hills  between  them  and  the  whites.  This  divergence 
was  scarcely  effected  when  Capt.  Wells,  who  had  kept  in  advance 
with  his  Indians,  rode  furiously  back  and  exclaimed,  "They  are 
about  to  attack  us.  Form  instantly  and  charge  upon  them!" 
These  words  were  scarcely  uttered  before  a  volley  of  balls  from 
Indian  muskets  was  poured  in  upon  them.  The  troops  were  hastily 
formed  into  line,  and  charged  up  the  bank.  One  veteran  of  70  fell 
as  they  ascended.  The  Indians  were  driven  back  to  the  prairie,  and 
then  the  battle  was  waged  by  54  soldiers,  12  civilians,  and  three  or 
four  women — the  cowardly  JVFiamis  having  fled  at  the  outset — 
against  500  Indian  warriors.  The  whites  behaved  gallantly,  and 
sold  their  lives  dearly.  They  fought  desperately  until  two-thirds 
of  their  number  were  slain;  the  remaining  27  surrendered.  And 
now  the  most  sickening  and  heart-rending  butchery  of  this  calam- 
itous day  was  committed  by  a  young  savage,  who  assailed  one  of 
the  baggage  wagons  containing  12  children,  every  one  of  which  fell 
beneath  his  murderous  tomahawk.  When  Capt.  Wells,  who  with 
the  others  had  become  prisoner,  beheld  this  scene  at  a  distance,  he 
exclaimed  in  a  tone  loud  enough  to  be  heard  by  the  savages,  "  If 
this  be  your  game,  I  can  kill  too;"  and  turning  his  horse,  started 
for  the  place  where  the  Indians  had  left  their  squaws  and  children. 
The  Indians  hotly  pursued,  but  he  avoided  their  deadly  bullets  for 
a  time.  Soon  his  horse  was  killed  and  he  severely  wounded.  With 
a  yell  the  young  braves  rushed  to  make  him  their  prisoner  and  re- 
serve him  for  torture.  But  an  enraged  warrior  stabbed  him  in  the 
back,  and  he  fell  dead.  His  heart  was  afterwards  taken  out,  cut  in 
pieces  and  distributed  among  the  tribes.  Billy  Caldwell,  a  half- 
breed  Wyandot,  well-known  in  Chicago  long  afterward,  buried  his 
remains  the  next  day.  Wells  street  in  Chicago,  perpetuates  his 
memory. 


64  HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

In  this  fearful  combat  women  bore  a  conspicuous  part.  A  wife 
of  one  of  the  soldiers,  who  had  frequently  heard  that  the  Indians 
subjected  their  prisoners  to  tortures  worse  than  death,  resolved  not 
to  be  taken  alive,  and  continued  fighting  until  she  was  literally  cut 
to  pieces.  Mrs.  Heald  was  an  excellent  equestrian,  and  an  expert 
in  the  use  of  the  rifle.  She  fought  bravely,  receiving  several  wounds. 
Though  faint  from  loss  of  blood,  she  managed  to  keep  in  her  saddle. 
A  savage  raised  his  tomahawk  to  kill  her,  when  she  looked  him  full 
in  the  face,  and  with  a  sweet  smile  and  gentle  voice  said,  in  his 
own  language,  "  Surely  you  will  not  kill  a  squaw."  The  arm  of 
of  the  savage  fell,  and  the  life  of  this  heroic  woman  was  saved. 
Mrs.  Helm  had  an  encounter  with  a  stalwart  Indian,  who  attempted 
to  tomahawk  her.  Springing  to  one  side,  she  received  the  glancing 
blow  on  her  shoulder,  and  at  the  same  time  she  seized  the  savage 
round  the  neck  and  endeavored  to  get  his  seal  ping-knife  which 
hung  in  a  sheath  at  his  breast.  While  she  was  thus  struggling,  she 
was  dragged  from  his  grasp  by  another  and  an  older  Indian.  The 
latter  bore  her,  struggling  and  resisting,  to  the  lake  and  plunged 
her  in.  She  soon  perceived  it  was  not  his  intention  to  drown  her, 
because  he  held  her  in  such  a  position  as  to  keep  her  head  out  of 
the  water.  She  recognized  him  to  be  a  celebrated  chief  called 
Black  Partridge.  When  the  firing  ceased  she  was  conducted  up 
the  sand-bank. 

SLACGHTEE    OF    TRISONERS. 

The  prisoners  were  taken  back  to  the  Indian  camp,  when  a  new 
scene  of  horror  was  enacted.  The  wounded  not  being  included  in 
the  terms  of /the  surrender,  as  it  was  interpreted  by  the  Indians, 
and  the  British  general,  Proctor,  having  offered  a  liberal  bounty  for 
American  scalps,  nearly  all  the  wounded  were  killed  and  scalped, 
and  the  price  of  the  trophies  was  afterwards  paid  by  the  British 
general.  In  the  stipulation  of  surrender,  Capt.  Heald  had  not 
particularly  mentioned  the  wounded.  These  helpless  sufferers,  on 
reaching  the  Indian  camp,  were  therefore  regarded  by  the  brutal 
savages  as  fit  subjects  upon  which  to  display  their  cruelty  and  satisfy 
their  desire  for  blood.  Keferring  to  the  terrible  butchery  of  the 
prisoners,  in  an  account  given  by  Mrs.  Helm,  she  says:  "An  old 
squaw,  infuriated  by  the  loss  of  friends  or  excited  by  the  sanguin- 
ary scenes  around  her,  seemed  possessed  of  demoniac  fury.  She 
seized  a  stable-fork  and  assaulted  one  miserable  victim,  who  lay 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 


65 


groaning  and  writhing  in  the  agonies  of  his  wounds,  aggravated  by 
the  scorching  beams  of  the  sun.  With  a  delicacy  of  feeling,  scarcely 
to  have  been  expected  under  such  circumstances,  Wan-bee-nee-wan 
stretched  a  mat  across  two  poles,  between  me  and  this  dreadful  scene. 
I  was  thus  spared,  in  some  degree,  a  view  of  its  horrors,  although  I 
could  not  entirely  close  my  ears  to  the  cries  of  the  sufferer.  The 
following  night  live  more  of  the  wounded  prisoners  were  toma- 
hawked." 

KINZIE    FAMILY    SAVED. 

That  evening,  about  sundown,  a  council  of  chiefs  was  held  to 
decide  the  fate  of  the  prisoners,  and  it  was  agreed  to  deliver  them 


OLD  KINZIE  HOUSE. 

to  the  British  commander  at  Detroit.  After  dark,  many  warriors 
from  a  distance  came  into  camp,  who  were  thirsting  for  blood,  and 
were  determined  to  murder  the  prisoners  regardless  of  the  terms  of 
surrender.  Black  Partridge,  with  a  few  of  his  friends,  surrounded 
Kinzie's  house  to  protect  the  inmates  from  the  tomahawks  of  the 
bloodthirsty  savages.  Soon  a  band  of  hostile  warriors  rushed  by 
them  into  the  house,  and  stood  with  tomahawks  and  scalping-knives, 
awaiting  the  signal  from  their  chief  to  commence  the  work  of  death. 


66  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

Black  Partridge  said  to  Mrs.  Kinzie:  "We  are  doing  everything 
in  our  power  to  save  you,  but  all  is  now  lost;  you  and  your  friends, 
together  with  all  the  prisoners  of  the  camp,  will  now  be  slain,"  At 
that  moment  a  canoe  was  heard  approaching  the  shore,  when  Black 
Partridge  ran  down  to  the  river,  trying  in  the  darkness  to  make  out 
the  new  comers,  and  at  the  same  time  shouted,  "Who  are  you?" 
In  the  bow  of  the  approaching  canoe  stood  a  tall,  manly  personage, 
with  a  rifle  in  his  hand.  He  jumped  ashore  exclaiming,  "  I  am 
Sau-ga-nash."  "  Then  make  all  speed  to  the  house;  our  friends  are 
in  danger,  and  you  only  can  save  them."  It  was  Billy  Caldwell, 
the  half-breed  Wyandot.  He  hurried  forward,  entered  the  house 
with  a  resolute  step,  deliberately  removed  his  accouterments,  placed 
his  rifle  behind  the  door,  and  saluted  the  Indians:  "  How  now,  my 
friends!  a  good  day  to  you.  I  was  told  there  were  enemies  here, 
but  am  glad  to  find  only  friends."  Diverted  by  the  coolness  of  his 
manner,  they  were  ashamed  to  avow  their  murderous  purpose,  and 
simply  asked  for  some  cotton  goods  to  wrap  their  dead,  for  burial. 
And  thus,  by  his  presence  of  mind,  Caldwell  averted  the  murder  of 
the  Kinzie  family  and  the  prisoners.  The  latter,  with  their  wives 
and  children,  were  dispersed  among  the  Pottawatomie  tribes  along 
the  Illinois,  Rock  and  Wabash  rivers,  and  some  to  Milwaukee. 
The  most  of  them  were  ransomed  at  Detroit  the  following  spring. 
A  part  of  them,  however,  remained  in  captivity  another  year. 

EXPEDITION    AGAINST    THE    INDIANS. 

By  the  middle  of  August,  through  the  disgraceful  surrender  of 
Gen.  Hull,  at  Detroit,  and  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Dearborn  and 
massacre  of  its  garrison,  the  British  and  Indians  were  in  possession  of 
the  whole  Northwest.  The  savages,  emboldened  by  their  successes, 
penetrated  deeper  into  the  settlements,  committing  great  depre- 
dations. The  activity  and  success  of  the  enemy  aroused  the  people 
to  a  realization  of  the  great  danger  their  homes  and  families  were 
in.  Gov.  Edwards  collected  a  force  of  350  men  at  Camp  Russell, 
and  Capt.  Russell  came  from  Yincennes  with  about  50  more.  Being 
oflicered  and  equipped,  they  proceeded  about  the  middle  of  October 
on  horseback,  carrying  with  them  20  days'  rations,  to  Peoria.  Capt. 
Craig  was  sent  with  two  boats  up  the  Illinois,  with  provisions 
and  tools  to  build  a  fort.  The  little  army  proceeded  to  Peoria 
Lake,  where  was  located  a  Pottawatomie  village.     They  arrived  late 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS.  67 

at  night,  within  a  few  miles  of  the  village,  without  their  presence 
being  known  to  the  Indians.  Four  men  were  sent  out  that  night 
to  reconnoiter  the  position  of  the  village.  The  four  brave  men  who 
volunteered  for  this  perilous  service  were  Thomas  Carlin  (after- 
ward Governor),  and  Robert,  Stephen  and  Davis  Whiteside.  Thej 
proceeded  to  the  village,  and  explored  it  and  the  approaches  to  it 
thoroughly,  without  starting  an  Indian  or  provoking  the  bark  of  a 
dog.  The  low  lands  between  the  Indian  village  and  the  troops  were 
covered  with  a  rank  growth  of  tall  grass,  eo  highland  dense  as  to 
readily  conceal  an  Indian  on  horseback,  until  within  a  few  feet  of 
him.  The  ground  had  become  still  more  yielding  by  recent  rains, 
rendering  it  almost  impassable  by  mounted  men.  To  prevent  de- 
tection, the  soldiers  had  camped  without  lighting  the  usual  camp- 
fires.  The  men  lay  down  in  their  cold  and  cheerless  camp,  with 
many  misgivings.  They  well  remembered  how  the  skulking  sav- 
ages fell  upon  Harrison's  men  at  Tippecanoe  during  the  night.  To 
add  to  their  fears,  a  gun  in  the  hands  of  a  soldier  was  carelessly 
discharged,  raising  great  consternation  in  the  camp. 

AN    INDIAN    KILLED. 

Through  a  dense  fog  which  prevailed  the  following  morning,  the 
army  took  up  its  line  of  march  for  the  Indian  town,  Capt.  Judy 
with  his  corps  of  spies  in  advance.  In  the  tall  grass  they  came  up 
with  an  Indian  and  his  squaw,  both  mounted.  The  Indian  wanted 
to  surrender,  but  Judy  observed  that  he  "did  not  leave  home  to  take 
prisoners,^'  and  instantly  shot  one  of  them.  With  the  blood 
streaming  from  his  mouth  and  nose,  and  in  his  agony  "  singing  the 
death  song,"  the  dying  Indian  raised  his  gun,  shot  and  mortally 
wounded  a  Mr.  Wright,  and  in  a  few  minutes  expired.  Many  guns 
were  immediately  discharged  at  the  other  Indian,  not  then  known 
to  be  a  squaw,  all  of  which  missed  her.  Badly  scared,  and  her  hus- 
band killed  by  her  side,  tlie  agonizing  wails  of  the  squaw  were 
heart-rending.  She  was  taken  prisoner,  and  afterwards  restored 
to  her  nation. 

TOWN    BURNED. 

On  nearing  the  town  a  general  charge  was  made,  the  Indians 
fleeing  to  the  interior  wilderness.  Some  of  their  warriors  made  a 
stand,  when  a  sharp  engagement  occurred,  but  the  Indians  were 
routed.     In  their  flight  they  left  behind   all  their  winter's  store  of 


68  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

provisions,  which  was  tcaken,  and  their  town  burned.  Some  Indian 
children  were  found  wlio  had  been  left  in  1  he  hurried  flight,  also 
some  disabled  adults,  one  of  whom  was  in  a  starving  condition  and 
with  a  voracious  appetite  partook  of  the  bread  given  him.  He  is 
said  to  have  been  killed  bj  a  cowardly  trooper  straggling  behind, 
after  the  main  army  had  resumed  its  retrograde  march,  who  wanted 
to  be  able  to  boast  that  he  had  killed  an  Indian. 

About  the  time  Gov.  Edwards  started  with  his  little  band  against 
the  Indians,  Gen.  Hopkins,  with  2,000  Kentucky  riflemen,  left 
Vincennes  to  cross  the  prairies  of  Illinois  and  destroy  the  Indian 
villages  along  the  Illinois  river.  Edwards,  with  his  rangers,  ex- 
pected to  act  in  concert  with  Gen.  Hopkins'  riflemen.  After 
marching  80  or  90  miles  into  the  enemy's  country.  Gen.  Hopkins' 
men  became  dissatisfied,  and  on  Oct.  20  the  entire  army  turned 
and  retreated  homeward  before  even  a  foe  had  been  met.  After  the 
victory  of  the  Illinois  rangers  they  heard  nothing  of  Gen.  Hopkins 
and  his  2,000  mounted  Kentucky  riflemen ;  and  apprehensive  that  a 
laro-e  force  of  warriors  would  be  speedily  collected,  it  was  -deemed 
prudent  not  to  protract  their  stay,  and  accordingly  the  retrograde 
march  was  commenced  the  very  day  of  the  attack. 

PEOKIA    BUENED. 

The  force  of  Capt.  Craig,  in  charge  of  the  provision  boats,  was 
not  idle  during  this  time.  They  proceeded  to  Peoria,  where  they 
were  fired  on  by  ten  Indians  during  the  night,  who  immediately 
fled.  Capt.  Craig  discovered,  at  daylight,  their  tracks  leading  up 
into  the  French  town.  He  inquired  of  the  French  their  where- 
abouts, who  denied  all  knowledge  of  them,  and  said  they  "  had 
heard  or  seen  nothing;  "  but  he  took  the  entire  number  prisoners, 
burned  and  destroyed  Peoria,  and  bore  the  captured  inhabitants 
away  on  his  boats  to  a  point  below  the  present  city  of  Alton,  where 
he  landed  and  left  them  in  the  woods, — men,  women,  and  children, — 
in  the  inclement  month  of  November,  without  shelter,  and  without 
food  other  than  the  slender  stores  they  had  themselves  gathered  up 
before  their  departure.  They  found  their  way  to  St.  Louis  in  an 
almost  starving  condition.  The  burning  of  Peoria  and  taking  its 
inhabitants  prisoners,  on  the  mere  suspicion  that  they  sympathized 
with  the  Indians,  was  generally  regarded  as  a  needless,  if  not 
wanton,  act  of  military  power. 


PONTIAC.  THE  OTTAWA  CHIEF. 


mSTOEY   OF   ILLINOIS.  71 

SECOND    EXPEDITION    AGAINST    THE    INDIANS. 

In  the  early  part  of  1813,  the  country  was  put  in  as  good  defense 
as  the  sparse  population  admitted.  In  spite  of  the  precaution  taken, 
numerous  depredations  .and  murders  were  committed  by  the  In- 
dians, which  again  aroused  the  whites,  and  another  expedition  was 
sent  against  the  foe,  who  had  collected  in  large  numbers  in  and 
around  Peoria.  This  army  was  composed  of  about  900  men,  collect- 
ed from  both  Illinois  and  Missouri,  and  under  command  of  Gen. 
Howard.  They  marched  across  the  broad  prairies  of  Illinois  to 
Peoria,  where  there  was  a  small  stockade  in  charge  of  United  States 
troops.  Two  days  previously  the  Indians  made  an  attack  od  the 
fort,  but  were  repulsed.  Being  in  the  enemy's  country,  knowing 
their  stealthy  habits,  and  the  troops  at  no  time  observing  a  high  de- 
gree of  discipline,  many  unnecessary  night  alarms  occurred,  yet  the 
enemy  were  far  away.  The  army  marched  up  the  lake  to  Chili- 
cothe,  burning  on  its  way  two  deserted  villages.  At  the  present 
site  of  Peoria  the  troops  remained  in  camp  several  weeks.  While 
there  they  built  a  fort,  which  they  named  in  honor  of  Gen,  George 
Rogers  Clark,  who  with  his  brave  Virginians  wrested  Illinois  from 
the  English  during  the  Revolutionary  struggle.  This  fort  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  1818,  It  gave  a  name  to  Peoria  which  it  wore  for 
several  years.  After  the  building  of  Fort  Crevecoeur,  in  1680,  Peo- 
ria lake  was  very  familiar  to  Western  travel  and  history;  but  there 
is  no  authentic  account  of  a  permanent  Eiu'opean  settlement  there 
until  1778,  when  Laville  de  Meillet,  named  after  its  founder,  was 
started.  Owing  to  the  quality  of  the  water  and  its  greater  salu- 
brity, the  location  was  changed  to  the  present  site  of  Peoria,  and  by 
1796  the  old  had  been  entirely  abandoned  for  the  new  village. 
After  its  destruction  in  1812  it  was  not  settled  again  until  1819, 
and  then  by  American  pioneers,  though  in  1813  Fort  Clark  was 
built  there. 

EXPEDITION    UP    THE    MISSISSIPPI. 

The  second  campaign  against  the  Indians  at  Peoria  closed  with- 
out an  engagement,  or  even  a  sight  of  the  enemy,  yet  great  was  the 
benefit  derived  from  it.  It  showed  to  the  Indians  the  power  and 
resources  of  his  white  foe.  Still  the  calendar  of  the  horrible  deeds 
of  butchery  of  the  following  year  is  long  and  bloody.  A  joint  ex- 
pedition again  moved  against  the  Indians  in  1814,  under  Gov. 


7iJ  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

Clark  of  Missouri.  This  time  tliej  went  up  the  Mississippi  in 
barges,  Prairie  du  Cliien  being  the  point  of  destination.  There  they 
found  a  small  garrison  of  British  troops,  which,  however,  soon  fled, 
as  did  the  inhabitants,  leaving  Clark  in  full  possession.  He  im- 
mediately set  to  work  and  erected  Fort  Shelby.  The  Governor 
returned  to  St.  Louis,  leaving  his  men  in  peaceable  possession  of 
the  place,  but  a  large  force  of  British  and  Indians  came  down  upon 
them,  and  the  entire  garrison  surrendered.  In  the  mean  time  Gen. 
Howard  sent  108  men  to  strengthen  the  garrison.  Of  this  number 
66  were  Illinois  rangers,  under  Capts.  Rector  and  Riggs,  who  oc- 
cupied two  boats.     The  remainder  were  with  Lieut.  Campbell. 

A    DESPERATE    FIGHT. 

At  Rock  Island  Campbell  was  warned  to  turn  back,  as  an  attack 

was  contemplated.     The  other  boats  passed  on  up  the  river  and 

were  some  two  miles  ahead  when  Campbell's  barge  was  struck  by  a 

strong  gale  which  forced  it  against  a  small  island  near  the  Illinois 

shore.     Thinking  it  best  to  lie  to  till  the  wind  abated,  sentinels 

were  stationed  while  the  men  went  ashore  to  cook  breakfast.     At 

this  time  a  large  number  of  Indians  on  the  ,.iain  shore  under 

Black  Hawk  commenced  an  attack.      The  savages  in  canoes  passed 

rapidly  to  the  island,  and  with  a  war-whoop  rushed  upon  the  men, 

who  retreated  and  sought  refuge  in  the  barge.     A  battle  of  brisk 

musketry  now  ensued  between  the  few  regulars  aboard  the  stranded 

barge  and  the  hordes  of  Indians  under  cover  of  trees  on  the  island, 

with  severe  loss  to  the  former.    Meanwhile  Capt.  Rector  and  Riggs, 

ahead  with  their  barges,  seeing  the  smoke  of  battle,  attempted  to 

return;  but  in  the  strong  gale  Riggs' boat  became  unmanageable 

and  was  stranded  on  the  rapids.     Rector,  to  avoid  a  similar  disaster, 

let  go  his  anchor.     The  rangers,  however,  opened  with  good  aim 

and  telling  effect  upon  the  savages.      The  unequal  combat  having 

raged  for  some  time  and  about  closing,  the  commander's  barge, 

with  many  wounded  and  several  dead  on  board, — among  the  former 

of  whom,  very  badly,  was  Campbell  himself, — was  discovered  to  be 

on  fire.    Now  Rector  and  his  brave  Illinois  rangers,  comprehending 

the  horrid  situation,  performed,  without  delay,  as  cool  and  heroic  a 

deed — and  did  it  well — as  ever  imperiled  the  life  of  mortal  man. 

In  the  howling  gale,  in  full  view  of  hundreds  of  infuriated  savages, 

and  within  range  of  their  rifles,  they  deliberately  raised  anchor, 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  T3 

lightened  their  barge  by  casting  overboard  quantities  of  provisions, 
and  guided  it  with  the  utmost  labor  down  the  swift  current,  to  the 
windward  of  the  burning  barge,  and  under  the  galling  fire  of  the 
enemy  rescued  all  the  survivors,  and  removed  the  wounded  and 
dying  to  their  vessel.  This  was  a  deed  of  noble  daring  and  as 
heroic  as  any  performed  during  the  war  in  the  "West.  Rector  hur- 
ried with  his  over-crowded  vessel  to  St.  Louis. 

It  was  now  feared  that  Riggs  and  his  company  were  captured 
and  sacrificed  by  the  savages.  His  vessel,  which  was  strong  and  well 
armed,  was  for  a  time  surrounded  by  the  Indians,  but  the  whites 
on  the  inside  were  well  sheltered.  The  wind  becoming  allayed  in 
the  evening,  the  boat,  under  cover  of  the  night,  glided  safely  down 
the  river  without  the  loss  of  a  single  man. 

STILL    ANOTHER    EXPEDITION. 

Notwithstanding  the  disastrous  termination  of  the  two  expedi- 
tions already  sent  out,  during  the  year  1814,  still  another  was  pro- 
jected. It  was  under  Maj,  Zachary  Taylor,  afterward  President. 
Rector  and  Whiteside,  with  the  Illinoisan,  were  in  command  of 
boats.  The  expedition  passed  Rock  Island  unmolested,  when  it 
was  learned  the  country  was  not  only  swarming  with  Indians,  but 
that  the  English  were  there  in  command  with  a  detachment  of  regu- 
lars and  artillery.  The  advanced  boats  in  command  of  Rector,  White- 
side and  Hempstead,  turned  about  and  began  to  descend  the  rapids, 
fighting  with  great  gallantry  the  hordes  of  the  enemy,  who  were 
pouring  their  fire  into  them  from  the  shore  at  every  step. 

Near  the  mouth  of  Rock  river  Maj.  Taylor  anchored  his  fleet  out 
in  the  Mississippi.  During  the  nigjht  the  English  planted  a  battery 
of  six  pieces  down  at  the  water's  edge,  to  sink  or  disable  the  boats, 
and  filled  the  islands  with  red-skins  to  butcher  the  whites,  who 
might,  unarmed,  seek  refuge  there.  But  in  this  scheme  they  were 
frustrated.  In  the  morning  Taylor  ordered  all  the  force,  except  20 
boatmen  on  each  vessel,  to  the  upper  island  to  dislodge  the  enemy. 
The  order  was  executed  with  great  gallantry,  the  island  scoured, 
many  of  the  savages  killed,  and  the  rest  driven  to  the  lower  island. 
In  the  meantime  the  British  cannon  told  with  effect  upon  the  fleet. 
The  men  rushed  back  and  the  boats  were  dropped  down  the  stream 
out  of  range  of  the  cannon.  Capt.  Rector  was  now  ordered  with 
his  company  to  make  a  sortie  on  the  lower  island,  which  he  did, 


74  HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 

driving  the  Indians  back  among  the  willows ;  but  they  being  re-in- 
forced,  in  turn  hurled  Rector  back  upon  the  sand-beach. 

A  council  of  officers  called  by  Taylor  had  by  this  time  decided 
that  their  force  was  too  small  to  contend  with  the  enemy,  who 
outnumbered  them  three  to  one,  and  the  boats  were  in  full  retreat 
down  the  river.  As  Rector  attempted  to  get  under  way  bis  boat 
grounded,  and  the  savages,  with  demoniac  yells,  surrounded  it, 
when  a  most  desperate  hand-to-hand  conflict  ensued.  The  gallant 
ranger,  Samuel  Whiteside,  observing  the  imminent  peril  of  his 
brave  Illinois  comrade,  went  immediately  to  his  rescue,  who  but  for 
his  timely  aid  would  undoubtedly  have  been  overpowered,  with  all 
his  force,  and  murdered. 

Thus  ended  the  last,  like  the  two  previous  expeditions  up  the 
Mississippi  during  the  war  of  1812,  in  defeat  and  disaster.  The 
enemy  was  in  undisputed  posession  of  all  the  country  north  of  the 
Illinois  river,  and  the  prospects  respecting  those  territories  boded 
nothino-  but  gloom.  With  the  approach  of  winter,  however,  Indian 
depredations  ceased  to  be  committed,  and  the  peace  of  Ghent,  Dec. 
24,  1814,  closed  the  war. 

ILLINOIS  AS  A  STATE. 

OKGANIZATION. 

In  January  of  1818  the  Territorial  Legislature  forwarded  to 
Nathaniel  Pope,  delegate  in  Congress  from  Illinois,  a  petition  pray- 
ing for  admission  into  the  national  Union  as  a  State.  On  April 
18th  of  the  same  year  Congress  passed  the  enabling  act,  and  Dec. 
3,  after  the  State  government  had  been  organized  and  Gov.  Bond 
had  signed  the  Constitution,  Congress  by  a  resolution  declared  Illi- 
nois to  be  "one  of  the  United  States  of  America,  and  admitted  into 
the  Union  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  original  States  in  all 
respects." 

The  ordinance  of  1787  declared  that  there  should  be  at  least  three 
States  carved  out  of  the  Northwestern  Territory.  The  boundaries 
of  the  three,  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois,  were  fixed  by  this  law. 
Congress  reserved  the  power,  however,  of  forming  two  other  States 
out  of  the  territory  which  lies  north  of  an  east  and  west  line  drawn 
through  the  southern  boundary  of  Lake  Michigan.  It  was  generally 
conceded  that  this  line  would  be  the  northern  boundary  of  Illinois  ; 


HISTOKY    OF   ILLINOIS.  75 

but  as  this  would  give  the  State  no  coast  on  Lake  Michigan;  and 
rob  her  of  the  port  of  Chicago  and  the  northern  terminus  of  the 
Illinois  &  Michigan  canal  which  was  then  contemplated,  Judge 
Pope  had  the  northern  boundary  moved  fifty  miles  further  north. 

BOUNDARY    CHANGED. 

Not  only  is  Illinois  indebted  to  Nathaniel  Pope  for  the  port  where 
now  enter  and  depart  more  vessels  during  the  year  than  in  any 
other  port  in  the  world,  for  the  northern  terminus  of  the  Illinois 
&  Michigan  canal,  and  for  the  lead  mines  at  Galena,  but  the  nation, 
the  undivided  Union,  is  largely  indebted  to  him  for  its  perpetuity. 
It  was  he, — his  foresight,  statesmanship  and  energy, — that  bound 
our  confederated  Union  with  bands  of  iron  that  can  never  be  broken. 
The  geographical  position  of  Illinois,  with  her  hundreds  of  miles 
of  water-courses,  is  such  as  to  make  her  the  key  to  the  grand  arch 
of  Northern  and  Southern  States.  Extending  from  the  great  chain 
of  lakes  on  the  north,  with  snow  and  ice  of  the  arctic  region,  to  the 
cotton-fields  of  Tennessee  ;  peopled,  as  it  is,  by  almost  all  races, 
classes  and  conditions  of  the  human  family  ;  guided  by  the  various 
and  diversified  political,  agricultural,  religious  and  educational 
teachings  common  to  both  North  and  South,— Illinois  can  control, 
and  has  controlled,  the  destinies  of  our  united  and  beloved  republic. 
Pope  seemingly  foresaw  that  a  struggle  to  dissolve  the  Union  would 
be  made.  With  a  prophetic  eye  he  looked  down  the  stream  of  time 
for  a  half  century  and  saw  the  great  conflict  between  the  South  and 
North,  caused  by  a  determination  to  dissolve  the  confederation  of 
States;  and  to  preserve  the  Union,  he  gave  to  Illinois  a  lake  coast. 

Gov.  Ford,  in  his  History  of  Illinois,  written  in  1847,  while 
speaking  of  this  change  of  boundary  and  its  iiifluence  upon  our 
nation,  says: 

"What,  then,  was  the  duty  of  the  national  Government?  Illinois 
was  certain  to  be  a  great  State,  with  any  boundaries  which  that 
Government  could  give.  Its  great  extent  of  territory,  its  unrivaled 
fertility  of  soil  and  capacity  for  sustaining  a  dense  population, 
together  with  its  commanding  position,  would  in  course  of  time 
give  the  new  State  a  very  controlling  influence  with  her  sister 
States  situated  upon  the  Western  rivers,  either  in  sustaining  the 
federal  Union  as  it  is,  or  in  dissolving  it  and  establishing  new  gov- 
ernments.    If  left  entirely  upon  the  waters  of  these  great  rivers,  it 


76  HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

was  plain  that,  in  case  of  threatened  disruption,  the  interest  of  the 
new  State  would  be  to  join  a  Southern  and  Western  confederacy; 
but  if  a  large  portion  of  it  could  be  made  dependent  upon  the  com- 
merce and  navigation  of  the  great  northern  lakes,  connected  as  they 
are  with  the  Eastern  States,  a  rival  interest  would  be  created  to 
check  the  wish  for  a  Western  and  Southern  confederacy. 

"  It  therefore  became  the  duty  of  the  national  Government  not 
only  to  make  Illinois  strong,  but  to  raise  an  interest  inclining  and 
binding  her  to  the  Eastern  and  Northern  portions  of  the  Union. 
This  could  be  done  only  through  an  interest  in  the  lakes.  At  that 
time  the  commerce  on  the  lakes  was  small,  but  its  increase  was  con- 
fidently expected,  and,  indeed,  it  has  exceeded  all  anticipations, 
and  is  yet  only  in  its  infancy.  To  accomplish  this  object  effectually, 
it  was  not  only  necessary  to  give  to  Illinois  the  port  of  Chicago  and 
a  route  for  the  canal,  but  a  considerable  coast  on  Lake  Michigan, 
with  a  country  back  of  it  sufficiently  extensive  to  contain  a  popu- 
lation caj)able  of  exerting  a  decided  influence  upon  the  councils  of 
the  State. 

"  There  would,  therefore,  be  a  large  commerce  of  the  north,  west- 
ern and  central  portion  of  the  State  afloat  on  the  lakes,  for  it  was 
then  foreseen  that  the  canal  would  be  made;  and  this  alone  would 
be  like  turning  one  of  the  many  mouths  of  the  Mississippi  into 
Lake  Michigan  at  Chicago.  A  very  large  commerce  of  the  center 
and  south  would  be  found  both  upon  the  lakes  and  rivers.  Asso- 
ciations in  business,  in  interest,  and  of  friendship  would  be  formed, 
both  with  the  North  and  the  Soutli.  A  State  thus  situated,  having 
such  a  decided  interest  in  the  commerce,  and  in  the  preservation  of 
the  whole  confederacy,  can  never  consent  to  disunion;  for  the  Union 
cannot  be  dissolved  without  a  division  and  disruption  of  the  State 
itself.  These  views,  urged  by  Judge  Pope,  obtained  the  unquali- 
fied assent  of  the  statesmen  of  1818. 

"  These  facts  and  views  are  worthy  to  be  recorded  in  history  as 
a  standing  and  perpetual  call  upon  lUinoisans  of  every  age  to 
remember  the  great  trust  which  has  been  reposed  in  them,  as  the 
peculiar  champions  and  guardians  of  the  Union  by  the  great  men 
and  patriot  sages  who  adorned  and  governed  this  country  in  the 
earlier  and  better  days  of  the  Republic." 

During  the  dark  and  trying  days  of  the  Rebellion,  well  did  she 
remember  this  sacred  trust,  to  protect  which  two  hundred  thousand 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 


77 


of  her  sons  went  to  the  bloody  field  of  battle,  crowning  their  arms 
with  the  laurels  of  war,  and  keeping  inviolate  the  solemn  obliga- 
tions bequeathed  to  'them  by  their  fathers. 

FIRST    CONSTITUTION. 

In  July  and  August  of  1818  a  convention  was  held  at  Kaskaskia 
for  the  purpose  of  drafting  a  constitution.  This  constitution  was 
not  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  people  for  their  approval  or  rejection, 
it  being  well  known  that  they  would  approve  it.  It  was  about  the 
first  organic  law  of  any  State  in  the  Union  to  abolish  imprisonment 
for  debt.  The  first  election  under  the  constitution  was  held  on  the 
third  Thursday  and  the  two  succeeding  days  in  September,  1818. 
Shadrach  Bond  was  elected  Governor,  and  Pierre  Menard  Lieuten- 
ant Governor.  Their  term  of  office  extended  four  years.  At  this 
time  che  State  was  divided  into  fifteen  counties,  the  population  being 
about  40,000.  Of  this  number  by  far  the  larger  portion  were  from 
the  Southern  States.  The  salary  of  the  Governor  was  $1,000,  while 
that  of  the  Treasurer  was  $500.  The  Legislature  re-enacted,  ver- 
batim, the  Territorial  Code,  the  penalties  of  which  were  unneces- 
sarily severe.  Whipping,  stocks  and  pillory  were  used  for  minor 
offenses,  and  for  arson,  rape,  horse-stealing,  etc.,  death  by  hanging 
was  the  penalty.     These  laws,  however,  were  modified  in  1821. 

The  Legislature  first  convened  at  Kaskaskia,  the  ancient  seat  of 
empire  for  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  both  for  the 
French  and  Americans.  Provisions  were  made,  however,  for  the 
removal  of  the  seat  of  government  by  this  Legislature.  A  place  in  the 
wilderness  on  the  Kaskaskia  river  was  selected  and  named  Yandalia. 
From  Yandalia  it  was  removed  to  Springfield  in  the  year  1837. 

DERIVATION    OF    THE    NAME     ILLINOIS. 

The  name  of  this  beautiful  "Prairie  State"  is  derived  from 
Illini,  an  Indian  word  signifying  superior  men.  It  has  a  French 
termination,  and  is  a  symbol  of  the  manner  in  which  the  two  races, 
the  French  and  Indians,  were  intermixed  during  the  early  history 
of  the  country.  The  appellation  was  no  doubt  well  applied  to  the 
primitive  inhabitants  of  the  soil,  whose  prowess  in  savage  warfare 
long  withstood  the  combined  attacks  of  the  fierce  Iroquois  on  the 
one  side,  and  the  no  less  savao^e  and  relentless  Sacs  and  Foxes  on  the 
other.  The  Illinois  were  once  a  powerful  confederacy,  occupying 
the  most  beautiful  and  fertile  region  in  the  great  valley  of  the 


78  HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 

Mississippi,  which  their  enemies  coveted  and  struggled  long  and 
hard  to  wrest  from  them.  Bj  the  fortunes  of  war  they  were  dimin- 
ished in  number  and  finally  destroyed.  "  Starved  Rock,"  on  the 
Illinois  river,  according  to  tradition,  commemorates  their  last  trag- 
edy, where,  it  is  said,  the  entire  tribe  starved  rather  than  surrender. 

The  low  cognomen  of  "  Sucker,"  as  applied  to  lUinoisans,  is  said 
to  have  had  its  origin  at  the  Galena  lead  mines.  In  an  early  day, 
when  these  extensive  mines  were  being  worked,  men  would  run  up 
the  Mississippi  river  in  steamboats  in  the  spring,  work  the  lead 
mines,  and  in  the  fall  return,  thus  establishing,  as  was  supposed,  a  sim- 
ilitude between  their  migratory  habits  and  those  of  the  fishy  tribe 
called  "Suckers."  For  this  reason  the  Illinoisans  have  ever  since 
been  distinguished  by  the  epithet  "  Suckers."  Those  who  stayed 
at  the  mines  over  winter  were  mostly  from  Wisconsin,  and  were 
called  "  Badgers."  One  spring  the  Missourians  poured  into  the 
mines  in  such  numbers  that  the  State  was  said  to  have  taken  a  puke, 
and  the  offensive  appellation  of  "  Pukes  "  was  afterward  applied  to 
all  Missourians. 

The  southern  part  of  the  State,  known  as  "Egypt,"  received  this 
appellation  because,  being  older,  better  settled  and  cultivated,  grain 
was  had  in  greater  abundance  than  in  the  central  and  northern  por- 
tion, and  the  immigrants  of  this  region,  after  the  manner  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  went  "  thither  to  buy  and  to  bring  from  thence 
that  they  might  live  and  not  die." 

STATE   BANE. 

The  Legislature,  during  the  latter  years  of  territorial  existence, 
granted  charters  to  several  banks.  The  result  was  that  paper  money 
became  very  abundant,  times  flush,  and  credit  unlimited;  and  every- 
body invested  to  the  utmost  limit  of  his  credit,  with  confident 
expectation  of  realizing  a  handsome  advance  before  the  expiration 
of  his  credit,  from  the  throng  of  immigrants  then  pouring  into  the 
country.  By  1819  it  became  apparent  that  a  day  of  reckoning 
would  aj)proach  before  their  dreams  of  fortune  could  be  realized. 
Banks  everywhere  began  to  waver,  paper  money  became  depreci- 
ated, and  gold  and  silver  driven  out  of  the  country.  The  Legisla- 
ture sought  to  bolster  up  the  times  by  incorporating  the  "  Bank 
of  Illinois,"  which,  with  several  branches,  was  created  by  the  ses- 
sion of  1821.  This  bank,  being  wholly  supported  by  the  credit  of 
the  State,  was  to  issue  one,  two,  three,  five,  ten  and  twenty-dollar 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  79 

notes.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  bank  to  advance,  upon  personal  prop- 
erty, money  to  the  amount  of  $100,  and  a  larger  amount  upon  real 
estate.  All  taxes  and  public  salaries  could  be  paid  in  such  bills; 
and  if  a  creditor  refused  to  take  them,  he  had  to  wait  three  years 
longer  before  he  could  collect  his  debt.  The  people  imagined  that 
simply  because  the  government  had  issued  the  notes,  they  would 
remain  at  par;  and  altliough  this  evidently  could  not  be  the  case, 
they  were  yet  so  infatuated  with  their  project  as  actually  to  request 
the  United  States  government  to  receive  them  in  payment  for  their 
public  lands!  Although  there  were  not  wanting  men  who,  like 
John  McLean,  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  fore- 
saw the  dangers  and  evils  likely  to  arise  from  the  creation  of  such 
a  bank,  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  people  were  in  favor  of  it. 
The  new  bank  was  therefore  started.  The  new  issue  of  bills  by  the 
bank  of  course  only  aggravated  the  evil,  heretofore  so  grievously 
felt,  of  the  absence  of  specie,  so  that  the  people  were  soon  com- 
pelled to  cut  their  bills  in  halves  and  quarters,  in  order  to  make 
small  change  in  trade.  Finally  the  paper  currency  so  rapidly  depre- 
ciated that  three  dollars  in  these  bills  were  considered  worth  only 
one  in  specie,  and  the  State  not  only  did  not  increase  its  revenue, 
but  lost  full  two-thirds  of  it,  and  expended  three  times  the  amount 
required  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the  State  government. 

Lafayette's  visit. 

In  the  spring  of  1825  the  brave  and  generous  LaFayette  visited 
Illinois,  accepting  the  earnest  invitation  of  the  General  Assembly, 
and  an  aifectionately  written  letter  of  Gov.  Cole's,  who  had  formed 
his  personal  acquaintance  in  France  in  1817.  The  General  in  reply 
said:  "  It  has  been  my  eager  desire,  and  it  is  now  my  earnest  inten- 
tion, to  visit  the  Western  States,  and  particularly  the  State  of  Illi- 
nois. The  feelings  which  your  distant  welcome  could  not  fail  to 
excite  have  increased  that  patriotic  eagerness  to  admire  on  that 
blessed  spot  the  happy  and  rapid  results  of  republican  institutions, 
public  and  domestic  virtues.  I  shall,  after  the  22d  of  February 
(anniversary  day),  leave  here  for  a  journey  to  the  Southern  States, 
and  from  New  Orleans  to  the  "Western  States,  so  as  to  return  to 
Boston  on  the  14th  of  June,  when  the  corner-stone  of  the  Bunker 
Hill  monument  is  to  be  laid, — a  ceremonv  sacred  to  the  whole  Union 
and  in  which  I  have  been  engaged  to  act  a  peculiar  and  honorable 
part." 


80  HISTOKY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

General  LaFajette  and  suite,  attended  by  a  large  delegation  of 
prominent  citizens  of  Missouri,  made  a  visit  by  the  steamer  Natcb. 
ez  to  the  ancient  town  of  Kaskaskia.  No  military  parade  was 
attempted,  but  a  multitude  of  patriotic  citizens  made  him  welcome. 
A  reception  was  held,  Gov.  Cole  delivering  a  glowing  address  of 
welcome.  During  the  progress  of  a  grand  ball  held  that  night,  a 
very  interesting  interview  took  place  between  the  honored  General 
and  an  Indian  squaw  whose  father  had  served  under  him  in  the 
Eevolutionary  war.  The  squaw,  learning  that  the  great  white  chief 
was  to  be  at  Kaskaskia  on  that  night,  had  ridden  all  day,  from  early 
dawn  till  sometime  in  the  night,  from  her  distant  home,  to  see 
the  man  whose  name  had  been  so  often  on  her  father's  tongue,  and 
with  which  she  was  so  familiar.  In  identification  of  her  claim  to 
his  distinguished  acquaintance,  she  brought  with  her  an  old,  worn 
letter  which  the  General  had  written  to  her  father,  and  which  the 
Indian  chief  had  preserved  with  great  care,  and  finally  bequeathed 
on  his  death-bed  to  his  daughter  as  the  most  precious  legacy  he  had 
to  leave  her. 

By  12  o'clock  at  night  Gen.  LaFayette  returned  to  his  boat  and 
started  South.     The  boat  was  chartered  by  the  State. 

EA.ELT    GOVERNORS. 

In  the  year  1822  the  term  of  ofiice  of  the  first  Governor,  Shadrach 
Bond,  expired.  Two  parties  sprung  up  at  this  time, — one  favorable, 
the  other  hostile,  to  the  introduction  of  slaver}^,  each  proposing  a 
candidate  of  its  own  for  Governor.  Both  parties  worked  hard  to 
secure  the  election  of  their  respective  candidates ;  but  the  people  at 
large  decided,  as  they  ever  have  been  at  heart,  in  favor  of  a  free 
State.  Edward  Coles,  an  anti-slavery  man,  was  elected,  although  a 
majority  of  the  Legislature  were  opposed  to  him.  The  subject  of 
principal  interest  during  his  administration  was  to  make  Illinois  a 
slave  State.  The  greatest  effort  was  made  in  1S24,  and  the  propo- 
sition was  defeated  at  the  polls  by  a  majority  of  1,800.  The  aggre- 
gate vote  polled  was  11,612,  l)eing  about  6,000  larger  than  at  the 
previous  State  election.  African  slaves  were  first  introduced  into 
Illinois  in  1Y20  by  Renault,  a  Frenchman. 

Senator  Duncan,  afterward  Governor,  presented  to  the  Legisla- 
ture of  1824-5  a  bill  for  the  support  of  schools  by  a  public  tax;  and 
WiUiam  S.  Hamilton  presented  another  bill  requiring  a  tax  to  be 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 


81 


nsed  for  the  purpose  of  constructing  and  repairing  the  roads, — both 
of  which  bills  passed  and  became  laws.  But  although  these  laws 
conferred  an  incalculable  benetit  upon  the  public,  the  very  name  of 
a  tax  was  so  odious  to  the  people  that,  rather  than  pay  a  tax  of  the 
smallest  possible  amount,  they  preferred  working  as  they  formerly 
did,  five  days  during  the  year  on  the  roads,  and  would  allow  their 
children  to  grow  up  without  any  instruction  at  all.  Consequently 
both  laws  were  abolished  in  1826. 

In  the  year  1826  the  office  of  Governor  became  again  vacant. 
Ninian  Edwards,  Adolphus  F.  Hubbard  and  Thomas  C.  Sloe  were 
candidates.  Edwards,  though  the  successful  candidate,  had  made 
himself  many  enemies  by  urging  strict  inquiries  to  be  made  into 
the  corruption  of  the  State  bank,  so  that  had  it  not  been  for  his 
talents  and  noble  personal  appearance,  he  would  most  probably  not 
have  been  elected.  Hubbard  was  a  man  of  but  little  personal  merit. 
Of  him  tradition  has  preserved,  among  other  curious  sayings,  a 
speech  on  a  bill  granting  a  bounty  on  wolf-scalps.  This  speech, 
delivered  before  the  Legislature,  is  as  follows:  "Mr.  Speaker,  I  rise 
before  the  question  is  put  on  this  bill,  to  say  a  word  for  my  constit- 
uents. Mr.  Speaker,  I  have  never  seen  a  wolf.  I  cannot  say  that 
I  am  very  well  acquainted  with  the  nature  and  habits  of  wolves. 
Mr.  Speaker,  I  have  said  that  I  had  never  seen  a  wolf;  but  now  I 
remember  that  once  on  a  time,  as  Judge  Brown  and  I  were  riding 
across  the  Bonpas  prairie,  we  looked  over  the  prairie  about  three 
miles,  and  Judge  Brown  said,  '  Hubbard,  look!  there  goes  a  wolf; ' 
and  I  looked,  and  1  looked,  and  I  looked,  and  I  said,  'Judge,  where?' 
and  he  said,  'There!'  And  I  looked  again,  and  this  time  in  the 
edge  of  a  hazel  thicket,  about  three  miles  across  the  prairie,  I  think 
I  saw  the  wolf's  tail.  Mr.  Speaker,  if  I  did  not  see  a  wolf  that 
time,  I  think  I  never  saw  one;  but  I  have  heard  much,  and  read 
more,  about  this  animal.     I  have  studied  his  natural  history. 

"By  the  bye,  history  is  divided  into  two  parts.  There  is  first 
the  history  of  the  fabulous;  and  secondly,  of  the  non-fabulous,  or 
unknown  age.  Mr.  Speaker,  from  all  these  sources  of  information 
I  learn  that  the  wolf  is  a  very  noxious  animal ;  that  he  goes  prowl- 
ing about,  seeking  something  to  devour;  that  he  rises  up  in  the 
dead  and  secret  hours  of  night,  when  all  nature  reposes  in  silent 
oblivion,  and  then  commits  the  most  terrible  devastation  upon  the 
rising  generation  of  hogs  and  sheep. 


82  HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

"  Mr,  Speaker,  I  have  done ;  and  I  return  my  thanks  to  the  house 
for  their  kind  attention  to  my  remarks." 

Gov.  Edwards  was  a  large  and  well-made  man,  with  a  noble, 
princely  appearance.  Of  him  Gov.  Ford  says:  "Ke  never  con- 
descended to  the  common  low  art  of  electioneering.  Whenever  he 
went  out  among  the  people  he  arrayed  himself  in  the  style  of  a 
gentleman  of  the  olden  time,  dressed  in  fine  broadcloth,  with  short 
breeches,  long  stockings,  and  high,  fair- topped  boots;  was  drawn  in 
a  fine  carriage  driven  by  a  negro;  and  for  success  he  relied  upon  his 
speeches,  which  were  delivered  in  great  pomp  and  in  style  of  diffuse 
and  florid  eloquence.  When  he  was  inaugurated  in  1826,  he 
appeared  before  the  General  Assembly  wearing  a  golden-laced  cloak, 
and  with  great  pomp  pronounced  his  first  message  to  the  houses 
of  the  Legislature." 

GRAMMAR   AND    COOK   CONTRASTED. 

Demagogism  had  an  early  development.  One  John  Grammar, 
who  was  elected  to  the  Territorial  Legislature  in  1816,  and  held  the 
position  for  about  twenty  years,  invented  the  policy  of  opposing 
every  new  thing,  saying,  "  If  it  succeeds,  no  one  will  ask  who 
voted  against  it:  if  it  proves  a  failure,  he  could  quote  its  record." 
When  first  honored  with  a  seat  in  the  Assembly,  it  is  said  that 
he  lacked  the  apparel  necessary  for  a  member  of  the  Legislature, 
and  in  order  to  procure  them  he  and  his  sons  gathered  a  large 
quantity  of  hazel-nuts,  which  were  taken  to  the  Ohio  Saline  and 
sold  for  cloth  to  make  a  coat  and  pantaloons.  The  cloth  was  the 
blue  strouding  commonly  used  by  the  Indians. 

The  neighboring  women  assembled  to  make  up  the  garments;  the 
cloth  was  measured  every  way, — across,  lengthwise,  and  from  corner 
to  corner,— and  still  was  found  to  be  scant.  It  was  at  last  con- 
cluded to  make  a  very  short,  bob-tailed  coat  and  a  long  pair  of  leg- 
gins,  which  being  finished,  Mr.  Grammar  started  for  the  State 
capital.  In  sharp  contrast  with  Grammar  was  the  character  of  D. 
P.  Cook,  in  honor  of  whom  Cook  county  was  named.  Such  was 
his  transparent  integrity  and  remarkable  ability  that  his  will  was 
almost  the  law  of  the  State.  In  Congress,  a  young  man  and  from 
a  poor  State,  he  was  made  Chairman  of  the  Ways  and  Means  Com- 
mittee. He  was  pre-eminent  for  standing  by  his  committee,  regard- 
less of  consequences.    It  was  his  integrity  that  elected  John  Quincy 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  83 

Adams  to  the  Presidency.  There  were  four  candidates  in  1824, 
Jackson,  Clay,  Crawford  and  Adams.  There  being  no  choice  by 
the  people,  the  election  was  thrown  into  the  House.  It  was  so  bal- 
anced  that  it  turned  on  his  vote,  and  that  he  cast  for  Adams,  elect- 
ing him.  He  then  came  home  to  face  the  wrath  of  the  Jackson 
party  in  Illinois. 

The  first  mail  route  in  the  State  was  established  in  1805.  This 
was  from  Vincennes  to  Cahokia.  In  182-1  there  was  a  direct  mail 
route  from  Yandalia  to  Springfield.  The  first  route  irom  the  central 
part  of  the  State  to  Chicago  was  established  in  1832,  from  Shelby- 
ville.  The  difliculties  and  dangers  encountered  by  the  early  mail 
carriers,  in  time  of  Indian  troubles,  were  very  serious.  The  bravery 
and  ingenious  devices  of  Harry  Milton  are  mentioned  with  special 
commendation.  When  a  boy,  in  1812,  he  conveyed  the  mail  on  a 
wild  French  pony  from  Shawneetown  to  St.  Louis,  over  swollen 
streams  and  through  the  enemy's  country.  So  infrequent  and 
irregular  were  the  communications  by  mail  a  great  part  of  the  time, 
that  to-day,  even  the  remotest  part  of  the  United  States  is  unable  to 
appreciate  it  by  example. 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  Illinois  was  the  Illinois  Herald, 
established  at  Kaskaskia  by  Mathew  Duncan.  There  is  some  va- 
riance as  to  the  exact  time  of  its  establisliment.  Gov.  Reynolds 
claimed  it  was  started  in  1809.  Wm.  H.  Brown,  afterwards  its 
editor,  gives  the  date  as  1814. 

In  1831  the  criminal  code  was  first  adapted  to  penitentiary  pun- 
ishment, ever  since  which  time  the  old  system  of  whipping  and 
pillory  for  the  punishment  of  criminals  has  been  disused. 

There  was  no  legal  rate  of  interest  till  1830.  Previously  the  rate 
often  reached  as  high  as  150  per  cent.,  but  was  usually  50  per  cent. 
Then  it  was  reduced  to  12,  then  to  10,  and  lastly  to  8  per  cent. 

INDIAN  TEOUBLES. 

WINNEBAGO    WAR. 

The  Indians,  who  for  some  years  were  on  peaceful  terras  with 
the  whites,  became  troublesome  in  1827.  The  Winnebagoes,  Sacs 
and  Foxes  and  other  tribes  had  been  at  war  for  more  than  a  hun- 
dred years.  In  the  summer  of  1827  a  war  party  of  the  "Winnebagoes 
surprised  a  party  of  Chippewas  and  killed  eight  of  them.      Four 


84:  HISTORY  OF   ILLINOIS. 

of  the  murderers  were  arrested  and  delivered  to  the  Chippewas, 
by  whom  they  were  immediately  shot.  This  was  the  first  irritation 
of  the  Winnebagoes.  Red  Bird,  a  chief  of  this  tribe,  in  order  to 
avenge  the  execution  of  the  four  warriors  of  his  own  people,  attacked 
the  Chippewas,  but  was  defeated;  and  being  determined  to  satisfy 
his  thirst  for  revenge  by  some  means,  surprised  and  killed  several 
white  men.  Upon  receiving  intelligence  of  these  murders,  the 
whites  who  were  working  the  lead  mines  in  the  vicinity  of  Galena 
formed  a  body  of  volunteers,  and,  re-inforced  by  a  company  of  United 
States  troops,  marched  into  the  country  of  the  Winnebagoes.  To 
save  their  nation  from  the  miseries  of  war,  E,ed  Bird  and  six  other 
men  of  his  nation  voluntarily  surrendered  themselves.  Some  of 
the  number  were  executed,  some  of  them  imprisoned  and  destined, 
like  Red  Bird,  ingloriously  to  pine  away  within  the  narrow  confines 
of  a  jail,  when  formerly  the  vast  forests  had  proven  too  limited  for 
them. 

JOHN  REYNOLDS  ELECTED  GOVERNOR. 

In  August,  1S30,  another  gubernatorial  election  was  held.  The 
candidates  were  William  Kinney,  then  Lieutenant  Governor,  and 
John  Reynolds,  formerly  an  Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
both  Jackson  Democrats.  The  opposition  brought  forward  no  can- 
didate, as  they  were  in  a  helpless  minority.  Reynolds  was  the 
successful  candidate,  and  under  his  administration  was  the  famous 

BLACK  HAWK  WAR. 

In  the  year  of  1804  a  treaty  was  concluded  between  the  United 
States  and  the  chiefs  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  nations.  One  old  chief  of 
the  Sacs,  however,  called  Black  Hawk,  who  had  fought  with  great 
bravery  in  the  service  of  Great  Britain  during  the  war  of  1812,  had 
always  taken  exceptions  to  this  treaty,  pronouncing  it  void.  In  1831 
he  established  himself,  with  a  chosen  band  of  warriors,  upon  the  dis- 
puted territory,  ordering  the  whites  to  leave  the  country  at  once.  The 
settlers  complaining,  Gov.  Reynolds  dispatched  Gen.  Gaines,  with  a 
company  of  regulars  and  1,500  volunteers,  to  the  scene  of  action. 
Taking  the  Indians  by  surprise,  the  troops  burnt  their  villages  and 
forced  them  to  conclude  a  treaty,  by  which  they  ceded  all  lands  east 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  agreed  to  remain  on  the  western  side  of  the 
river.  Necessity  forced  the  proud  spirit  of  Black  Hawk  into 
submission,  which  made  him  more  than  ever  determined  to  be 


BLACK  HAWK,  THE  SAC  CHIEF. 


HISTOKY   OF    ILLINOIS.  87 

avenged  upoi:  his  enemies.  Having  rallied  around  him  the  warlike 
braves  of  the  Sac,  and  Fox  nations,  he  crossed  the  Mississippi  in  the 
spring  of  lo32.  Upon  hearing  of  the  invasion,  Gov.  Reynolds 
hastily  collect.- '  a  body  of  1,800  volunteers,  placing  them  under  the 
command  >i  iJiig-Gen.  Samuel  Whiteside. 

stillman's  run. 

The  army  marched  to  the  Mississippi,  and  having  reduced  to 
ashes  the  Indian  village  known  as  ''Prophet's  Town,''  proceeded 
for  several  miles  up  the  river  to  Dixon,  to  join  the  regular  forces 
under  Gen.  Atkinson.  They  found  at  Dixon  two  companies  of 
volunteers,  who,  sigliing  for  glory,  were  dispatched  to  reconnoiter 
the  enemy.  They  advanced  under  command  of  Maj.  Stillman,  to  a 
creek  afterwards  called  "Stillman's  run;"  and  while  encamping 
there  saw  a  party  of  mounted  Indians  at  the  distance  of  a  mile. 
Several  of  Silllman's  party  mounted  their  horses  and  charged  the 
Indians,  killing  three  of  them;  but,  attacked  by  the  main  body 
under  Black  Ilawk,  they  were  routed,  and  by  their  precipitate 
flight  spread  such  a  panic  through  the  camp  that  the  whole  company 
ran  off  to  Dixon  as  fast  as  their  legs  could  carry  them.  On  their 
arrival  it  was  found  that  there  had  been  eleven  killed.  The  party 
came  s':;iggling  into  camp  all  night  long,  four  or  five  at  a  time, 
each  sqiM  i  positive  that  all  who  were  left  behind  were  massacred. 

It  is  fa.ii  1  that  a  big,  tall  Kentuckian,  with  a  loud  voice,  who 
was  a  coloirji  !;f  the  militia  but  a  private  with  Stillman,  upon. his 
arrival  in  ca.r.'-  gave  to  Gen.  Whiteside  and  the  wondering  multi- 
tude the  foil'/.. ins:  o-lowins:  and  bombastic  account  of  the  battle: 
"Sirs,"  sai'l  lie,  "our  detachment  was  encamped  among  some  scat- 
tering timber  on  the  north  side  of  Old  Man's  creek,  with  the  prairie 
from  the  north  gently  sloping  down  to  our  encampment.  It  was 
just  after  twiliglit,  in  the  gloaming  of  the  evening,  when  we  dis- 
covered Black  Hawk's  army  coming  down  upon  us  in  solid  column; 
they  displayed  in  the  form  of  a  crescent  upon  the  brow  of  the  prai- 
rie, and  such  accuracy  and  precision  of  military  movements  were 
never  witnessed  by  tnan;  they  were  equal  to  the  best  troops  of 
Wellington  in  Spain.  .  have  said  that  the  Indians  came  down  in 
solid  columns,  and  dis;>layed  in  the  form  of  a  crescent;  and  what  was 
most  wonderful,  there  were  large  squares  of  cavalry  resting  upon 
the  points  of  the  curve,  which  squares  were  supported  again  by 


88  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

other  columns  fifteen  deep,  extending  back  through  the  woods  and 
over  a  swamp  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  which  again  rested  on  the 
main  body  of  Black  Hawk's  army  bivouacked  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Kishwakee.  It  was  a  terrible  and  a  glorious  sight  to  see  the  tawny 
warriors  as  they  rode  along  our  flanks  attempting  to  outflank  us, 
with  the  glittering  moonbeams  glistening  from  their  polished  blades 
and  burnished  spears.  It  was  a  sight  well  calculated  to  strike  con- 
sternation in  the  stoutest  and  boldest  heart;  and  accordingly  our 
men  soon  began  to  break  in  small  squads,  for  tall  timber.  In  a 
very  little  time  the  rout  became  general,  the  Indians  were  soon 
upon  our  flanks  and  threatened  the  destruction  of  our  entire  detach- 
ment. About  this  time  Maj.  Stillman,  Col.  Stephenson,  Maj. 
Perkins,  Capt.  Adams,  Mr.  Hackelton,  and  myself,  with  some 
others,  threw  ourselves  into  the  rear  to  rally  the  fugitives  and  pro- 
tect the  retreat.  But  in  a  short  time  all  my  companions  fell 
bravely  fighting  hand-to-hand  with  the  savage  enemy,  and  I  alone 
was  left  upon  the  field  of  battle.  About  this  time  I  discovered  not 
far  to  the  left  a  corps  of  horsemen  which  seemed  to  be  in  tolerable 
order.  I  immediately  deployed  to  the  left,  when,  leaning  down  and 
placing  my  body  in  a  recumbent  posture  upon  the  mane  of  my 
horse  so  as  to  bring  the  heads  of  the  horsemen  between  my  eye 
and  the  horizon,  I  discovered  by  the  light  of  the  moon  that  they 
were  gentlemen  who  did  not  wear  hats,  by  which  token  I  knew  they 
were  no  friends  of  mine.  I  therefore  made  a  retrogade  movement 
and  recovered  my  position,  where  I  remained  some  time  meditating 
what  further  I  could  do  in  the  service  of  my  country,  when  a  ran- 
dom ball  came  whistling  by  my  ear  and  plainly  whispered  to  me, 
'  Stranger,  you  have  no  further  business  here.'  Upon  hearing  this  I 
followed  the  example  of  my  companions  in  arras,  and  broke  for 
tall  timber,  and  the  way  I  ran  was  not  a  little." 

For  a  long  time  afterward  Maj.  Stillnan  and  his  men  were  sub- 
jects of  ridicule  and  merriment,  which  was  as  undeserving  as  their 
expedition  was  disastrous.  Stillman's  defeat  spread  consternation 
throughout  the  State  and  nation.  The  number  of  Indians  was 
greatly  exaggerated,  and  the  name  of  Black  Hawk  carried  with  it 
associations  of  great  military  talent,  savage  cunning  and  cruelty. 

ASSAULT    ON    APPLE    RIVER    FORT. 

A  regiment  sent  to  spy  out  the  country  between  Galena  and  Eock 
Island  was  surprised  by  a  party  of  seventy  Indians,  and  was  on  the 


HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS.  89 

point  of  being  thrown  into  disorder  when  Gen.  Whiteside,  then 
serving  as  a  private,  shouted  out  that  he  would  shoot  the  first  man 
who  should  turn  his  back  to  the  enemy.  Order  being  restored,  the 
battle  began.  At  its  very  outset  Gen.  Whiteside  shot  the  leader  of 
the  Indians,  who  thereupon  commenced  a  hasty  retreat. 

In  June,  1832,  Black  Hawk,  with  a  band  of  150  warriors,  attack- 
ed the  Apple  River  Fort,  near  Galena,  defended  by  25  men.  This 
fort,  a  mere  palisade  of  logs,  was  erected  to  afford  protection  to  the 
miners.  For  fifteen  consecutive  hours  the  garrison  had  to  sustain 
the  assault  of  the  savage  enemy ;  but  knowing  very  well  that  no 
quarter  would  be  given  them,  they  fought  with  such  fury  and  des- 
peration that  the  Indians,  after  losing  many  of  their  best  warriors, 
were  compelled  to  retreat. 

Another  party  of  eleven  Indians  murdered  two  men  near  Fort 
Hamilton.  They  were  afterwards  overtaken  by  a  company  of 
twenty  men  and  every  one  of  them  was  killed. 

KOCK  RIVEK  EXPEDITION. 

A  new  regiment,  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Atkinson,  assem- 
bled on  the  banks  of  the  Illinois  in  the  latter  part  of  June.  Maj. 
Dement,  with  a  small  party,  was  sent  out  to  reconnoittr  the  move- 
ments of  a  large  body  of  Indians,  whose  endeavors  to  surround  him 
made  it  advisable  for  him  to  retire.  Upon  hearing  of  this  engage- 
ment, Gen.  Atkinson  sent  a  detachment  to  intercept  the  Indians, 
while  he  with  the  main  body  of  his  army,  moved  north  to  meet  the 
Indians  under  Black  Hawk.  They  moved  slowly  and  cautiously 
through  the  country,  passed  through  Turtle  village,  and  marched 
up  along  Bock  river.  On  their  arrival  news  was  brought  of  the 
discovery  of  the  main  trail  of  the  Indians.  Considerable  search 
was  made,  but  they  were  unable  to  discover  any  vestige  of  Indians 
save  two  who  had  shot  two  soldiers  the  day  previous. 

Hearing  that  Black  Hawk  was  encamped  on  Bock  river,  at  the 
Manitou  village,  they  resolved  at  once  to  advance  upon  the  enemy; 
but  in  the  execution  of  their  design  they  met  with  opposition  from 
their  officers  and  men.  The  officers  of  Gen.  Henry  handed  to  him 
a  written  protest;  but  he,  a  man  equal  to  any  emergency,  ordered 
the  officers  to  be  arrested  and  escorted  to  Gen.  Atkinson.  Within 
a  few  minutes  after  the  stern  order  was  given,  the  officers  all  collected 
around  the  General's  quarters,  many  of  them  with  tears  in  their 


90  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

eyes,  pledging  themselves  that  if  forgiven  they  would  return  to  duty 
and  never  do  the  like  again.  The  General  rescinded  the  order,  and 
they  at  once  resumed  duty. 

THE    BATTLE  OF    BAD-AXE. 

Gen.  Henry  marched  on  the  15th  of  July  in  pursuit  of  the 
Indians,  reaching  Rock  river  after  three  days'  journey,  where  he 
learned  Black  Hawk  was  encamped  further  up  the  river.  On  July 
19th  the  troops  were  ordered  to  commence  their  march.  After 
having  made  fifty  miles,  they  were  overtaken  by  a  terrible  thunder- 
storm which  lasted  all  night.  Notliing  cooled,  however,  in  their 
courage  and  zeal,  they  marched  again  fifty  miles  the  next  dav, 
encamping  near  the  place  where  the  Indians  had  encamped  the 
night  before.  Hurrying  along  as  fast  as  they  could,  the  infantry 
keeping  up  an  equal  pace  with  the  mounted  force,  the  troops  on  the 
morning  of  the  21st  crossed  the  river  connecting  two  of  the  four 
lakes,  by  which  the  Indians  had  been  endeavoring  to  escape.  They 
found,  on  their  way,  the  ground  strewn  with  kettles  and  articles  of 
baggage,  which  the  haste  of  their  retreat  had  obliged  the  Indians 
to  throw  away.  The  troops,  inspired  with  new  ardor,  advanced  so 
rapidly  that  at  noon  they  fell  in  with  the  rear  guard  of  the  Indians. 
Those  who  closely  pursued  them  were  saluted  with  a  sudden 
fire  of  musketry  by  a  body  of  Indians  who  had  concealed  them- 
selves in  the  high  grass  of  the  prairie.  A  most  desperate  charge 
was  made  upon  the  Indians,  who,  unable  to  resist,  retreated 
obliquely,  in  order  to  out-flank  the  volunteers  on  the  right;  but  the 
latter  charged  the  Indians  in  their  ambush,  and  expelled  them 
from  their  thickets  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  dispersed  them. 
Night  set  in  and  the  battle  ended,  having  cost  the  Indians  6S  of 
their  bravest  men,  while  the  loss  of  the  Illiuoisans  amounted  to  but 
one  killed  and  8  wounded. 

Soon  after  this  battle  Gens.  Atkinson  and  Henry  joined  their 
forces  and  pursued  the  Indians.  Gen.  Henry  struck  the  main  trail, 
left  his  horses  behind,  formed  an  advance  guard  of  eight  men, 
and  marched  forward  upon  their  trail.  When  these  eio-ht  men 
came  within  sight  of  .the  river,  they  were  suddenly  fired  upon  and 
five  of  them  killed,  the  remaining  three  maintaining  their  ground 
till  Gen.  Henry  came  up.  Then  the  Indians,  charged  upon  with 
the  bayonet,  fell   back  upon  their  main  force.    The  battle  now 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS.  91 

became  general;  the  Indians  fought  with  desperate  valor, but  were 
furiously  assailed  by  the  volunteers  with  their  bayonets,  cutting 
many  of  the  Indians  to  pieces  and  driving  the  rest  into  the  river. 
Those  who  escaped  from  being  drowned  took  refuge  on  an  island.  On 
hearing  the  frequent  discharge  of  musketry,  indicating  a  general 
engagement,  Gen.  Atkinson  abandoned  the  pursuit  of  the  twenty 
Indians  under  Black  Hawk  himself,  and  hurried  to  the  scene  of 
action,  where  he  arrived  too  late  to  take  part  in  the  battle.  He 
immediately  forded  the  river  with  his  troops,  the  water  reaching 
up  to  their  necks,  and  landed  on  the  island  where  the  Indians  had 
secreted  themselves.  The  soldiers  rushed  upon  the  Indians,  killed 
several  'of  them,  took  others  prisoner,  and  chased  the  rest  into 
the  river,  where  they  were  either  drowned  or  shot  before  reaching 
the  opposite  shore.  Thus  ended  the  battle,  the  Indians  losing  300 
besides  50  prisoners;  the  whites  but  17  killed  and  12  wounded. 

INCIDENTS    OF    THE    BATTLE. 

Many  painful  incidents  occurred  during  this  battle.  A  Sac 
woman,  the  sister  of  a  warrior  of  some  notoriety,  found  herself  in 
the  thickest  of  the  fight,  but  at  length  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
river,  when,  keeping  her  infant  child  safe  in  its  blankets  by  means 
of  her  teeth,  she  plunged  into  the  water,  seized  the  tail  of  a  horse 
with  her  hands  whose  rider  was  swimming  the  stream,  and  was 
drawn  safely  across.  A  young  squaw  during  the  battle  was  stand- 
ing in  the  grass  a  short  distance  from  the  American  line,  holding 
her  child — a  little  girl  of  four  years — in  her  arms.  In  this  posi- 
tion a  ball  struck  the  right  arm  of  the  child,  shattering  the  bone, 
and  passed  into  the  breast  of  the  young  mother,  instantly  killing 
her.  She  fell  upon  the  child  and  confined  it  to  the  ground  till  the 
Indians  were  driven  from  that  part  of  the  field.  Gen.  Anderson, 
of  the  United  States  army,  hearing  its  cries,  went  to  the  spot,  took 
it  from  under  the  dead  body  and  carried  it  to  the  surgeon  to  have 
its  wound  dressed.  The  arm  was  amputated,  and  during  the  oper- 
ation the  half-starved  child  did  not  cry,  but  sat  quietly  eating  a 
hard  piece  of  biscuit.  It  was  sent  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  where  it 
entirely  recovered. 

BLACK    HAWK    CAPTURED. 

Black  Hawk,  with  his  twenty  braves,  retreated  up  the  Wisconsin. 
river.     The  Winnebagoes,  desirous  of  securing  the  friendship  of 


92  HISTOKY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

the  whites,  went  in  pursuit  and  captured  and  delivered  them  to 
Gen.  Street,  the  United  States  Indian  agent.  Among  the  prisoners 
were  the  son  of  Black  Hawk  and  the  prophet  of  the  tribe.  These 
with  Black  Hawk  were  taken  to  Washington,  D.  C,  and  soon  con- 
signed as  prisoners  at  Fortress  Monroe. 

At  the  interview  Black  Hawk  had  with  the  President,  he  closed 
his  speech  delivered  on  the  occasion  in  the  following  words:  "  We 
did  not  expect  to  conquer  the  whites.  They  have  too  many  houses, 
too  many  men.  I  took  up  the  hatchet,  for  my  part,  to  revenge 
injuries  which  my  people  could  no  longer  endure.  Had  I  borne 
them  longer  without  striking,  my  people  would  have  said,  '  Black 
Hawk  is  a  woman;  he  is  too  old  to  be  a  chief;  he  is  no  Sac'  These 
reflections  caused  me  to  raise  the  war-whoop.  I  say  no  more.  It 
is  known  to  you.  Keokuk  once  was  here;  you  took  him  by  the 
hand,  and  when  he  wished  to  return  to  his  home,  you  were  willing. 
Black  Hawk  expects,  like  Keokuk,  he  shall  be  permitted  to  return 
too." 

BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH    OF   BLACK    HAWK. 

Black  Hawk,  or  Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiah,  was  born  in  the  prin- 
cipal Sac  village,  near  the  junction  of  Eock  river  with  tlie  Missis- 
sippi, in  the  year  1767.  His  father's  name  was  Py-e-sa.  Black 
Hawk  early  distinguished  himself  as  a  warrior,  and  at  the  age  of 
fifteen  was  permitted  to  paint,  and  was  ranked  among  the  braves. 
About  the  year  1783  he  went  on  an  expedition  against  the  enemies 
of  his  nation,  the  Osages,  one  of  whom  he  killed  and  scalped;  and 
for  this  deed  of  Indian  bravery  he  was  permitted  to  join  in  the 
scalp  dance.  Three  or  four  years  afterward  he,  at  the  head  of  two 
hundred  braves,  went  on  another  expedition  against  the  Osages,  to 
avenge  the  murder  of  some  women  and  children  belonging  to  his 
own  tribe.  Meeting  an  equal  number  of  Osage  warriors,  a  fierce 
battle  ensued  in  which  the  latter  tribe  lost  one-half  their  number. 
The  Sacs  lost  only  about  nineteen  warriors.  He  next  attacked  the 
Cherokees  for  a  similar  cause.  In  a  severe  battle  with  them  near 
the  present  city  of  St.  Louis  his  father  was  slain,  and  Black  Hawk, 
taking  possession  of  the  "  Medicine  Bag,"  at  once  announced  him- 
self chief  of  the  Sac  nation.  He  had  now  conquered  the  Cherokees, 
and  about  the  year  1800,  at  the  head  of  five  hundred  Sacs  and 
Foxes  and  a  hundred   lowas,  he  waged  war  against  the   Osage 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  93 

nation,  and  subdued  it.  For  two  years  he  battled  successfully  with 
Other  Indian  tribes,  all  of  which  he  conquered. 

The  year  following  the  treaty  at  St.  Louis,  in  1804,  the  United 
States  Government  erected  a  fort  near  the  head  of  Des  Moines 
Kapids,  called  Fort  Edwards.  This  seemed  to  enrage  Black  Hawk, 
who  at  once  determined  to  capture  Fort  Madison,  standing  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  above  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Moines. 
The  fort  was  garrisoned  by  about  fifty  men.  Here  he  was  defeated. 
The  difliculties  with  the  British  Government  arose  about  this  time, 
and  the  war  of  1812  followed.  That  government,  extending  aid  to 
the  Western  Indians,  induced  them  to  remain  hostile  to  the  Ameri- 
cans. In  August,  1812,  Black  Hawk,  at  the  head  of  about  five 
hundred  braves,  started  to  join  the  British  forces  at  Detroit,  passing 
on  his  way  the  site  of  Chicago,  where  the  famous  Fort  Dearborn 
massacre  had  a  few  days  before  been  perpetrated.  Of  his  con- 
nection with  the  British  but  little  is  known. 

In  the  early  part  of  1815,  the  Indians  west  of  the  Mississippi 
were  notified  that  peace  had  been  declared  between  the  United 
States  and  England,  and  nearly  all  hostilities  had  ceased.  Black 
Hawk  did  not  sign  any  treaty,  however,  until  May  of  the  following 
year.  From  the  time  of  signing  this  treaty,  in  1816,  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Black  Hawk  war,  he  and  his  band  passed  their 
time  in  the  common  pursuits  of  Indian  life. 

Ten  years  before  the  commencement  of  this  war,  the  Sac  and 
Fox  Indians  were  urged  to  move  to  the  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
All  were  agreed,  save  the  band  known  as  the  Britisli  Band,  of  which 
Black  Hawk  was  leader.  He  strongly  objected  to  the  removal,  and 
was  induced  to  comply  only  after  being  threatened  by  the  Govern- 
ment. This  action,  and  various  others  on  the  part  of  the  white 
settlers,  provoked  Black  Hawk  and  his  band  to  attempt  the  capture 
of  his  native  village,  now  occupied  by  the  whites.  The  war  fol- 
lowed. He  and  his  actions  were  undoubtedly  misunderstood,  and 
had  his  wishes  been  complied  with  at  tlie  beginning  of  the  struggle, 
much  bloodshed  would  have  been  prevented. 

BLACK    HAAVK    SET    AT   LIBERTY. 

By  order  of  the  President,  Black  Hawk  and  his  companions, 
who  were  in  confinement  at  Fortress  Monroe,  were  set  free  on  the 
4th  day  of  June,    1833.      Before  leaving   the  fort  Black  Hawk 


94  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

made  the  following  farewell  speecli  to  the  commander,  which  is  not 
only  eloquent  but  shows  that  within  his  chest  of  steel  there  beat  a 
heart  keenly  alive  to  the  emotions  of  gratitude: 

"  Brother,  I  have  come  on  my  own  part,  and  in  behalf  of  my 
companions,  to  bid  you  farewell.  Our  great  father  has  at  length 
been  pleased  to  permit  us  to  return  to  our  hunting  grounds.  We 
have  buried  the  tomahawk,  and  the  sound  of  the  rifle  hereafter  will 
only  bring  death  to  the  deer  and  the  buffalo.  Brothers,  you  have 
treated  the  red  man  very  kindly.  Your  squaws  have  made  them 
presents,  and  you  have  given  them  plenty  to  eat  and  drink.  The 
memory  of  your  friendship  will  remain  till  the  Great  Spirit  says  it 
is  time  for  Black  Hawk  to  sing  his  death  song.  Brother,  your 
houses  are  as  numerous  as  the  leaves  on  the  trees,  and  ycur  young 
warriors  like  the  sands  upon  the  shore  of  the  big  lake  that  rolls 
before  us.  The  red  man  has  but  few  houses  and  few  warriors,  but 
the  red  man  has  a  heart  which  throbs  as  warmly  as  the  heart  of  his 
white  brother.  The  Great  Spirit  has  given  us  our  hunting  grounds, 
and  the  skin  of  the  deer  which  we  kill  there  is  his  favorite,  for  its 
color  is  white,  and  this  is  the  emblem  of  peace.  This  hunting 
dress  and  these  feathers  of  the  eagle  are  white.  Accept  them,  my 
brother.  I  have  given  one  like  this  to  the  "White  Otter.  Accept  it  as 
a  memorial  of  Black  Hawk.  When  he  is  far  away  this  will  serve 
to  remind  you  of  him.  May  the  Great  Spirit  bless  you  and  your 
children.     Farewell." 

After  their  release  from  prison  they  were  conducted,  in  charge 
of  Major  Garland,  through  some  of  the  principal  cities,  that 
they  might  witness  the  power  of  the  United  States  and  learn 
their  own  inability  to  cope  with  them  in  war.  Great  multitudes 
flocked  to  see  them  wherever  they  were  taken,  and  the  attention 
paid  them  rendered  their  progress  through  the  country  a  triumphal 
procession,  instead  of  the  transportation  of  prisoners  by  an  officer. 
At  Eock  Island  the  prisoners  were  given  their  liberty,  amid  great 
and  impressive  ceremony.  In  1S38  Black  Hawk  built  him  a 
dwellino-  near  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  and  furnished  it  after  the  manner 
of  the  whites,  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and  hunting  and 
fishing.  Here,  with  his  wife,  to  whom  he  was  greatly  attached,  he 
passed  the  few  remaining  days  of  his  life.  To  his  credit,  it  may  be 
said,  that  Black  Hawk  remained  true  to  his  wife,  and  served  her 


HISTOKY   OF   ILLINOIS.  95 

with  a  devotion  uncommon  among  Indians,  living  with  her  up- 
ward of  forty  years. 

BLACK  hawk's   DEATH    AND    BimiAL. 

At  all  times  when  Black  Hawk  visited  the  whites  he  was 
received  with  marked  attention.  He  was  an  honored  guest  at  the 
old  settlers'  re- union  in  Lee  county,  Illinois,  at  some  of  their 
meetings  and  received  many  tokens  of  esteem.  In  September, 
1838,  while  on  his  way  to  Kock  Island  to  receive  his  annuity  from 
the  Government,  he  contracted  a  severe  cold  which  resulted  in  a 
fatal  attack  of  bilious  fever,  and  terminated  his  life  October  3. 
After  his  death,  he  was  dressed  in  the  uniform  presented  to  him  by 
the  President  while  in  Washington.  He  was  buried  in  a  grave  six 
feet  in  depth,  situated  upon  a  beautiful  eminence.  The  body  was 
placed  in  the  middle  of  the  grave,  in  a  sitting  posture  upon  a  seat 
constructed  for  the  purpose.  On  his  left  side  the  cane  given  him 
by  Henry  Clay  was  placed  upright,  with  his  right  hand  resting 
upon  it.  Thus,  after  a  long,  adventurous  and  shifting  life,  Black 
Hawk  was  gathered  to  his  fathers. 

FROM  1834  TO   1842. 

INTERNAL    IMPROVEMENTS. 

'No  sooner  was  the  Black  Hawk  war  concluded  than  settlers 
began  rapidly  to  pour  into  the  northern  part  of  Illinois,  now  free 
from  Indian  depredations.  Chicago,  from  a  trading  post,  had 
grown  into  a  commercial  center,  and  was  rapidly  coming  into 
prominence. 

At  the  general  election  in  1834  Joseph  Duncan  was  chosen 
Governor,  by  a  handsome  majority.  His  principal  opponent  was 
ex-Lieutenant  Governor  Kinney.  A  reckless  and  uncontrollable 
desire  for  internal  public  improvements  seized  the  minds  of  the 
people.  In  his  message  to  the  Legislature,  in  1835,  Gov.  Duncan 
said:  "  "When  we  look  abroad  and  see  the  extensive  lines  of  inter- 
communication penetrating  almost  every  section  of  our  sister  States; 
when  we  see  the  canal  boat  and  the  locomotive  bearing  with  seem- 
ing triumph  the  rich  productions  of  the  interior  to  the  rivers,  lakes 
and  ocean,  almost  annihilating  time,  burthen  and  space,  what 
patriot  bosom  does  not  beat  high  with  a  laudable  ambition  to  give 
Illinois  her  full  share  of  those  advantages  which  are  adorning  her 


96  HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

sister  States,  and  which  a  magnificent  Providence  seems  to  invite 
bj  a  wonderful  adaptation  of  our  whole  country  to  such  improve- 
ments ? " 

STUPENDOUS    SYSTEM    OF    IMPROVEMENTS   INAUGURATED. 

The  Legislature  responded  to  the  ardent  words  of  the  Governor, 
and  enacted  a  system  of  internal  improvements  without  a  parallel 
in  the  grandeur  of  its  conception.  They  ordered  the  construction 
of  1,300  miles  of  railroad,  crossing  the  State  in  all  directions. 
This  was  surpassed  by  the  river  and  canal  improvements.  There 
were  a  few  counties  not  touched  by  railroad,  or  river  or  canal,  and 
they  were  to  be  comforted  and  compensated  by  the  free  distribution 
of  $200,000  among  them.  To  inflate  this  balloon  bej'ond  credence,  it 
was  ordered  that  work  should  commence  on  both  ends  of  each  of  these 
railroads  and  rivers,  and  at  each  river-crossing,  all  at  the  same  time. 
This  provision,  which  has  been  called  the  crowning  folly  of  the 
entire  system,  was  the  result  of  those  jealous  combinations  ema- 
nating from  the  fear  that  advantages  might  accrue  to  one  section 
over  another  in  the  commencement  and  completion  of  the  works. 
We  can  appreciate  better,  perhaps,  the  magnitude  of  this  grand 
system  by  reviewing  a  few  figures.  The  debt  authorized  for  these 
improvements  in  the  first  instance  was  $10,230,000.  But  this,  as 
it  was  soon  found,  was  based  upon  estimates  at  least  too  low  by 
half.  This,  as  we  readily  see,  committed  the  State  to  a  liability  of 
over  $20,000,000,  equivalent  to  $200,000,000,  at  the  present  time, 
with  over  ten  times  the  population  and  more  than  ten  times  the 
wealth. 

Such  stupendous  undertakings  by  the  State  naturally  engendered 
the  fever  of  speculation  among  individuals.  That  particular  form 
known  as  the  town-lot  fever  assumed  the  malignant  type  at  first  in 
Chicago,  from  whence  it  spead  over  the  entire  State  and  adjoining 
States,  It  was  an  epidemic.  It  cut  up  men's  farms  without  regard 
to  locality,  and  cut  up  the  purses  of  the  purchasers  without  regard 
to  consequences.  It  was  estimated  that  building  lots  enough  were 
sold  in  Indiana  alone  to  accommodate  every  citizen  then  in  the 
United  States. 

Chicago,  which  in  1830  was  a  small  trading-post,  had  within  a 
few  years  grown  into  a  city.  This  was  the  starting  point  of  the 
wonderful  and   marvelous   career   of  that  city.      Improvements, 


HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS.  97 

unsurpassed  by  individual  efforts  in  tlie  annals  of  the  world,  were 
then  begun  and  have  been  maintained  to  this  daj.  Though  visited 
by  the  terrible  fire  fiend  and  the  accumulations  of  years  swept 
away  in  a  night,  yet  she  has  arisen,  and  to-day  is  the  best  built  city 
in  the  world.  Eeports  of  the  rapid  advance  of  property  in  Chicago 
spread  to  the  East,  and  thousands  poured  into  her  borders,  bringing 
money,  enterprise  and  industry.  Every  ship  that  left  her  port 
carried  with  it  maps  of  splendidly  situated  towns  and  additions, 
and  every  vessel  that  returned  was  laden  with  immigrants.  It  was 
said  at  the  time  that  the  staple  articles  of  Illinois  export  were  town 
pleats,  and  that  there  was  danger  of  crowding  the  State  with  towns 
to  the  exclusion  of  land  for  agriculture. 

ILLINOIS    AND    MICHIGAN    CANAL. 

The  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal  again  received  attention.  This 
enterprise  is  one  of  the  most  important  in  the  early  development 
of  Illinois,  on  account  of  its  magnitude  and  cost,  and  forming 
as  it  does  the  connectina:  link  between  the  great  chain  of  lakes  and 
the  Illinois  and  Mississippi  rivers.  Gov.  Bond,  the  first  Governor, 
recommended  in  his  first  message  the  building  of  the  canal.  In 
1821  the  Legislature  appropriated  $10,000  for  surveying  the  route. 
This  work  was  performed  by  two  young  men,  who  estimated  the 
cost  at  $600,000  or  $700,000.  It  cost,  however,  when  completed, 
$8,000,000.  In  1825  a  law  was  passed  to  incorporate  the  Canal 
Company,  but  no  stock  was  sold.  In  1826,  upon  the  solicitation  of 
Daniel  P.  Cook,  Congressman  from  this  State,  Congress  gave 
800,000  acres  of  land  on  the  line  of  the  work.  In  1828  commis- 
sioners were  appointed,  and  work  commenced  with  a  new  survey 
and  new  estimates.  In  1834-5  the  work  was  again  pushed  forward, 
and  continued  until  1818,  when  it  was  completed. 

PANIC — REPUDIATION   ADVOCATED. 

Bonds  of  the  State  were  recklessly  disposed  of  both  in  the  East 
and  in  Europe.  Work  was  commenced  on  various  lines  of  railroad, 
but  none  were  ever  completed.  On  the  Northern  Cross  Railroad, 
from  Meredosia  east  eight  miles,  the  first  locomotive  that  ever 
turned  a  wheel  in  the  great  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  W'as  run. 
The  date  of  this  remarkable  event  was  Nov.  8,  1838.  Large  sums 
of  money  were  being  expended  with  no  assurance  of  a  revenue, 


98  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

and  consequently,  in  1840,  the  Legislature  repealed  the  improve- 
ment laws  passed  three  years  previously,  not,  however,  until  the 
State  had  accumulated  a  debt  of  nearly  $15,000,000.  Thus  fell, 
after  a  short  but  eventful  life,  by  the  hands  of  its  creator,  the  most 
stupendous,  extravagant  and  almost  ruinous  folly  of  a  grand  sys- 
tem of  internal  improvements  that  any  civil  community,  perhaps, 
ever  engaged  in.  The  State  banks  failed,  specie  was  scarce,  an 
enormous  debt  was  accumulated,  the  interest  of  which  could  not 
be  paid,  people  were  disappointed  in  the  accumulation  of  wealth, 
and  real  estate  was  worthless.  All  this  had  a  tendency  to  create  a 
desire  to  throw  off  the  heavy  burden  of  State  debt  by  repudiation. 
This  was  boldly  advocated  by  some  leading  men.  The  fair  fame 
and  name,  however,  of  the  State  was  not  tarnished  by  repudiation. 
Men,  true,  honest,  and  able,  were  placed  at  the  head  of  affairs;  and 
though  the  hours  were  dark  and  gloomy,  and  the  times  most  try- 
ing, yet  our  grand  old  State  was  brought  through  and  prospered, 
until  to-day,  after  the  expenditure  of  millions  for  public  improve- 
ments and  for  carrying  on  the  late  war,  she  has,  at  present,  a  debt 
of  only  about  $300,000. 

MAETTR   FOR   LIBERTY. 

The  year  1837  is  memorable  for  the  death  of  the  first  martyr  for 
liberty,  and  the  abolishment  of  American  slavery,  in  the  State. 
Elijah  P.  Lovejoy  was  shot  by  a  mob  in  Alton,  on  the  night  of  the 
Yth  of  November  of  that  year.  He  was  at  the  time  editor  of  the 
Alton  Ohaerver,  and  advocated  anti-slavery  principles  in  its 
columns.  For  this  practice  three  of  his  presses  had  been  destroyed. 
On  the  arrival  of  the  fourth  the  tragedy  occurred  which  cost  him 
his  life.  In  anticipation  of  its  arrival  a  series  of  meetings  were 
held  in  which  the  friends  of  freedom  and  of  slavery  were  represented. 
The  object  was  to  effect  a  compromise,  but  it  was  one  in  which 
liberty  was  to  make  concessions  to  oppression.  In  a  speech  made 
at  one  of  these  meetings,  Lovejoy  said:  "Mr.  Chairman,  what 
have  I  to  compromise?  If  freely  to  forgive  those  who  have  so  greatly 
injured  me;  if  to  pray  for  their  temporal  and  eternal  happiness;  if 
still  to  wish  for  the  prosperity  of  your  city  and  State,  notwith- 
standing the  indignities  I  have  suffered  in  them, — if  this  be  the 
compromise  intended,  then  do  I  willingly  make  it,  I  do  not  admit 
that  it  is  the  business  of  any  body  of  men  to  say  whether  I  shall 


X 


HISTOKY  OF  ILLINOIS.  101 

or  shall  not  publish  a  paper  in  this  city.  That  right  was  given  to 
me  by  my  Creator,  and  is  solemnly  guaranteed  by  the  Constitution 
of  the  United  States  and  of  this  State.  But  if  by  compromise  is 
meant  that  1  shall  cease  from  that  which  duty  requires  of  me,  I 
cannot  make  it,  and  the  reason  is,  that  I  fear  God  more  than  man. 
It  is  also  a  very  different  question,  whether  I  shall,  voluntarily  or 
at  the  request  of  my  frieuds,  yield  up  my  position,  or  whether 
I  shall  forsake  it  at  the  hands  of  a  mob.  The  former  I  am  readv  at 
all  times  to  do  when  circumstances  require  it,  as  I  will  never  put 
my  personal  wishes  or  interests  in  competition  with  the  cause  of 
that  Master  whose  minister  I  am.  But  the  latter,  be  assured  I 
never  will  do.  You  have,  as  lawyers  say,  made  a  false  issue.  There 
are  no  two  parties  between  whom  there  can  be  a  compromise.  I 
plant  myself  down  on  my  unquestionable  rights,  and  the  ques- 
tion to  be  decided  is,  whether  I  shall  be  protected  in  those  rights. 
You  may  hang  me,  as  the  mob  hung  the  individuals  at  Vicksburg; 
you  may  burn  me  at  the  stake,  as  they  did  old  Mcintosh  at  St. 
Louis;  or,  you  may  tar  and  feather  me,  or  throw  me  into  the  Mis- 
sissippi as  you  have  threatened  to  do;  but  you  cannot  disgrace  me. 
I,  and  I  alone,  can  disgrace  myself,  and  the  deepest  of  all  disgrace 
would  be  at  a  time  like  this  to  deny  my  Maker  by  forsaking  his 
cause.  He  died  for  me,  and  I  were  most  unworthy  to  bear  his 
name  should  I  refuse,  if  need  be,  to  die  for  him.''''  Not  long 
afterward  Mr.  Lovejoy  was  shot.  His  brother  Owen,  being  pres- 
ent on  the  occasion,  kneeled  down  on  the  spot  beside  the  corpse, 
and  sent  up  to  God,  in  the  hearing  of  that  very  mob,  one  of  the 
most  eloquent  prayers  ever  listened  to  by  mortal  ear.  He  was  bold 
enough  to  pra}'-  to  God  to  take  signal  vengeance  on  the  infernal 
institution  of  slavery,  and  he  then  and  there  dedicated  his  life  to 
the  work  of  overthrowing  it,  and  hoped  to  see  the  day  when  slavery 
existed  no  more  in  this  nation.  He  died,  March  24,  1864,  nearly 
three  months  after  the  Emancipation  Proclamation  of  President 
Lincoln  took  effect.  Thus  he  lived  to  see  his  most  earnest  and 
devout  prayer  answered.  But  few  men  in  the  nation  rendered  bet- 
ter service  in  overthrowing  the  institution  of  slavery  than  Elijah 
P.  and  Owen  Lovejoy. 

CARLIN    ELECTED   GOVERNOR. 

Thomas  Carlin,  Democrat,  was  elected  Governor  in  1838,  over 
Cyrus  Edwards,  Whig.     In  1842  Adam  W.  Snyder  was  nominated 


102  HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

for  Governor  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  but  died  before  election, 
Thomas  Ford  was  placed  in  nomination,  and  was  elected,  ex-Gov- 
ernor Duncan  being  his  opponent. 

PKAIKIE  PIKATES. 

The  northern  part  of  the  State  also  had  its  mob  experiences,  but 
of  an  entirely  different  nature  from  the  one  just  recounted.  There 
has  always  hovered  around  the  frontier  of  civilization  bold,  desper- 
ate men,  who  prey  upon  the  unprotected  settlers  rather  than  gain 
a  livelihood  by  honest  toil.  Theft,  robbery  and  murder  were  car- 
ried on  by  regularly  organized  bands  in  Ogle,  Lee,  Winnebago  and 
DeKalb  counties.  The  leaders  of  these  gangs  of  cut-throats  were 
among  the  first  settlers  of  that  portion  of  the  State,  and  conse- 
quent! v  had  the  choice  of  location.  Among  the  most  prominent  of 
the  leaders  were  John  Driscoll,  "William  and  David,  his  sons;  John 
Brodie  and  three  of  his  sons;  Samuel  Aikens  and  three  of  his  sons; 
William  K.  Bridge  and  Norton  B.  Boyce. 

These  were  the  representative  characters,  those  who  planned 
and  controlled  the  movements  of  the  combination,  concealed  them 
when  danger  threatened,  nursed  them  when  sick,  rested  them  when 
worn  by  fatigue  and  forced  marches,  furnished  hiding  places  for 
their  stolen  booty,  shared  in  the  spoils,  and,  under  cover  of  darkness 
and  intricate  and  devious  ways  of  travel,  known  only  to  themselves 
and  subordinates,  transferred  stolen  horses  from  station  to  station; 
for  it  came  to  be  known  as  a  well-established  fact  that  they  had 
stations,  and  agents,  and  watchmen  scattered  throughout  the  coun- 
try at  convenient  distances,  and  signals  and  pass-words  to  assist 
and  p-overn  them  in  all  their  nefarious  transactions. 

Ogle  county,  particularly,  seemed  to  be  a  favorite  and  chosen 
field  for  the  operations  of  these  outlaws,  who  could  not  be  convicted 
for  their  crimes.  By  getting  some  of  their  number  on  the  juries, 
by  producing  hosts  of  witnesses  to  sustain  their  defense  by  per- 
jured evidence,  and  by  changing  the  venue  from  one  county  to 
another,  and  by  continuances  from  term  to  term,  they  nearly  always 
managed  to  be  acquitted.  At  last  these  depredations  became  too 
common  for  longer  endurance;  patience  ceased  to  be  a  virtue,  and 
determined  desperation  seized  the  minds  of  honest  men,  and  they 
resolved  that  if  there  were  no  statute  laws  that  could  protect  them 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS.  103 

against  the  ravages  of  thieves,  robbers  and  counterfeiters,  they 
would  protect  themselves.  It  was  a  desperate  resolve,  and  desper- 
ately and  bloodily  executed. 

BURNING-    OF    OGLE    COUNTY    COURT-IIOUSE. 

At  the  Spring  term  of  court,  1841,  seven  of  the  "Pirates  of  the 
Prairie,"  as  they  were  called,  were  confined  in  the  Ogle  county  jail 
to  await  trial.  Preparatory  to  holding  court,  the  judge  and  lawyers 
assembled  at  Oregon  in  their  new , court-house,  which  had  just 
been  completed.  Near  it  stood  the  county  jail  in  which  were  the 
prisoners.  The  "  Pirates "  assembled  Sunday  night  and  set  the 
court-house  on  fire,  in  the  hope  that  as  the  prisoners  would  have  to 
be  removed  from  the  jail,  they  might,  in  the  hurry  and  confusion 
of  the  people  in  attending  to  the  fire,  make  their  escape.  The 
whole  population  were  awakened  that  dark  and  stormy  night,  to 
see  their  new  court  edifice  enwrapped  in  flames.  Although  the 
building  was  entirely  consumed,  none  of  the  prisoners  escaped. 
Three  of  them  were  tried,  convicted  and  sent  to  the  penitentiary 
for  a  year.  They  had,  however,  contrived  to  get  one  of  their  num- 
ber on  the  jury,  who  would  not  agree  to  a  verdict  until  threatened 
to  be  lynched.  The  others  obtained  a  change  of  venue  and  were 
not  convicted,  and  finally  they  all  broke  jail  and  escaped. 

Thus  it  was  that  the  law  was  inadequate  to  the  protection  of  the 
people.  The  best  citizens  held  a  meeting  and  entered  into  a  solemn 
compact  with  each  other  to  rid  the  country  of  the  desperadoes  that 
infested  it.  They  were  regularly  organized  and  known  as  "  Regu- 
lators." They  resolved  to  notify  all  suspected  parties  to  leave  the 
country  within  a  given  time;  if  they  did  not  comply,  they  would 
be  severely  dealt  with.  Their  first  victim  was  a  man  named  Hurl, 
who  was  suspected  of  having  stolen  his  neighbor's  horse.  He  was 
ordered  to  strip,  his  hands  were  tied,  when  thirty-six  lashes  of  a 
raw-hide  were  applied  to  his  bare  back.  The  next  was  a  man 
named  Daggett,  formerly  a  Baptist  preacher.  He  was  sentenced 
to  receive  five  hundred  lashes  on  his  bare  back.  He  was  stripped, 
and  all  was  ready,  when  his  beautiful  daughter  rushed  into  the 
midst  of  the  men,  begging  for  mercy  for  her  father.  Her  appeals, 
with  Daggett's  promise  to  leave  the  country  immediately,  secured 
his  release.  That  night,  new  crimes  having  been  discovered,  he 
was  taken  out  and  whipped,  after  which  he  left  the  country,  never 
again  to  be  heard  from. 


104  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

The  friends  and  comrades  of  the  men  who  had  been  whipped 
were  fearfull}'  enraged,  and  swore  eternal  and  bloodj  vengeance. 
Eighty  of  them  assembled  one  night  soon  after,  and  laid  plans  to 
visit  White  Rock  and  murder  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  that 
hamlet.  They  started  on  this  bloody  mission,  but  were  prevailed 
upon  by  one  of  their  number  to  disband.  Their  coming,  however, 
had  been  anticipated,  and  every  man  and  boy  in  the  town  was 
armed  to  protect  himself  and  his  family. 

CAMPBELL    KILLED THE    MDRDEKEKS    SHOT. 

John  Campbell,  Captain  of  the  '•  Kegulators,"  received  a  letter 
from  William  Driscoll,  filled  with  most  direful  threats, — not  only 
threatening  Campbell's  life,  but  the  life  of  any  one  who  should 
oppose  their  murderous,  thieving  operations.  Soon  after  the  re- 
ceipt of  this  letter,  two  hundred  of  the  "Regulators"  marched  to 
Driscoll's  and  ordered  him  to  leave  the  county  within  twenty  days, 
but  he  refused  to  comply  with  the  order.  One  Sunday  evening, 
just  after  this,  Campbell  was  shot  down  in  his  own  door-yard  by 
David  Driscoll.  He  fell  in  the  arms  of  his  wife,  at  which  time 
Taylor  Driscoll  raised  his  rifle  and  pointed  it  toward  her,  but  low- 
ered it  without  firing. 

News  of  this  terrible  crime  spread  like  wild-fire.  The  very  air 
was  filled  with  threats  and  vengeance,  and  nothing  but  the  lives  of 
the  murderous  gang  would  pay  the  penalty.  Old  John  Driscoll 
was  arrested,  was  told  to  bid  his  family  good-bye,  and  then  with 
his  son  went  out  to  his  death.  The  "Regulators,"  numbering  111, 
formed  a  large  circle,  and  gave  the  Driscolls  a  fair  hearing.  They 
were  found  guilty,  and  the  "  Regulators"  divided  into  two  "death 
divisions," — one,  consisting  of  fifty-six,  with  rifles  dispatched  the 
father,  the  other  fifty -five  riddled  and  shattered  the  body  of  the 
son  with  balls  from  as  many  guns.  The  measures  thus  inaugu- 
rated to  free  the  countrv  from  the  dominion  of  outlaws  was  a  last 
desperate  resort,  and  proved  eflectual. 

MORMON  WAR. 

In  April,  1840,  the  "Latter-Day  Saints,"  or  Mormons,  came  in 
large  numbers  to  Illinois  and  purchased  a  tract  of  land  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Mississippi  river,  about  ten  miles  above  Keokuk.  Here 
they  commenced  building  the  city  of  Nauvoo.  A  more  picturesque 
or  eligible  site  for  a  city  could  not  have  been  selected. 


HISTOKY   OF   ILLINOIS.  105 

The  origin,  rapid  development  and  prosperity  of  this  religious 
sect  are  the  most  remarkable  and  instructive  historical  events  of 
the  present  century.  That  an  obscure  individual,  without  money, 
education,  or  respectability,  should  persuade  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  people  to  believe  him  inspired  of  God,  and  cause  a  book,  con- 
temptible as  a  literary  production,  to  be  received  as  a  continuation 
of  the  sacred  revelation,  appears  almost  incredible;  yet  in  less  than 
half  a  century,  the  disciples  of  this  obscure  individual  have  in- 
creased to  hundreds  of  thousands;  have  founded  a  State  in  the  dis- 
tant wilderness,  and  compelled  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  to  practically  recognize  them  as  an  independent  people. 

THE   FOUNDER    OF   MORMONISM. 

The  founder  of  Mormonism  was  Joseph  Smith,  a  native  of  Yer- 
mont,  who  emigrated  while  quite  young  with  his  father's  family  to 
western  New  York.  Here  his  youth  was  spent  in  idle,  vagabond 
life,  roaming  the  woods,  dreaming  of  buried  treasures,  and  in  en- 
deavoring to  learn  the  art  of  finding  them  by  the  twisting  of  a 
forked  stick  in  his  hands,  or  by  looking  through  enchanted  stones. 
Both  he  and  his  father  became  famous  as  "  water  wizards,"  always 
ready  to  point  out  the  spot  where  wells  might  be  dug  and  water 
found.  Such  was  the  character  of  the  young  profligate  when  he 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Sidney  Rigdon,  a  person  of  considerable 
talent  and  information,  who  had  conceived  the  design  of  foundinsr 
a  new  religion.  A  religious  romance,  written  by  Mr.  Spaulding,  a 
Presbyterian  preacher  of  Ohio,  then  dead,  suggested  the  idea,  and 
finding  in  Smith  the  requisite  duplicity  and  cunning  to  reduce  it 
to  practice,  it  was  agreed  that  he  should  act  as  prophet;  and  the 
two  devised  a  story  that  gold  plates  had  been  found  buried  in  the 
earth  containing  a  record  inscribed  on  them  in  unknown  characters, 
which,  when  deciphered  by  the  power  of  inspiration,  gave  the  his- 
tory of  the  ten  lost  tribes  of  Israel. 

ATTEMPT   TO    ARREST   JOE   SMITH. 

After  their  settlement  in  and  about  Nauvoo,  in  Hancock  county, 
great  depredations  were  committed  by  them  on  the  "  Gentiles." 
The  Mormons  had  been  received  from  Missouri  with  great  kind- 
ness by  the  people  of  this  State,  and  every  possible  aid  granted 
them.    The  depredations  committed,  however,  soon  made  them 


106  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

odious,  when  the  question  of  getting  rid  of  them  was  agitated.  In 
the  fall  of  1841,  the  Governor  of  Missouri  made  a  demand  on  Gov. 
Carlin  for  the  arrest  and  delivery  of  Joe  Smith  as  a  fugitive  from 
justice.  An  executive  warrant  issued  for  that  purpose  was  placed 
in  the  hands  of  an  agent  to  be  executed,  but  was  returned  without 
being  complied  with.  Soon  afterward  the  Governor  handed  the 
same  writ  to  his  agent,  who  this  time  succeeded  in  arresting  Joe 
Smith.  He  was,  however,  discharged  by  Judge  Douglas,  upon  the 
grounds  that  the  writ  upon  which  he  had  been  arrested  had  been 
once  returned  before  it  was  executed,  and  was  functus  officio.  In 
184:2  Gov.  Carlin  again  issued  his  writ,  Joe  Smith  was  arrested 
again,  and  again  escaped.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  it  was  impossible 
to  reach  and  punish  the  leader  of  this  people,  who  had  been  driven 
from  Missouri  because  of  their  stealing,  murdering  and  unjust 
dealing,  and  came  to  Illinois  but  to  continue  their  depredations. 
Emboldened  by  success,  the  Mormons  became  more  arrogant  and 
overbearing.  Many  people  began  to  believe  that  they  were  about 
to  set  up  a  separate  government  for  themselves  in  defiance  of  the 
laws  of  the  State.  Owners  of  property  stolen  in  other  counties 
made  pursuit  into  Kauvoo,  and  were  fined  by  the  Mormon  courts 
for  daring  to  seek  their  property  in  the  holy  city.  But  that  which 
made  it  more  certain  than  anything  else  that  the  Mormons  con- 
templated a  separate  government,  was  that  about  this  time  they 
petitioned  Congress  to  establish  a  territorial  government  for  them 
in  Nauvoo. 

ORIGIN   OF   POLYGAMY. 

To  crown  the  whole  folly  of  the  Mormons,  in  the  Spring  of  1844 
Joe  Smith  announced  himself  as  a  candidate  for  President  of  the 
United  States,  and  many  of  his  followers  were  confident  he  would 
be  elected.  He  next  caused  himself  to  be  anointed  king  and 
priest,  and  to  give  character  to  his  pretensions,  he  declared  his 
lineage  in  an  unbroken  line  from  Joseph,  the  son  of  Jacob,  and 
that  of  his  wife  from  some  other  important  personage  of  the  ancient 
Hebrews.  To  strengthen  his  political  power  he  also  instituted  a 
body  of  police  styled  the  "  Danite  band,"  who  were  sworn  to  pro- 
tect his  person  and  obey  his  orders  as  the  commands  of  God.  A 
female  order  previously  existing  in  the  church,  called  "  Spiritual 
wives,"  was  modified  so  as  to  suit  the  licentiousness  of  the  prophet, 
A  doctrine  was  revealed  that  it  was  impossible  for  a  woman  to  get 


HISTOKT   OF   ILLINOIS.  107 

to  heaven  except  as  the  wife  of  a  Mormon  elder;  that  each  elder 
might  marry  as  many  women  as  he  could  maintain,  and  that  any 
female  might  be  sealed  to  eternal  life  by  becoming  their  concubine. 
This  licentiousness,  the  origin  of  polygamy  in  that  church,  they 
endeavored  to  justify  by  an  appeal  to  Abraham,  Jacob  and  other 
favorites  of  God  in  former  ages  of  the  world. 

JOE   SMITH    AS   A   TYRANT. 

Smith  soon  began  to  play  the  tyrant  over  his  people.  Among 
the  first  acts  of  this  sort  was  an  attempt  to  take  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Law,  one  of  his  most  talented  disciples,  and  make  her  his 
spiritual  wife.  He  established,  without  authority,  a  recorder's 
office,  and  an  office  to  issue  marriage  licenses.  He  proclaimed  that 
none  could  deal  in  real  estate  or  sell  liquor  but  himself.  He 
ordered  a  printing  office  demolished,  and  in  many  ways  controlled 
the  freedom  and  business  of  the  Mormons.  Not  only  did  he  stir  up 
some  of  the  Mormons,  but  by  his  reckless  disregard  for  the  laws  of 
the  land  raised  up  opposition  on  every  hand.  It  was  believed  that 
he  instructed  the  Danite  band,  which  he  had  chosen  as  the  ministers 
of  his  vengeance,  that  no  blood,  except  that  of  the  church,  was  to 
be  regarded  as  sacred,  if  it  contravened  the  accomplishment  of  his 
object.  It  was  asserted  that  he  inculcated  the  legality  of  perjury 
and  other  crimes,  if  committed  to  advance  the  cause  of  true  believ- 
ers; that  Grod  had  given  the  world  and  all  it  contained  to  his  saints, 
and  since  they  were  kept  out  of  their  rightful  inheritance  by  force, 
it  was  no  moral  offense  to  get  possession  of  it  by  stealing.  It  was 
reported  that  an  establishment  existed  in  Nauvoo  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  counterfeit  money,  and  that  a  set  of  outlaws  was  maintained 
for  the  purpose  of  putting  it  in  circulation.  Statements  were  cir- 
culated to  the  effect  that  a  reward  was  offered  for  the  destruction  of 
the  Warsaw  Signal,  an  anti-Mormon  paper,  and  that  Mormons  dis- 
persed over  the  country  threatened  all  persons  who  offered  to  assist 
the  constable  in  the  execution  of  the  law,  with  the  destruction  of 
their  property  and  the  murder  of  their  families.  There  were  rumors 
also  afloat  that  an  alliance  had  been  formed  with  the  Western 
Indians,  and  in  case  of  war  they  would  be  used  in  murdering  their 
enemies.  In  short,  if  only  one-half  of  these  reports  were  true  the 
Mormons  must  have  been  the  most  infamous  people  that  ever  ex- 
isted. 


108  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

MILITARY   FORCES   ASSEMBLING. 

William  Law,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  printing-press 
destroyed  by  Smith,  went  to  Carthage,  the  county-seat,  and 
obtained  warrants  for  the  arrest  of  Smith  and  the  members  of  the 
City  Council,  and  others  connected  with  the  destruction  of  the 
press.  Some  of  the  parties  having  been  arrested,  but  discharged 
by  the  authorities  in  Nauvoo,  a  convention  of  citizens  assembled  at 
Carthage  and  appointed  a  committee  to  wait  upon  the  Governor  for 
the  purpose  of  procuring  military  assistance  to  enforce  the  law. 
The  Governor  visited  Carthage  in  person.  Previous  to  his  arrival 
the  militia  had  been  called  out  and  armed  forces  commenced  assem- 
bling in  Carthage  and  Warsaw  to  enforce  the  service  of  civil  process. 
All  of  them,  however,  signified  a  willingness  to  co-operate  with  the 
Governor  in  preserving  order.  A  constable  and  ten  men  were  then 
sent  to  make  the  arrest.  In  the  meantime,  Smith  declared  martial 
law;  his  followers  residing  in  the  country  were  summoned  to  his 
assistance;  the  Legion  was  assembled  and  under  arms,  and  the 
entire  city  was  one  great  military  encampment. 

THE   SMITHS    ARRESTED. 

The  prophet,  his  brother  Hiram,  the  members  of  the  City  Coun- 
cil and  others,  surrendered  themselves  at  Carthage  June  24,  1845, 
on  the  charge  of  riot.  All  entered  into  recognizance  before  a  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace  to  appear  at  court,  and  were  discharged.  A  new 
writ,  however,  was  immediately  issued  and  served  on  the  two 
Smiths,  and  both  were  arrested  and  thrown  into  prison.  The 
citizens  had  assembled  from  Hancock,  Schujder  and  McDonough 
counties,  armed  and  ready  to  avenge  the  outrages  that  had  been 
committed  by  the  Mormons.  Great  excitement  prevailed  at  Car- 
thage. The  force  assembled  at  that  place  amounted  to  1,200  men, 
and  about  600  assembled  at  Warsaw.  Nearly  all  were  anxious  to 
march  into  Nauvoo.  This  measure  was  supposed  to  be  necessary 
to  search  for  counterfeit  money  and  the  apparatus  to  make  it,  and 
also  to  strike  a  salutary  terror  into  the  Mormon  people  by  an  exhi- 
bition of  the  force  of  the  State,  and  thereby  prevent  future  out- 
rages, murders,  robberies,  burnings,  and  the  like.  The  27tli  of 
June  was  appointed  for  the  march ;  but  Gov.  Ford,  who  at  the 
time  was  in  Carthage,  apprehended  trouble  if  the  militia  should 
attempt  to  invade  Nauvoo,  disbanded  the  troops,  retaining  only  a 
guard  to  the  jail. 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  109 

JOE    SMITH   AND    HIS   BROTHER   KILLED. 

Gov.  Ford  went  to  Nauvoo  on  the  27th.  The  same  morning 
about  200  men  from  Warsaw,  many  being  disguised,  hastened  to 
Carthage.  On  learning  that  one  of  the  companies  left  as  a  guard 
had  disbanded,  and  the  other  stationed  150  yards  from  the  jail  while 
eight  men  were  left  to  guard  the  prisoners,  a  communication  was 
soon  established  between  the  Warsaw  troops  and  the  guard;  and  it 
was  arranged  that  the  guard  should  have  their  guns  charged  with 
blank  cartridges  and  lire  at  the  assailants  when  they  attempted  to 
enter  the  jail.  The  conspirators  came  up,  jumped  the  fence  around 
the  jail,  were  fired  upon  by  the  guard,  which,  according  to  arrange- 
ment, was  overpowered,  and  the  assailants  entered  the  prison,  to 
the  door  of  the  room  where  the  two  prisoners  were  confined.  An 
attempt  ,was  made  to  break  open  the  door;  but  Joe  Smith,  being 
armed  with  a  pistol,  fired  several  times  as  the  door  was  bursted 
open,  and  three  of  the  assailants  were  wounded.  At  the  same  time 
several  shots  were  fired  into  the  room,  by  some  of  which  John 
Taylor,  a  friend  of  the  Smiths,  received  four  wounds,  and  Hiram 
Smith  was  instantly  killed.  Joe  Smith,  severely  wounded,  attempt- 
ed to  escape  by  jumping  out  of  a  second-story  window,  but  was  so 
stunned  by  the  fall  that  he  was  unable  to  rise.  In  this  position  he 
was  dispatched  by'  balls  shot  through  his  body.  Thus  fell  Joe 
Smith,  the  most  successful  impostor  of  modern  times.  Totally  ignor- 
ant of  almost  every  fact  in  science,  as  well  as  in  law,  he  made  up  in 
constructiveness  and  natural  cunning  whatever  in  him  was  want- 
ing of  instruction. 

CONSTERNATION   AT    QUINCY. 

Great  consternation  prevailed  among  the  anti-Mormons  at 
Carthage,  after  the  killing  of  the  Smiths.  They  expected  the  Mor- 
mons would  be  so  enraged  on  hearing  of  the  death  of  their  leaders 
that  they  would  come  down  in  a  body,  armed  and  equipped,  to 
seek  revenge  upon  the  populace  at  Carthage.  Messengers  were 
dispatched  to  various  places  for  help  in  case  of  an  attack.  The 
women  and  children  were  moved  across  the  river  for  safety.  A 
committee  was  sent  to  Quincy  and  early  the  following  morning, 
at  the  ringing  of  the  bells,  a  large  concourse  of  people  assembled 
to  devise  means  of  defense.  At  this  meeting,  it  was  reported  that 
the  Mormons  attempted  to  rescue  the  Smiths;  that  a  party  of  Mis- 
sourians  and  others  had  killed  them  to  prevent  their  escape;  that 


110  HISTOEY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

the  Governor  and  his  party  were  at  Kauvoo  at  the  time  when  intel- 
ligence of  the  fact  was  brought  there;  that  they  had  been  attacked 
by  the  Nauvoo  Legion,  and  had  retreated  to  a  house  where  they 
were  closely  besieged;  that  the  Governor  had  sent  out  word  that 
he  could  maintain  his  position  for  two  days,  and  would  be  certain 
to  be  massacred  if  assistance  did  not  arrive  by  that  time.  It  is 
unnecessary  to  say  that  this  entire  story  was  fabricated.  It  was 
put  in  circulation,  as  were  many  other  stories,  by  the  an ti- Mormons, 
to  influence  the  public  mind  and  create  a  hatred  for  the  Mormons. 
The  effect  of  it,  however,  was  that  by  10  o'clock  on  the  28th, 
between  two  and  three  hundred  men  from  Quincy,  under  command 
of  Maj.  Flood,  went  on  board  a  steamboat  for  Nauvoo,  to  assist  in 
raising  the  siege,  as  they  honestly  believed. 

VARIOUS   DEPREDATIONS. 

It  was  thought  by  many,  and  indeed  the  circumstances  seem  to  war- 
rant the  conclusion,  that  the  assassins  of  Smith  had  arranged  that  the 
murder  should  occur  while  the  Governor  was  in  Nauvoo;  that  the 
Mormons  would  naturally  suppose  he  planned  it,  and  in  the  first  out- 
pouring of  their  indignation  put  him  to  death,  as  a  means  of  retalia- 
tion.   They  thought  that  if  they  could  have  the  Governor  of  the  State 
assassinated  by  Mormons,  the  public  excitement  would  be  greatly 
increased  against  that  people,  and  would  cause  their  extermination, 
or  at  least  their  expulsion  from  the  State.     That  it  was  a  brutal  and 
premeditated  murder  cannot  be  and  is  not  denied  at  this  day;  but 
the  desired  eifect  of  the  murder  was  not  attained,  as  the  Mormons 
did  not  evacuate  ISTauvoo  for  two  years  afterward.     In  the  meantime, 
the  excitement  and  prejudice  against  this  people  were  not  allowed 
to  die  out.     Horse-stealing  was  quite  common,  and  every  case  that 
occurred  was  charged  to  the  Mormons.     That  they  were  guilty  of 
such  thefts  cannot  be  denied,  but  a  great  deal  of  this  work  done  at 
that  time  was  by  organized  bands  of  thieves,  who  knew  they  could 
carry  on  their  nefarious  business  with  more  safety,  as  long  as  sus- 
picion could  be  placed   upon  the  Mormons.     In  the  summer  and 
fall  of  1845  were  several  occurrences  of  a  nature  to  increase  the 
irritation  existing  between  the  Mormons  and  their  neighbors.     A 
suit  was  instituted  in  the  United  States  Circuit  Court  against  one 
of  the  apostles,  to  recover  a  note,  and  a  marshal  sent  to  summons 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS..  113 

the  defendant,  who  refused  to  be  served  with  the  process.  Indig- 
nation meetings  were  held  bj  the  saints,  and  the  marshal  threat- 
ened for  attempting  to  serve  the  writ.  About  this  time,  General 
Denning,  sheriff,  was  assaulted  bj  an  anti-Mormon,  whom  he  killed. 
Denning  was  friendly  to  the  Mormons,  and  a  great  outburst  of 
passion  was  occasioned  among  the  friends  of  the  dead  man. 

INCENDIARISM. 

It  was  also  discovered,  in  trying  the  rights  of  property  at  Lima, 
Adams  county,  that  the  Mormons  had  an  institution  connected 
with  their  church  to  secure  their  effects  from  execution.  Incensed 
at  this  and  other  actions,  the  anti-Mormons  of  Lima  and  Green 
Plains,  held  a  meeting  to  devise  means  for  the  expulsion  of  the 
Mormons  from  tliat  part  of  the  country.  It  was  arranged  that  a 
number  of  their  own  party  should  fire  on  the  building  in  which 
they  were  assembled,  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  injure  anyone, 
and  then  report  that  the  Mormons  had  commenced  the  work  of 
plunder  and  death.  This  plot  was  duly  executed,  and  the  startling 
intelligence  soon  called  together  a  mob,  which  threatened  the  Mor- 
mons with  fire  and  sword  if  they  did  not  immediately  leave.  The 
Mormons  refusing  to  depart,  the  mob  at  once  executed  their  threats 
by  burning  125  houses  and  forcing  the  inmates  to  flee  for  their 
lives.  The  sheriff  of  Hancock  county,  a  prominent  Mormon 
armed  several  hundred  Mormons  and  scoured  the  country,  in  search 
of  the  incendiaries,  but  they  had  fled  to  neighboring  counties,  and 
he  was  unable  either  to  bring  them  to  battle  or  make  any  arrests. 
One  man,  however,  was  killed  without  provocation;  another 
attempting  to  escape  was  shot  and  afterwards  hacked  and  muti- 
lated ;  and  Franklin  A.  "Worrell,  who  had  charge  of  the  jail  when 
the  Smiths  were  killed,  was  shot  by  some  unknown  person  con- 
cealed in  a  thicket.  The  anti-Mormons  committed  one  murder. 
A  party  of  them  set  fire  to  a  pile  of  straw,  near  the  barn  of  an  old 
Mormon,  nearly  ninety  years  of  age,  and  when  he  appeared  to  ex- 
tinguish the  flames,  he  was  shot  and  killed. 

The  anti-Mormons  left  their  property  exposed  in  their  hurried 
retreat,  after  having  burned  the  houses  of  the  Mormons.  Those 
who  had  been  burned  out  sallied  forth  from  Nauvoo  and  plundered 
the  whole  country,  taking  whatever  they  could  carry  or  drive 
away.  By  order  of  the  Governor,  Gen.  Hardin  raised  a  force  of 
350  men,  checked  the  Mormon  ravages,  and  recalled  the  fugitive 
anti-Mormons  home. 


114  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 


MAKING   PREPAKATION   TO    LEAVE. 


At  this  time  a  convention,  consisting  of  delegates  from  eight  of 
the  adjoining  counties,  assembled  to  concert  measures  for  the  expul- 
sion of  the  Mormons  from  the  State.  The  Mormons  seriously  con- 
templated emmigration  westward,  believing  the  times  forboded 
evil  for  them.  Accordingly,  during  the  winter  of  1845-'46,  the 
most  stupendous  preparations  were  made  by  the  Mormons  for 
removal.  All  the  principal  dwellings,  and  even  the  temple,  were 
converted  into  work-shops,  and  before  spring,  12,000  wagons  were 
in  readiness;  and  hy  the  middle  of  February  the  leaders,  with  2,000 
of  their  followers,  had  crossed  the  Mississippi  on  the  ice. 

Before  the  spring  of  1846  the  majority  of  the  Mormons  had  left 
Nauvoo,  but  still  a  large  number  remained. 

THE   BATTLE    OF   NATTVOO. 

In  September  a  writ  was  issued  against  several  prominent  Mor- 
mons, and  placed  in  the  hands  of  John  Carlin,  of  Carthage,  for 
execution.  Carlin  called  out  a  posse  to  help  make  the  arrest,  which 
brought  together  quite  a  large  force  in  the  neighborhood  of  Nauvoo. 
Carlin,  not  being  a  military  man,  placed  in  command  of  the  posse, 
first,  Gen.  Singleton,  and  afterward  Col.  Brockman,  who  proceeded 
to  invest  the  city,  erecting  breastworks,  and  taking  other  means  for 
defensive  as  well  as  offensive  operations.  What  was  then  termed  a 
battle  next  took  place,  resulting  in  the  death  of  one  Mormon  and 
the  wounding  of  several  others,  and  loss  to  the  anti-Mormons  of 
three  killed  and  four  wounded.  At  last,  through  the  intervention 
of  an  anti-Mormon  committee  of  one  hundred,  from  Quincy,  the 
Mormons  and  their  allies  were  induced  to  submit  to  such  terms  as 
the  posse  chose  to  dictate,  which  were  that  the  Mormons  should 
immediately  give  up  their  arms  to  the  Quincy  committee,  and  re- 
move from  the  State.  The  trustees  of  the  church  and  five  of  their 
clerks  were  permitted  to  remain  for  the  sale  of  Mormon  propert}'^, 
and  the  posse  were  to  march  in  unmolested,  and  leave  a  sufiicient 
force  to  guarantee  the  performance  of  their  stipulations.  Accord- 
ingly, the  constable's  posse  marched  in  with  Brockman  at  their 
head.  It  consisted  of  about  800  armed  men  and  600  or  TOO 
imarmed,  who  had  assembled  from  all  the  country  around,  through 
motives  of  curiosity,  to  see  the  once  proud  city  of  Nauvoo  hum- 
bled and  delivered  up  to  its  enemies.     They  proceeded  into  the 


HISTOKY   OF    ILLINOIS.  117 

citj  slowly  and  carefully,  examinin,^  the  way  for  fear  of  the  explo- 
sion of  a  mine,  many  of  which  had  been  made  by  the  Mormons, 
by  burying  kegs  of  powder  in  the  ground,  with  a  man  stationed  at 
a  distance  to  pull  a  string  communicating  with  the  trigger  of  a 
percussion  lock  affixed  to  the  keg.  This  kind  of  a  contrivance  was 
called  by  the  Mormons  "  hell's  half-acre."  When  the  posse 
arrived  in  the  city,  the  leaders  of  it  erected  themselves  into  a  tri- 
bunal to  decide  who  should  be  forced  away  and  who  remain. 
Parties  were  dispatched  to  hunt  for  fire-arms,  and  for  Mormons,  and 
to  bring  them  to  judgment.  When  brought,  they  received  their 
doom  from  the  mouth  of  Brockman,  who  sat  a  grim  and  unawed 
tyrant  for  the  time.  As  a  general  rule,  the  Mormons  were  ordered 
to  leave  within  an  hour  or  two;  and  by  rare  grace  some  of  them 
were  allowed  until  next  day,  and  in  a  few  cases  longer  time  was 
granted. 

MALTRExVTMENT   OF   NEW   CITIZENS. 

Nothing  was  said  in  the  treaty  in  regard  to  the  new  citizens,  who 
had  with  the  Mormons  defended  the  city;  but  the  posse  no  sooner 
had  obtained  possession  than  they  commenced  expelling  them. 
Some  of  them  were  ducked  in  the  river,  and  were  in  one  or  two 
instances  actually  baptized  in  the  name  of  some  of  the  leaders 
of  the  mob;  others  were  forcibly  driven  into  the  ferry-boats  to  be 
taken  over  the  river  before  the  bayonets  of  armed  ruffians.  Many 
of  these  new  settlers  were  strangers  in  the  country  from  various 
parts  of  the  United  States,  who  were  attracted  there  by  the  low 
price  of  property;  and  they  knew  but  little  of  previous  difficulties 
or  the  merits  of  the  quarrel.  They  saw  with  tlieir  own  eyes  that 
the  Mormons  were  industriously  preparing  to  go  away,  and  they 
knew  "of  their  own  knowledge  "  that  any  effiirt  to  expel  them  by 
force  was  gratuitous  and  unnecessary  cruelty.  They  had  been  trained, 
by  the  States  whence  they  came,  to  abhor  mobs  and  to  obey  the  law, 
and  they  volunteered  their  services  under  executive  authority  to 
defend  their  town  and  their  property  against  mob  violence,  and,  as 
they  honestly  believed,  from  destruction;  but  in  tliis  they  were  partly 
mistaken;  for  although  the  mob  leaders  in  the  exercise  of  unbridled 
power  were  guilty  of  many  injuries  to  the  persons  of  individuals, 
although  much  personal  property  was  stolen,  yet  they  abstained 
from  materially  injuring  houses  and  buildings. 


118  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

THE   MORMONS    REACH    SALT   LAKE. 

The  fugitives  proceeded  westward,  taking  the  road  through  Mis- 
souri, but  were  forcibly  ejected  from  that  State  and  compelled  to 
move  indirectly  through  Iowa.  After  innumerable  hardships  the 
advance  guard  reached  the  Missouri  river  at  Council  Bluflfs,  when 
a  United  States  officer  presented  a  requisition  for  500  men  to 
serve  in  the  war  with  Mexico.  Compliance  with  this  order  so  di- 
minished their  number  of  effective  men,  that  the  expedition  was 
again  delayed  and  the  remainder,  consisting  mostly  of  old  men, 
women  and  children,  hastily  prepared  habitations  for  winter. 
Their  rudely  constructed  tents  were  hardly  completed  before  winter 
set  in  with  great  severity,  the  bleak  prairies  being  incessantly  swept 
by  piercing  winds.  While  here  cholera,  fever  and  other  diseases, 
aggravated  by  the  previous  hardships,  the  want  of  comfortable 
quarters  and  medical  treatment,  hurried  many  of  them  to  prema- 
ture graves,  yet,  under  the  influence  of  religious  fervor  and  fanati- 
cism, they  looked  death  in  the  face  with  resignation  and  cheerful- 
ness, and  even  exhibited  a  gayety  which  manifested  itself  in  music 
and  dancing  during  the  saddest  hours  of  this  sad  winter. 

At  length  welcome  spring  made  its  appearance,  and  by  April 
they  were  again  organized  for  the  journey;  a  pioneer  party,  con- 
sisting of  Brigham  Young  and  140  others,  was  sent  in  advance  to 
locate  a  home  for  the  colonists.  On  the  21  of  July,  1847,  a  day 
memorable  in  Mormon  annals,  the  vanguard  reached  the  valley  of 
the  Great  Salt  Lake,  having  been  directed  thither,  according  to 
their  accounts,  by  the  hand  of  the  Almighty.  Here  in  a  distant  wil- 
derness, midway  between  the  settlements  of  the  East  and  the  Pacific, 
and  at  that  time  a  thousand  miles  from  the  utmost  verge  of  civili- 
zation, they  commenced  preparations  for  founding  a  colony,  which 
has  since  grown  into  a  mighty  empire. 

MEXICAN  WAR 

During  the  month  of  May,  1846,  the  President  called  for  four 
regiments  of  volunteers  from  Illinois  for  the  Mexican  war.  This 
was  no  sooner  known  in  the  State  than  nine  regiments,  numbering 
8,370  men,  answered  the  call,  though  only  four  of  them,  amounting 
to  3,720  men,  could  be  taken.  These  regiments,  as  well  as  their 
officers,  were  everywhere  foremost  in  the  American  ranks,  and  dis- 


HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS.  119 

tinguished  themselves  by  their  matchless  valor  in  the  bloodiest 
battles  of  the  war.  Yeterans  never  fought  more  nobly  and  effect- 
ively than  did  the  volunteers  from  Illinois.  At  the  bloody  battle  of 
Buena  Vista  they  crowned  their  lives — many  their  death — with  the 
laurels  of  war.  Kever  did  armies  contend  more  bravely,  determinedly 
and  stubbornly  than  the  American  and  Mexican  forces  at  this  famous 
battle;  and  as  Illinois  troops  were  ever  in  the  van  and  on  the  blood- 
iest portions  of  the  field,  we  believe  a  short  sketch  of  the  part  they 
took  in  the  fierce  contest  is  due  them,  and  will  be  read  with  no  lit- 
tle interest. 

BATTLE   OF   BUENA   VISTA. 

General  Santa  Anna,  with  his  army  of  20,000,  poured  into  the 
valley  of  Aqua  Nueva  early  on  the  morning  of  the  22d  of  February, 
hoping  to  surprise  our  army,  consisting  of  about  5,000  men,  under 
Gen.  Taylor  and  which  had  retreated  to  the  "  Narrows."  They 
were  hotly  pursued  by  the  Mexicans  who,  before  attacking,  sent 
Gen.  Taylor  a  flag  of  truce  demanding  a  surrender,  and  assuring 
him  that  if  he  refused  he  would  be  cut  to  pieces;  but  the  demand 
was  promptly  refused.  At  this  the  enemy  opened  fire,  and  the  con- 
flict began.  In  honor  of  the  day  the  watchword  with  our  soldiers 
was,  "  The  memory  of  Washington."  An  irregular  fire  was  kept  up 
all  day,  and  at  night  both  armies  bivouacked  on  the  field,  resting  on 
their  arms.  Santa  Anna  that  night  made  a  spirited  address  to  his 
men,  and  the  stirring  strains  of  his  own  band  till  late  in  the  night 
were  distinctly  heard  by  our  troops;  but  at  last  silence  fell  over  the 
hosts  that  were  to  contend  unto  death  in  that  narrow  pass  on  the 
morrow. 

Early  on  the  following  morning  the  battle  was  resumed,  and  con- 
tinued without  intermission  until  nightfall.  The  solid  columns  of 
the  enemy  were  hurled  against  our  forces  all  day  long,  but  were 
met  and  held  in  check  b}'  the  unerring  fire  of  our  musketry  and  ar- 
tillery. A  portion  of  Gen.  Lane's  division  was  driven  back  by  the 
enemy  under  Gen.  Lombardini,  who,  joined  by  Gen.  Pacheco's  divis- 
ion, poured  upon  the  main  plateau  in  so  formidable  numbers  as 
to  appear  irresistible. 

BRAVERY   OF   THE    SECOND    ILLINOIS. 

At  this  time  the  2d  Illinois,  under  Col.  Bissell,  with  a  squadron 
of  cavalry  and  a  few  pieces  of  artillery  came  handsomely  into  action 


120  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

and  gallantly  received  the  concentrated  fire  of  the  enemy,  which 
they  returned  with  deliberate  aim  and  terrible  effect;    every  dis- 
charge of  the  artillery  seemed  to  tear  a  bloody  path  through  the 
heavy    columns   of  enemy.      Says   a  writer:      "The  rapid   mus- 
ketry of  the  gallant  troops  from  Illinois  poured  a  storm  of  lead 
into  their  serried  ranks,  which  literally  strewed  the  ground  with 
the  dead  and  dying."     But,  notwithstanding  his  losses,  the  enemy 
steadily  advanced  until  our  gallant  regiment   received  fire   from 
three  sides.     Still  they  maintained  their  position  for  a  time  with 
unflinching  firmness  against  that  immense  host.     At  length,  per- 
ceiving the  danger  of  being  entirely  surrounded,  it  was  determined 
to  fall  back  to  a  ravine.     Col.  Bissel,  with  the  coolness  of  ordinary 
drill,  ordered  the  signal  "cease  firing"  to  be  made;  he  then  with 
the  same  deliberation  gave  the  command,  "Face  to  the  rear,  Bat- 
talion, about  face;  forward  march,"  which  was  executed  witli  the 
regularity  of  veterans  to  a  point  beyond  the  peril  of  being  out- 
fianked.     Again,  in  obedience  to  command  these  brave  men  halted- 
faced  about,  and  under  a  murderous  tempest  of  bullets  from  the  foe, 
resumed  their  well-directed  fire.     The  conduct  of  no  troops  could 
have  been  more  admirable;  and,  too,  until  that  day  they  had  never 
been  under  fire,  when,  within  less  than  half  an  hour  eighty  of  their 
comrades  dropped  by  their  sides.    How  different  from  the  Arkansas 
regiment,  which  were  ordered  to  the  plateau,  but  after  delivering 
their  first  volley  gave  way  and  dispersed. 

SADDEST  EVENT  OF  THE  BATTLE. 

But  now  we  have  to  relate  the  saddest,  and,  for  Illinois,  the  most 
mournful,  event  of  that  battle-worn  day.  "We  take  the  account 
from  Colton's  History  of  the  battle  of  Buena  Yista.  "As  the  enemy 
on  our  left  was  moving  in  retreat  along  the  head  of  the  Plateau, 
our  artillery  was  advanced  until  within  range,  and  opened  a  heavy 
fire  upon  him,  while  Cols.  Hardin,  Bissell  and  McKee,  with  their 
Illinois  and  Kentucky  troops,  dashed  gallantly  forward  in  hot  pur- 
suit. A  powerful  reserve  of  the  Mexican  army  was  then  just 
emerging  from  the  ravine,  where  it  had  been  organized,  and 
advanced  on  the  plateau,  opposite  the  head  of  the  southernmost 
gorge.  Those  who  were  giving  way  rallied  quickly  upon  it;  when 
the  whole  force,  thus  increased  to  over  12,000  men,  came  forward 
in  a  perfect  blaze  of  fire.  It  was  a  single  column,  composed  of  the 
best  soldiers  of  the  republic,  having  for  its  advanced  battalions  the 


SCENE  ON  FOX  EIVER. 


HISTOKY    OF    ILLINOIS.  123 

veteran  regiments.     The  Kentucky  and  Illinois  troops  were  soon 
obliged  to  give  ground  before  it  and  seek  the  shelter  of  the  second 
gorge.     The  enemy  pressed  on,  arriving  opposite  the  head  of  the 
second  gorge.     One-half  of  the  column  suddenly  enveloped  it,  while 
the  other  half  pressed  on  across  the  plateau,  having  for  the  moment 
nothing  to  resist  them  but  the  three  guns  in  their  front.     The  por- 
tion that  was  immediately  opposed  to  the  Kentucky  and  Illinois 
troops,  ran  down  along  each  side  of  the  gorge,  in  which  they  had 
sought  shelter,  and  also  circled  around  its  head,  leaving  no  possible 
way   of    escape   for   them   except  by   its   mouth,    which    opened 
upon  the  road.     Its  sides,  which  were  steep, — at  least  an  angle  of 
45  degrees, — were  covered  with  loose  pebbles  and  stones,  and  con- 
verged to  a  point  at  the  bottom.     Down  there  were  our  poor  fel- 
lows, nearly  three  regiments  of  them  (1st  and  2d  Illinois  and  2d 
Kentucky),  with  but  little  opportunity  to  load  or  fire  a  gun,  being 
hardly   able  to  keep    their  feet.     Above   the  whole   edge   of   the 
gorge,  all  the  way  around,  was  darkened  by  the  serried  masses  of 
the  enemy,  and  was  bristling  with  muskets  directed  on  the  crowd 
beneath.     It  was  no  time  to  pause.     Those  who  were  not  immedi- 
ately shot  down  rushed  on  toward  the  road,  their  number  growing 
less  and  less  as  they  went,  Kentuckians  and  Illinoisans,  officers  and 
men,  all  mixed  up  in  confusion,  and  all  pressing  on  over  the  loose 
pebbles  and  rolling  stones  of  those  shelving,  precipitous  banks, 
and  having  lines  and  lines  of  the  enemy  firing  down  from  each 
side  and  rear  as  they  went.     Just  then  the  enemy's  cavaliy,  which 
had  gone  to  the  left  of  the  reserve,  had  come  over  the  spur  that 
divides  the  mouth  of  the  second  gorge  from   that  of  the  third,  and 
were  now  closing  up  the  only  door  through  which  there  was  the 
least  shadow  of  a  chance  for  their  lives.     Many  of  those  ahead 
endeavored  to  force  their  way  out,  but  few  succeeded.     The  lancers 
were  fully  six  to  one,  and  their  long  weapons  were  already  reeking 
with  blood.     It  was  at  this  time  that  those  who  were  still  back  in 
that  dreadful  gorge  heard,  above  the  din  of  the  musketry  and  the 
shouts  of  the  enemy  around  them,  the  roar  of  Washington's  Bat- 
tery.    No  music  could  have  been  more  grateful  to  their  ears.     A 
moment  only,  and  the  whole  opening,  where  the  lancers  were  busy, 
rang  with  the  repeated   explosions  of  splierical-case  shot.     They 
gave  way.     The  gate,  as  it  were,  was  clear,  and  out  upon  the  road 
a   stream   of  our  poor    fellows  issued.     They  ran   panting   down 


124  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

toward  the  battery,  and  directly  under  the  flght  of  iron  then  pas- 
sing over  their  heads,  into  the  retreatingj  cavah-y.  Hardin,  McKee, 
Clay,  Willis,  Zabriskie,  Houghton — but  why  go  on?  It  would  be 
a  sad  task  indeed  to  name  over  all  who  fell  during  this  twenty 
minutes'  slaughter.  The  whole  gorge,  from  the  plateau  to  its 
mouth,  was  strewed  with  our  dead.  All  dead!  No  wounded  there 
— not  a  man;  for  the  infantry  had  rushed  down  the  sides  and  com- 
pleted the  work  with  the  bayonet." 

VICTORY   FOR   OUR   ARMY. 

The  artillery  on  the  plateau  stubbornly  maintained  its  position 
The  remnants  of  the  1st  and  2d  Illinois  regiments,  after  issuing 
from  the  fated  gorge,  were  formed  and  again  brought  into  action, 
the  former,  after  the  fall  of  the  noble  Hardin,  under  Lieut.  Col. 
Weatherford,  the  latter  under  Bissell.  The  enemy  brought  forth 
reinforcements  and  a  brisk  artillery  duel  was  kept  up;  but  gradually, 
as  the  shades  of  night  began  to  cover  the  earth,  the  rattle  of  mus- 
ketry slackened,  and  when  the  pall  of  night  was  thrown  over  that 
bloody  field  it  ceased  altogether.  Each  army,  after  the  fierce  and 
long  struggle,  occupied  much  the  same  position  as  it  did  in  the 
morning.  However,  early  on  the  following  morning,  the  glad 
tidings  were  heralded  amidst  our  army  that  the  enemy  had  retreated, 
thus  again  crowning  the  American  banners  with  victory. 

OTHER  HONORED  NAMES  OF  THIS  WAR. 

Other  bright  names  from  Illinois  that  shine  as  stars  in  this 
war  are  those  of  Shields,  Baker,  Harris  and  Coffee,  which  are 
indissolubly  connected  with  the  glorious  capture  of  Yera  Cruz 
and  the  not  less  famous  storming  of  Cerro  Gordo.  In  this  latter 
action,  when,  after  the  valiant  Gen.  Shields  had  been  placed  hoi's 
de  combat,  the  command  of  his  force,  consisting  of  three  regiments, 
devoled  upon  Col.  Baker.  This  officer,  with  his  men,  stormed  with 
unheard-of  prowess  the  last  stronghold  of  the  Mexicans,  sweeping 
everything  before  them.  Such  indeed  were  the  intrepid  valor  and 
daring  courage  exhibited  by  Illinois  volunteers  during  the  Mexican 
war  that  their  deeds  should  live  in  the  memory  of  their  countrymen 
until  those  latest  times  when  the  very  name  of  America  shall  have 
been  forgotten. 


125 

THE  WAR  FOE  THE  UNIOK. 

On  the  fourth  day  of  March,  1861,  after  the  most  exciting  and 
momentous  political  campaign  known  in  the  history  of  this  country, 
Abraham  Lincoln — America's  martyred  President — was  inaugu- 
rated Chief  Magistrate  of  the  United  States.  This  fierce  contest 
was  principally  sectional,  and  as  the  announcement  was  flashed  over 
the  telegraph  wires  that  the  Republican  Presidential  candidate  had 
been  elected,  it  was  hailed  by  the  South  as  a  justifiable  pretext  for 
dissolving  the  Union.  Said  Jefferson  Davis  in  a  speech  at  Jackson, 
Miss.,  prior  to  the  election,  "If  an  abolitionist  be  chosen  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  you  will  have  presented  to  you  the 
question  whether  you  will  permit  the  government  to  pass  into 
the  hands  of  your  avowed  and  implacable  enemies.  Without 
pausing  for  an  answer,  I  will  state  my  own  position  to  be  that 
such  a  result  would  be  a  species  of  revolution  by  which  the 
purpose  of  the  Government  would  be  destroyed,  and  the  obser- 
vances of  its  mere  forms  entitled  to  no  respect.  In  that  event, 
in  such  manner  as  should  be  most  expedient,  I  should  deem  it 
your  duty  to  provide  for  your  safety  outside  of  the  Union."  Said 
another  Southern  politician,  when  speaking  on  the  same  sub- 
ject, ".We  shall  fire  the  Southern  heart,  instruct  the  Southern 
mind,  give  courage  to  each,  and  at  the  proper  moment,  by  one 
organized,  concerted  action,  we  can  precipitate  the  Cotton  States 
into  a  revolution."  To  disrupt  the  Union  and  form  a  government 
which  recognized  the  absolute  supremacy  of  the  white  population 
and  the  perpetual  bondage  of  the  black  was  what  they  deemed 
freedom  from  the  galling  yoke  of  a  Republican  administration. 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  DID  NOT  SEEK  THE  PKESIDENCT. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Miles,  of  Knox  county,  sat  on  the  floor  by  the  side 
of  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  Library-room  of  the  Capitol,  in  Spring- 
field, at  the  secret  caucus  meeting,  held  in  Janur.ry,  1859,  when 
Mr.  Lincoln's  name  was  first  spoken  of  in  caucus  as  candidate  for 
President.  When  a  gentleman,  in  making  a  short  speech,  said, 
"  We  are  going  to  bring  Abraham  Lincoln  out  as  a  candidate  for 
President,"  Mr.  Lincoln  at  once  arose  to  his  feet,  and  exclaimed, 
"For  God's  sake,  let  me  alone!  I  have  suffered  enough!"  This 
was  soon  after  he  had  been  defeated  in  tlie  Legislature  for  United 
States  Senate    by  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  and  only  those  who   are 


126  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

intimate  with  that  important  and  unparalleled  contest  can  appre- 
ciate the  full  force  and  meaning  of  these  expressive  words  of  the 
martyred  President.  They  were  spontaneous,  and  prove  beyond  a 
shadow  of  doubt  that  Abraham  Lincoln  did  not  seek  the  high  posi- 
tion of  President.  Nor  did  he  use  any  trickery  or  chicanery  to 
obtain  it.  But  his  expressed  wish  was  not  to  be  complied  with; 
our  beloved  country  needed  a  savior  and  a  martyr,  and  Fate  had 
decreed  that  he  should  be  the  victim.  After  Mr.  Lincoln  was 
elected  President,  Mr.  Miles  sent  him  an  eagle's  quill,  with  which 
the  chief  magistrate  wrote  his  first  inaugural  address.  The  letter 
written  by  Mr.  Miles  to  the  President,  and  sent  with  the  quill, 
which  was  two  feet  in  length,  is  such  a  jewel  of  eloquence  and 
prophecy  that  it  should  be  given  a  place  in  history: 

Peiisiper,  December  21,  1860. 
Hon.  a.  Lincoln  : 

Dear  Sir  : — Please  accept  the  eagle  quill  I  promised  you,  by  the  hand  of  our 
Representative,  A.  A.  Smith.  The  bird  from  whose  wing  the  quill  was  taken,  was 
shot  by  John  F.  Dillon,  in  Persifer  township,  Knox  Co.,  Ills.,  in  Feb.,  1857  Hav- 
ing heard  that  James  Buchanan  was  furnished  with  an  eagle  quill  to  write  his 
Inaugural  with,  and  believing  that  in  18G0,  a  Republican  would  be  elected  to  take 
his  place,  I  determined  to  save  this  quill  and  present  it  to  the  fortunate  man,  who- 
ever he  might  be.  Reports  tell  us  that  the  bird  which  furnished  Buchanan's  quill 
was  a  captured  bird, — fit  emblem  of  the  man  that  used  it  ;  but  the  bird  from 
which  this  quill  was  taken,  yielded  the  quill  only  with  his  life,— fit  emblem  of  the 
man  who  is  expected  to  use  it,  for  true  Republicans  believe  that  you  would  not 
think  lite  worth  the  keeping  after  the  surrender  of  principle.  Great  difficulties 
surround  you  ;  traitors  to  their  country  have  threatened  your  life  ;  and  should 
you  be  called  upon  to  surrender  it  at  the  post  of  duty,  your  memory  will  live  for- 
ever in  the  heart  of  every  freeman  ;  and  that  is  a  grander  monument  than  can  be 
built  of  brick  or  marble. 

"For  if  hearts  may  not  our  memories  keep, 
Oblivion  liastc  each  vestige  sweep, 
And  let  our  memories  eud." 


Yours  Truly, 


R.  W.  Miles. 


STATES    SECEDING. 


At  the  time  of  President  Lincoln's  accession  to  power,  several 
members  of  the  Union  claimed  they  had  withdrawn  from  it,  and 
styling  themselves  the  "  Confederate  States  of  America,"  organ- 
ized a  separate  government.  The  house  was  indeed  divided 
against  itself,  but  it  should  not  fall,  nor  should  it  long  continue 
divided,  was  the  hearty,  determined  response  of  every  loyal  heart 
in  the  nation.  The  accursed  institution  of  human  slavery  was 
the  primary  cause  for  this  dissolution  of  the  American  Union. 
Doubtless  other  agencies  served  to  intensify  the  hostile  feel- 
ings which  existed  between  the  Northern  and  Southern  portions 


IIISTOKY    OF    ILLINOIS,  127 

of  oar  country,  but  tlieir  remote  origin  could  be  traced  to  this  great 
national  evil.  Had  Lincoln's  predecessor  put  forth  a  timely,  ener- 
getic effort,  he  might  have  prevented  tlie  bloody  war  our  nation 
was  called  to  pass  through.  On  the  other  hand  every  aid  was  given 
the  rebels;  every  advantage  and  all  the  power  of  the  Government 
was  placed  at  their  disposal,  and  when  Illinois'  honest  son  took  the 
reins  of  the  Republic  he  found  Buchanan  had  been  a  traitor  to  his 
trust,  and  given  over  to  the  South  all  available  means  of  war. 

THE  FALL  OF  SUMTER. 

On  the  12th  day  of  April,  1861,  the  rebels,  who  for  weeks  had 
been  erecting  their  batteries  upon  the  shore,  after  demanding  of 
Major  Anderson  a  surrender,  opened  fire  upon  Fort  Sumter.      For 
thirty-four  hours  an  incessant  cannonading  was  continued;  the  fort 
was  being  seriously  injured;  provisions  were  almost  gone,  and  Major 
Anderson  was  compelled  to  haul  down  the  stars  and  stripes.     Tliat 
dear  old  flag  which  had    seldom  been  lowered  to  a  foreign  foe  by 
rebel  hands  was  now  trailed  in  the  dust.     The  first  blow  of  the 
terrible  conflict  which  summoned  vast  armies  into  the  field,  and 
moistened  the  soil  of  a  nation  in  fraternal  blood  and  tears,  had. 
been  struck.     The  gauntlet  thus  thrown   down  by  the  attack  on 
Sumter  by  the  traitors  of  the  South  was  accepted — not,  however, 
in  the  spirit  with  which  insolence  meets  insolence — but  with  a  firm, 
determined  spirit  of  patriotism  and  love  of  country.     The  duty  of 
the  President  was  plain  under  the  constitution  and  the  laws,  and 
above  and  beyond  all,  the  people  from  whom  all  political  power  is 
derived,  demanded  the  suppression  of  the  Rebellion,  and  stood  ready 
to   sustain   the   authority   of  their   representative   and   executive 
officers.     Promptly  did  the  new  President  issue  a  proclamation 
calling  for  his  countrymen  to  join  with  him  to  defend  their  homes 
and  their  country,  and  vindicate  her  honor.     This  call  was  made 
April  14,  two  days  after  Sumter  was  first   fired  upon,  and  was  for 
75,000   men.     On   the  15th,  the  same  day  he  was  notified.  Gov. 
Yates  issued  his  proclamation  convening  the  Legislature.     lie  also 
ordered  the  organization  of  six  regiments.     Troops  were  in  abund- 
ance, and  the  call  was  no   sooner   made   than  filled.     Patriotism 
thrilled  and  vibrated  and  pulsated  through  every  heart.     The  farm, 
the  workshop,  the  office,  the  pulpit,  the  bar,  the  bench,  the  college, 
the  school-house, — every  calling  ofi'ered  its  best  men,  their  lives  and 
their  fortunes,  in  defense  of  the  Government's  honor  and  unity. 


128  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

Bitter  words  spoken  in  moments  of  political  heat  were  forgotten 
and  forgiven,  and  joining  hands  in  a  common  cause,  they  repeated 
the  oath  of  America's  soldier-statesman :  "  By  the  Great  Eternal^ 
the  Union  must  and  shall  he  preserved.^^  The  honor,  the  very 
life  and  glory  of  the  nation  was  committed  to  the  stern  arbitrament 
of  the  sword,  and  soon  the  tramp  of  armed  men,  the  clash  of 
musketry  and  the  heavy  boom  of  artillery  reverberated  throughout 
the  continent;  rivers  of  blood  saddened  by  tears  of  mothers,  wives, 
sisters,  daughters  and  sweethearts  flowed  from  the  lakes  to  the 
gulf,  but  a  nation  was  saved.  The  sacrifice  was  great,  but  the 
Dnion  was  preserved. 

CALL  FOR  TROOPS  PROMPTLY  ANSWERED. 

Simultaneously  with  the  call  for  troops  by  the  President,  enlist- 
ments commenced  in  this  State,  and  within  ten  days  10,000 
volunteers  offered  service,  and  the  sum  of  $1,000,000  was  tendered 
by  patriotic  citizens.  Of  the  volunteers  who  offered  their  services, 
only  six  regiments  could  be  accepted  under  the  quota  of  the  State. 
But  the  time  soon  came  when  there  was  a  place  and  a  musket  for 
every  man.  The  six  regiments  raised  were  designated  by  numbers 
commencing  with  seven,  as  a  mark  of  respect  for  the  six  regiments 
which  had  served  in  the  Mexican  war.  Another  call  was  antici- 
pated, and  the  Legislature  authorized  ten  additional  regiments  to 
be  organized.  Over  two  hundred  companies  were  immediately 
raised  from  which  were  selected  the  required  number.  No  sooner 
was  this  done  than  the  President  made  another  call  for  troops,  six 
regiments  were  again  our  proportion,  although  by  earnest  solicita- 
tion the  remaining  four  were  accepted.  There  were  a  large  number 
of  men  with  a  patriotic  desire  to  enter  the  service  who  were  denied 
this  privilege.  Many  of  them  wept,  while  others  joined  regiments 
from  other  States.  In  May,  June  and  July  seventeen  regiments 
of  infantry  and  live  of  cavalry  were  raised,  and  in  the  latter  month, 
when  the  President  issued  his  first  call  for  500,000  volunteers, 
Illinois  tendered  thirteen  regiments  of  infantry  and  three  of  cavalry, 
and  so  anxious  were  her  sons  to  have  the  Hebellion  crushed  that 
the  number  could  have  been  increased  by  thousands.  At  the 
close  of  1S61  Illinois  had  sent  to  the  field  nearly  50,000  men,  and 
had  17,000  in  camp  awaiting  marching  orders,  thus  exceeding  her 
full  quota  by  15,000. 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  129 

A   VAST   ARMY    RAISED   IN   ELEVEN   DAYS. 

In  July  and  August  of  1862  the  President  called  for  600,000 
men — our  quota  of  which  was  52,296 — and  gave  until  August  18  as 
the  limits  in  which  the  number  might  be  raised  by  volunteering, 
after  which  a  draft  would  be  ordered.  The  State  had  already  fur- 
nished 17,000  in  excess  of  her  quota,  and  it  was  first  thought  this 
number  would  be  deducted  from  the  present  requisition,  but  that 
could  not  be  done.     But  thirteen  davs  were  granted  to  enlist  this 

ft/  CD 

vast  army,  which  had  to  come  from  tlie  farmers  and  mechanics. 
The  former  were  in  the  midst  of  harvest,  but,  inspired  by  love  of 
country,  over  50,000  of  them  left  their  harvests  ungathered,  their 
tools  and  their  benches,  the  plows  in  their  furrows,  turning  their 
backs  on  their  homes,  and  before  eleven  days  had  expired  the 
demands  of  the  Government  were  met  and  both  quotas  filled. 

The  war  went  on,  and  call  followed  call,  until  it  began  to  look  as 
if  there  would  not  be  men  enough  in  all  the  Free  States  to  crush 
out  and  subdue  the  monstrous  war  traitors  had  inaugurated.  But 
to  every  call  for  either  men  or  money  there  was  a  willing  and  ready 
response.  And  it  is  a  boast  of  the  people  that,  had  the  supply  of 
men  fallen  short,  there  were  women  brave  enough,  daring  enough, 
patriotic  enough,  to  have  offered  themselves  as  sacrifices  on  their 
country's  altar.  On  the  21st  of  December,  1861,  the  last  call  for 
troops  was  made.  It  was  for  300,000.  In  consequence  of  an  im- 
perfect enrollment  of  the  men  subject  to  military  duty,  it  became 
evident,  ere  this  call  was  made,  that  Illinois  was  furnishing  thous- 
ands of  men  more  than  what  her  quota  would  have  been,  had  it 
been  correct.  So  glaring  had  this  disproportion  become,  that 
under  this  call  the  quota  of  some  districts  exceeded  the  number  of 
able-bodied  men  in  them. 

A    GENERAL    SUMMARY. 

Following  this  sketch  we  give  a  schedule  of  all  the  volunteer 
troops  organized  from  this  State,  from  the  commencement  to  the 
close  of  the  war.  It  is  taken  from  the  Adjutant  General's  report. 
The  number  of  the  regiment,  name  of  original  Colonel,  call  under 
which  recruited,  date  of  organization  and  muster  into  the  United 
States'  service,  place  of  muster,  and  aggregate  strength  of  each 
organization,  from  which  we  find  that  Illinois  put  into  her  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  regiments  256,000  men,  and  into  the  United  States 


130  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

army,  through  other  States,  enough  to  swell  the  number  to  290,000. 
This  far  exceeds  all  the  soldiers  of  the  Federal  Government  in  all 
the  war  of  the  Revolution.  Her  total  years  of  service  were  over 
600,000.  She  enrolled  men  from  eighteen  to  forty-five  years  of  age, 
when  the  law  of  Congress  in  ISG-i — the  test  time — only  asked  for 
those  from  twenty  to  forty-five.  Her  enrollments  were  otberwise 
excessive.  Her  people  wanted  to  go,  and  did  not  take  the  pains  to 
correct  the  enrollment;  thus  the  basis  of  fixing  the  quota  was  too 
great,  and  the  rjuota  itself,  at  least  in  the  trying  time,  was  far  above 
any  other  State.  The  demand  on  some  counties,  as  Monroe,  for 
example,  took  every  able-bodied  man  in  the  county,  and  then  did 
not  have  enough  to  fill  the  quota.  Moreover,  Illinois  sent  20,844 
men  for  one  hundred  days,  for  whom  no  credit  was  asked.  She 
gave  to  the  country  73,000  years  of  service  above  all  calls.  "With 
one-thirteenth  of  the  population  of  the  loyal  States,  she  sent  regu- 
larly one-tenth  of  all  the  soldiers,  and  in  the  perils  of  the  closing 
calls,  when  patriots  were  few  and  weary,  she  sent  one-eighth  of  all 
that  were  called  for  by  her  loved  and  honored  son  in  the  White 
House.  Of  the  brave  boys  Illinois  sent  to  the  front,  there  were 
killed  in  action,  5,888;  died  of  wounds,  3,032;  of  disease,  19,496; 
in  prison,  967;  lost  at  sea,  205;  aggregate,  29,588.  As  upon  every 
field  and  upon  every  page  of  the  history  of  this  war,  Illinois  bore 
her  part  of  the  suffering  in  tlie  prison-pens  of  the  South.  Mere 
than  800  names  make  up  the  awful  column  of  Illinois'  brave  sons 
who  died  in  the  rebel  prison  of  Andersonville,  Ga.  "Who  can 
measure  or  imagine  the  atrocities  which  would  be  laid  before  the 
world  were  the  panorama  of  sufterings  and  terrible  trials  of  these 
gallant  men  but  half  unfolded  to  view?  But  this  can  never  be 
done  until  new  words  of  horror  are  invented,  and  new  arts  dis- 
covered by  which  demoniacal  fiendishness  can  be  portrayed,  and 
the  intensest  anguish  of  the  human  soul  in  ten  thousand  forms  be 
painted.       ^ 

No  troops  ever  fought  more  heroically,  stubbornly,  and  with  bet- 
ter effect,  than  did  the  boys  from  the  "Prairie  State."  At  Pea 
Eidge,  Donelson,  Pittsburg  Landing,  luka,  Corinth,  Stone  River, 
Holly  Springs,  Jackson,  Yicksburg,  Chicamauga,  Lookout  Moun- 
tain, Murfreesboro,  Atlanta,  Franklin,  JSTashville,  Chattanooga,  and 
on  every  other  field  where  the  clash  of  arms  was  heard,  her  sons 
were  foremost. 


HISTOKY  OF   ILLINOIS.  131 

CAPTURE    OF   THE   ST.    LOUIS   ARSENAL. 

Illinois  was  almost  destitute  of  firearms  at  the  beffiniiino;  of  the 
conflict,  and  none  could  be  procured  in  the  East.  The  traitorous 
Flojd  had  turned  over  to  the  South  300,000  arms,  leaving  most 
arsenals  in  the  North  einptj.  Gov.  Yates,  however,  received  an 
order  on  the  St.  Louis  arsenal  for  10,000  muskets,  which  he  put  in 
the  hands  of  Captain  Stokes,  of  Chicago.  Several  unsuccessful 
attemjjts  were  made  by  the  Captain  to  pass  through  the  large  crowd 
of  rebels  which  had  gathered  around  the  arsenal,  suspecting  an 
attempt  to  move  the  arms  would  be  made.  He  at  last  succeeded 
in  gaining  admission  to  the  arsenal,  but  was  informed  by  the  com- 
mander that  the  slightest  attempt  to  move  the  arms  would  be  dis- 
covered and  bring  an  infuriated  mob  upon  the  garrison.  This  fear 
was  well  founded,  for  the  following  day  Gov.  Jackson  ordered  2,000 
armed  men  from  Jefferson  City  down  to  capture  the  arsenal.  Capt. 
Stokes  telegraphed  to  Alton  for  a  steamer  to  descend  the  river,  and 
about  midnight  land  opposite  the  arsenal,  and  proceeding  to  the 
same  place  with  700  men  of  the  7th  Illinois,  commenced  loading 
the  vessel.  To  divert  attention  from  his  real  purpose,  he  had  500 
guns  placed  upon  a  different  boat.  As  designed,  this  movement 
was  discovered  by  the  rabble,  and  the  shouts  and  excitement  upon 
their  seizure  drew  most  of  the  crowd  from  the  arsenal.  Capt. 
Stokes  not  only  took  all  the  guns  his  requisition  called  for,  but 
emptied  the  arsenal.  When  all  was  ready,  and  the  signal  given  to 
Btart,  it  was  found  that  the  immense  weight  had  bound  the  bow  of 
the  boat  to  a  rock,  but  after  a  few  moments'  delay  the  boat  fell  awaj 
from  the  shore  and  floated  into  deep  water. 

"Which  way?"  said  Capt.  Mitchell,  of  the  steamer.  "Straight 
in  the  regular  channel  to  Alton,"  replied  Capt,  Stokes.  "What  if 
we  are  attacked?"  said  Capt.  Mitchell.  "  Then  we  will  fight,"  was 
the  reply  of  Capt.  Stokes.  "What  if  we  are  overpowered?"  said 
Mitchell.  "  Run  the  boat  to  the  deepest  part  of  the  river  and  sink 
her,"  replied  Stokes.  "I'll  do  it,"  was  the  heroic  answer  of 
Mitchell,  and  away  they  went  past  the  secession  battery,  past  the 
St.  Louis  levee,  and  in  the  regular  channel  on  to  Alton.  When 
they  touched  the  landing,  Capt.  Stokes,  fearing  pursuit,  ran  to  the 
market  house  and  rang  the  fire  bell.  The  citizens  came  flocking 
pell-mell  to  the  river,  and  soon  men,  women  and  children  were 
tugging  away  at  that  vessel  load  of  arms,  which  they  soon  had 
deposited  in  freight  cars  and  off  to  Springfield. 


132  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

LIBERALITY    AS   WELL    AS    PATRIOTISM. 

The  people  were  liberal  as  well  as  patriotic;  and  while  the  men 
were  busy  enlisting,  organizing  and  equipping  companies,  the  ladies 
were  no  less  active,  and  the  noble,  generous  work  performed  by 
their  tender,  loving  hands  deserves  mention  along  with  the  bravery, 
devotion  and  patriotism  of  their  brothers  upon  the  Southern  fields 
of  carnage. 

The  continued  need  of  money  to  obtain  the  comforts  and  neces- 
saries for  the  sick  and  wounded  of  our  army  suggested  to  the  loyal 
women  of  the  North  many  and  various  devices  for  the  raising  of 
funds.  Every  city,  town  and  village  had  its  fair,  festival,  picnic, 
excursion,  concert,  which  netted  more  or  less  to  the  cause  of 
hospital  relief,  according  to  the  population  of  the  place  and  the 
amount  of  energy  and  patriotism  displayed  on  such  occasions. 
Especially  was  this  characteristic  of  our  own  fair  State,  and  scarcely 
a  hamlet  within  its  borders  which  did  not  send  something  from  its 
stores  to  hospital  or  battlefield,  and  in  the  larger  towns  and  cities 
were  well-organized  soldiers'  aid  societies,  working  systematically 
and  continuously  from  the  beginning  of  the  war  till  its  close.  The 
great  State  Fair  held  in  Chicago  in  May,  1865,  netted  $250,000. 
Homes  for  traveling  soldiers  were  established  all  over  the  State,  in 
which  were  furnished  lodging  for  600,000  men,  and  meals  valued 
at  $2,500,000.  Food,  clothing,  medicine,  hospital  delicacies, 
readino-  matter,  and  thousands  of  other  articles,  were  sent  to  the 
boys  at  the  front. 

MESSAGES    OF    LOVE   AND    ENCOTTKAGEMENT. 

Letters,  messages  of  love  and  encouragement,  were  sent  by 
noble  women  from  many  counties  of  the  State  to  encourage  the 
brave  sons  and  brothers  in  the  South.  Below  we  give  a  copy  of  a 
printed  letter  sent  from  Knox  county  to  the  "boys  in  blue,"  as 
showing  the  feelings  of  the  women  of  the  North.  It  was  headed, 
"  From  the  Women  of  Knox  County  to  Their  Brothers  in  the 
Field."  It  was  a  noble,  soul-inspiring  message,  and  kindled  anew 
the  intensest  love  for  home,  country,  and  a  determination  to  crown 
the  stars  and  stripes  with  victory : 

"You  have  gone  out  from  our  homes,  but  not  from  our  hearts. 
Never  for  one  moment  are  you  forgotten.  Through  weary  march 
and  deadly  conflict  our  prayers  have  ever  followed  you;  your 
sufferings  are  our  sufferings,  your  victories  our  great  joy. 


HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS.  133 

"  If  there  be  one  of  you  who  knows  not  the  dear  home  ties,  for 
whom  no  mother  prays,  no  sister  watches,  to  him  especially  we 
speak.  Let  him  feel  that  though  he  may  not  have  one  mother  he 
has  many;  he  is  the  adopted  child  and  brother  of  all  our  hearts. 
Kot  one  of  you  is  beyond  the  reach  of  our  sympathies;  no  picket- 
station  so  lonely  that  it  is  not  enveloped  in  the  halo  of  our 
prayers. 

"  During  all  the  long,  dark  months  since  our  country  called  you 
from  us,  your  courage,  your  patient  endurance,  your  fidelity,  have 
awakened  our  keenest  interest,  and  we  have  longed  to  give  you  an 
expression  of  that  interest. 

"By  the  alacrity  with  which  you  sprang  to  arms,  by  the  valor 
with  which  those  arms  have  been  wielded,  you  have  placed  our 
State  in  the  front  ranks;  you  have  made  her  worthy  to  be  the  home 
of  our  noble  President.  For  thus  sustaining  the  honor  of  our 
State,  dear  to  us  as  life,  we  thank  you. 

"  Of  your  courage  we  need  not  speak.  Fort  Donelson,  Pea 
Ridge,  Shiloh,  Stone  River,  Vicksburg,  speak  with  blood- bathed 
lips  of  your  heroism.  The  Army  of  the  Southwest  fights  beneath 
no  defeat-shadowed  banner;  to  it,  under  God,  the  nation  looks  for 
deliverance. 

"But  we,  as  women,  have  other  cause  for  thanks.  "We  will  not 
speak  of  the  debt  we  owe  the  defenders  of  our  Government;  that 
blood-sealed  bond  no  words  can  cancel.  But  we  are  your  debtors 
in  a  way  not  often  recognized.  You  have  aroused  us  from  the 
aimlessness  into  which  too  many  of  our  lives  had  drifted,  and  have 
infused  into  those  lives  a  noble  pathos.  We  could  not  dream  our 
time  away  while  our  brothers  were  dying  for  us.  Even  your  suffer- 
ings have  worked  together  for  our  good,  by  inciting  us  to  labor  for 
their  alleviation,  thus  giving  us  a  work  worthy  of  our  womanhood. 
Everything  that  we  have  been  permitted  to  do  for  your  comfort 
has  filled  our  lives  so  much  the  fuller  of  all  that  makes  life  valua- 
ble. You  have  thus  been  the  means  of  developing  in  us  a  nobler 
tj'pe  of  womanhood  than  without  the  example  of  your  heroism  we 
could  ever  have  attained.  For  this  our  whole  lives,  made  purer 
and  nobler  by  the  discipline,  will  thank  you. 

"This  war  will  leave  none  of  us  as  it  found  us.  "We  cannot 
buflfet  the  raging  wave  and  escape  all  trace  of  the  salt  sea's  foam. 
Toward    better  or    toward    worse    we    are    hurried    with  fearful 


134  HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 

haste.  If  we  at  home  feel  this,  what  must  it  be  to  you!  Our 
hearts  throb  with  agony  when  we  think  of  you  wounded,  suffering, 
d3nng;  but  the  thought  of  no  physical  pain  touches  us  half  so 
deeply  as  the  thought  of  the  temptations  which  surround  you. 
We  could  better  give  you  up  to  die  on  the  battle-field,  true  to  your 
God  and  to  your  country,  than  to  have  you  return  to  us  with 
blasted,  blackened  souls.  When  temptations  assail  fiercely,  you 
must  let  the  tliought  that  your  mothers  are  praying  for  strength 
enable  you  to  overcome  them.  But  figliting  for  a  worthy  cause 
worthily  ennobles  one;  herein  is  our  confidence  that  you  will 
return  better  men  than  you  went  away. 

"By  all  that  is  noble  in  your  manhood;  by  all  that  is  true  in 
our  womanhood;  by  all  that  is  grand  in  patriotism;  by  all  that  is 
sacred  in  religion,  we  adjure  you  to  be  faithful  to  yourselves,  to  us, 
to  your  country,  and  to  your  God.  ISTever  were  men  permitted  to 
fight  in  a  cause  more  worthy  of  their  blood.  Were  you  fighting 
for  mere  conquest,  or  glory,  we  could  not  give  you  up;  but  to  sus- 
tain a  principle,  the  greatest  to  which  human  lips  have  ever  given 
utterance,  even  your  dear  lives  are  not  too  costly  a  sacrifice.  Let 
that  principle,  the  corner-stone  of  our  independence,  be  crushed, 
and  we  are  all  slaves.  Like  the  Suliote  mothers,  we  might  well 
clasp  our  children  in  our  arms  and  leap  down  to  death. 

"To  the  stern  arbitrament  of  the  sword  is  now  committed  the 
honor,  the  very  life  of  this  nation.  You  fight  not  for  yourselves 
alone;  the  eyes  of  the  whole  world  are  on  you;  and  if  you  fail  our 
Nation's  death-wail  will  echo  through  all  coming  ages,  moaning  a 
requiem  over  the  lost  hopes  of  oppressed  humanity.  But  you  will 
not  fail,  so  sure  as  there  is  a  God  in  Heaven.  He  never  meant 
this  richest  argosy  of  the  nations,  freighted  with  the  fears  of  all 
the  world's  tyrants,  with  the  hopes  of  all  its  oppressed  ones,  to 
flounder  in  darkness  and  death.  Disasters  may  come,  as  they  have 
come,  but  they  will  only  be,  as  they  have  been,  ministers  of  good. 
Each  one  has  led  the  nation  upw^ard  to  a  higher  plane,  from  whence 
it  has  seen  with  a  clearer  eye.  Success  could  not  attend  us  at  the 
West  so  long  as  we  scorned  the  help  of  the  black  hand,  which 
alone  had  power  to  open  the  gate  of  redemption;  the  God  of 
battles  would  not  vouchsafe  a  victory  at  the  East  till  the  very  foot- 
prints of  a  McClellan  were  washed  out  in  blood. 

"But  now  all  things  seem  ready;   we  have  accepted  the  aid  of 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS,  135 

tliatliand;  those  footsteps  are  obliterated.  In  liis  own  good  time 
we  feel  that  God  will  give  us  the  victory.  Till  that  hour  comes  we 
bid  you  fight  on.  Though  we  have  not  attained  that  heroism,  or 
decision,  which  enables  us  to  give  you  up  without  a  struggle,  which 
can  prevent  our  giving  tears  for  3'our  hlood^  though  many  of  us 
must  own  our  hearts  desolate  till  you  return,  still  we  bid  you  stay 
and  fight  for  our  country,  till  from  this  fierce  baptism  of  blood  she 
shall  be  raised  complete,'  the  dust  shaken  from  her  garments  puri- 
fied, a  new  Memnon  singing  in  the  great  Godlight." 


Sherman's  march  to  the  sea. 


On  the  15th  of  November,  1864,  after  the  destruction  of  Atlanta, 
and  the  railroads  behind  him,  Sherman,  with  his  army,  began  his 
march  to  the  sea-coast.  The  almost  breathless  anxiety  with  which 
his  progress  was  watched  by  the  loyal  hearts  of  the  nation,  and  the 
trembling  apprehension  with  which  it  was  regarded  by  all  who 
hoped  for  rebel  success,  indicated  this  as  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able events  of  the  war;  and  so  it  proved.  Of  Sherman's  army,  45 
regiments  of  infantry,  three  companies  of  artillery,  and  one  of 
cavalry  were  from  this  State.  Lincoln  answered  all  rumors  of 
Sherman's  defeat  with,  "  It  is  impossible;  there  is  a  mighty  sight 
of  fight  in  100,000  "Western  men."  Illinois  soldiers  brought  home 
300  battle  fiags.  The  first  United  States  flag  that  floated  over 
Kichmond  was  an  Illinois  flag.  She  sent  messengers  and  nurses  to 
every  field  and  hospital  to  care  for  her  sick  and  wounded  sons. 

Illinois  gave  the  country  the  great  general  of  the  war,  U.  S. 
Grant. 

character   of   ABRAHAM   LINCOLN. 

One  other  name  from  Illinois  comes  up  in  all  minds,  embalmed 
in  all  hearts,  that  must  have  the  supreme  place  in  this  sketch  of 
our  glory  and  of  our  nation's  [honor:  that  name  is  Abraham 
Lincoln.  The  analysis  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  character  is  difiicult  on 
account  of  its  symmetry.  In  this  age  we  look  with  admiration  at 
his  uncompromising  honesty;  and  well  we  may,  for  this  saved  us. 
Thousands  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  our  country,  who 
knew  him  only  as  "Honest  Old  Abe,"  voted  for  him  on  that 
account;  and  wisely  did  they  choose,  for  no  other  man  could  have 
carried  us  through  the  fearful  night  of  war.  When  his  plans  were 
too  vast  for  our  comprehension,  and  his  faith  in  the  cause  too  sub- 


136  HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

lime  for  our  participation ;  when  it  was  all  night  about  us,  and  all 
dread  before  us,  and  all  sad  and  desolate  behind  us;   when  not  one 
ray  shone  upon  our  cause;  when  traitors  were  haughty  and  exult- 
ant at  the  South,  and  fierce  and  blasphemous  at  the  North;  when 
the  loyal  men  seemed  almost  in  the  minority;  when  the  stoutest 
heart  quailed,  the  bravest  cheek  paled ;  when  generals  were  defeat- 
ing each  other  for  place,  and  contractois  were  leeching  out  the  very 
heart's  blood  of  the  republic;  when  everything  else  had  failed  us, 
we  looked  at  this  calm,  patient  man  standing  like  a  rock  in  the 
storm,  and  said,  "  Mr.  Lincoln  is  honest,  and  we  can  trust  him  still." 
Holding  to  this  single  point  with  the  energy  of  faith  and  despair, 
we  held  together,  and  under  God  he  brought  us  through  to  victory. 
His  practical  wisdom  made  him   the  wonder  of  all  lands.     With 
such    certainty   did   Mr.  Lincoln  follow  causes  to  their  ultimate 
effects,  that  his  foresight  of  contingencies  seemed  almost  prophetic. 
He  is  radiant  with  all  the  great  virtues,  and  his  memory  will  shed 
a  glory  upon  this  age  that  will  fill  the  eyes  of  men  as  they  look 
into  history.     Other  men  have  excelled  him  in   some  points;  but, 
taken  at  all  points,  he  stands  head  and  shoulders  above  every  other 
man  of  6,000  years.     An  administrator,  he  saved  the  nation  in  the 
perils  of   unparalleled    civil  war;     a   statesman,   he  justified  his 
measures  by  their  success;  a  philanthropist,  he  gave  liberty  to  one 
race  and  salvation  to  another;  a  moralist,  he  bowed  from  the  sum- 
mit of  human  power  to  the  foot  of  the  cross;  a  mediator,  he  exer- 
cised mercy  under  the  most  absolute   obedience  to  law;  a  leader, 
he  was  no  partisan ;  a  commander,  he  was  untainted  with  blood ;  a 
ruler  in  desperate  times,  he  was  unsullied  with  crime;  a  man,  he 
has  left  no  word  of  passion,  no  thought  of  malice,  no  trick  of  craft, 
no  act  of  jealousy,  no  purpose  of  selfish  ambition.     Thus  perfected, 
without  a  model  and  without  a  peer,  he  was  dropped  into  these 
troubled  years  to  adorn  and  embellish  all  that  is  good  and  all  that 
is  great  in  our  humanity,  and  to  present  to  all  coming  time  the 
representative  of  the  divine  idea  of  free  government.     It  is  not 
too  much  to  say  that  away  down  in  the  future,  when  the  republic 
has  fallen  from  its  niche  in  the  wall  of  time;    when  the  great  war 
itself   shall  have  faded  out   in   the   distance  like  a  mist  on  the 
horizon;  when  the  Anglo-Saxon  shall  be  spoken  only  by  the  tongue 
of  the  stranger,  then  the  generations  looking  this  way  shall  see 
the  great  President  as  the  supreme  figure  in  this  vortex  of  history. 


UISTORY    OF    ILLIXOIS. 


1  "7 
lol 


THE   "WAK    ENDED — THE   UNION   RESTORED. 

The  rebellion  was  ended  witli  tlie  surrender  of  Lee  and  his  army, 
and  Johnson  and  his  command  in  April,  1805.  Our  armies  at  the 
time  were  up  to  their  maximum  strength,  never  so  formidable, 
never  so  invincible;  and,  until  recruiting  ceased  by  order  of  Sec- 
retary Stanton,  were  daily  strengthening.     The  necessity,  however, 


LINCOLN  MONUMENT  AT  SPRINGFIELD. 

for  SO  vast  and  formidable  numbers  ceased  with  the  disbanding  of 
the  rebel  forces,  which  had  for  more  than  four  years  disputed  the 
supremacy  of  the  Government  over  its  domain.  And  now  the 
joyful  and  welcome  news  was  to  be  borne  to  the  victorious  legions 
that  their  work  was  ended  in  triumph,  and  they  were  to  be  per- 
mitted "to  see  homes  and  friends  once  more." 


138 


HISTOEY    OF    ILLINOIS. 


Schedule — Showiug  statement  of  volunteer  troops  organized  within  the  State,  and  sent  to  the 
field,  commeuciuf?  April,  18iJl,  aud  eudiug  Decembur  3t,  186j,  \vith  number  of  regiment,  name 
of  original  commanding  officer,  date  of  organization  and  muster  into  United  States'  service, 
place  of  muster,  and  the  aggregate  strength^  of  each  organization. 

INFANTRY. 


Commanding  officer  at  organiza 
tion. 


Col.  John  Cook 

"  Richard  J.  Oglesby. 

"  Eleazer  A.  Paine. . . 

"  Jas.  D.  Morgan 

"  W.  H.  L.  Wallace... 

"  John  McArthur 

"  John  B.  Wyman 

"  John  M.  Palmer 

"  Thos.  J.  Turner 

"  Robert  F.  Smith.... 

"  Leonard  F.  Ross 

"  Michael  K.  Lawler... 

"  John  B.  Turchin. . . . 

"  Chas.  C.  Marsh 

"  Ulysses  S.  Grant 

"  Henry  Dougherty — 

"  Jas.  A.  Mulligan 

"  Frederick  Hecker. . . 

"  Wm.  N.  Coler 

"  JohnM.Loomis 

"  Nap.  B.  Buford 

;.    "  A.  K.  Johnson 

"  Jas.  S.  Rearden 

'•  Philip  B.  Fouke 

"  John  A.  Logan 

"  John  Logan 

"  Chas.  E.IIovev 

"  Edward  N.  Kirk 

"  Gus.  A.  Smith 

"  Nich.  Greiisel 

"  Julius  White 

"  Wm.  P.  Carlin 

"  Austin  Light 

"  Steph.  G.  Hicks 

"  Isaac  C.  Pugh 

"  Wm.A.  Webb 

"  Julius  Raith.   ..... 

"  Chas.  Noblesdorflf .. . 

"  John  E.  Smith . 

"  John  A.  Davis 

"  John  Bryuer 

"  Isham  N.  Haynie — 

"  Wm.  R.Morrison... 

"  Moses  M.  Bane 

'•  G.  W.  Camming 

"  Isaac  G.  Wilson 

"  W.  H.  W.  Cushman. 

"  Thos.  W.Harris 

"  David  Stuart 

"  Robert  Kirkham 

"  Silas  D.  Baldwin.... 

"  Wm.  F.  Lvnch 

"  P.  Sidney'Poat 

"  Silas  C.  Toler. 

"  Jacob  Fry . 

"  James  M.  True 

"  Francis  Mora 

Lt.  Col.  D.  D.  Williams  . . 

Col.  Daniel  Cameron   . . . . 

"  Patrick  E.  Burke.... 

"  Rosell  M.  Hough...  . 

"  Elias  Stuart 

"  Jos.  H.  Tucker 

"  O.T.Reeves 

"  Othniel  Gilbert 


June  13,  1861. 
June  15,  1861. 
June  as,  1861. 
June  18,  1861. 
July  8,    1861. 


Date  of  organization  and  Place  where  mustered 
muster  iuio  the  Unitedl  into  the  United  States 
States  service.  service. 


July  2.5,  1861. 


May  21, 
May  25, 
May  24, 


1861. 
1861. 
1861. 


May  28,  1861 


Oct.  31,  1861. 


\ug.  3,  1861 . . 
July  27,  1861. 
Sept.  30, 1861. 
Sept.  8,1861.. 
Dec.  31,1861. 
Aug.  15.1861. 
Sept.  7,  1861. 


Sept.  23, 1861 

Sept.  18,1361 

Aug.  1.5,  1881.     .. 
December,  1861.. 

Aug.  10,  18G1 

Aug,  9,  1861 

Sept.  17,  1861 

Dec.  16,1861 

Sept.  13,  1861.... 
Dec.  26,  1S61.    ... 

Dec.  28.  1861 

Oct.  1,  1861 

Nov.  18,1861 

Dec.  31,  1861 

Sept.  12,  1861 .... 
Dec.  '61,  Feb.  '62. 

Nov.  19,  1861 

March.  1862 

Feb.  18.  1862 

Oct.  31,  1861 

Feb.  27,1862 

Doc.  26,  1861 

Dec.  24,  1861 , 

August,  1861 ■, 

Feb.  17,  18H2 

March  7,  1862.... 
April  10,1862 


Dec.  31,  1862 

May  15,  1862 

April,  1862 

Juno  13,  1862 

June  20,  1862 

June  14,  1862 

July  4,  1862 

July  26,  1862 


Cairo,  Illinois. 


Dixon. 

Jacksonville 

Freeport 

Quincy 

Peoria 

Anna 


Joliet. .  .  . 
Mattoon... 
Belleville. 
Chicago. . . 
Chicago. . . 


Camp  Butler. 


Camp  Butler. 
Camp  Butler. 
Camp  Butler. 
Camp  Butler. 
Camp  Butler. 
Camp  Butler. 
Camp  Butler. 


Aurora 

Chicago 

Camp  Butler.. . 

Chicago 

Salem 

Decatur 

Chicago 

Camp  Butler.. . 

Chicago 

Galena 

Camp  Butler... 

Peoria 

Camp  Butler.. . 
Camp  Butler.  . 

Quincy 

Camp  "Douglas. 

Geneva 

Ottawa 

Anna 

Camp  Douglas 
Shawneetowu .. 
Camp  Douglas. 
Camp  Douglas 
St.  Louis,  Mo.. 

Anna 

Carrollton 

Anna 

Anna 

Camp  Butler... 
Camp  Douglas. 
St.  Lonio,  Mo. . 
Camp  Douglas. 
Camp  Butler.. . 
Camp  Douglas. 
Camp  Butler.. . 
Camp  Douglas. 


r-  ~  -I 
^•O  * 

£  "  1 

'  £  T 

To" 


1747 
1853 
1265 
1759 
1384 
1675 
1112 
2015 
2028 
1833 
1259 
2043 
1095 
1817 
1266 
1164 
1982 

989 
1082 
1602 
1193 
19.39 
1547 
1878 
1973 
1711 
1660 
1558 
1012 
1593 
1157 
1388 
1807 
1277 
1211 
1824 
1902 
1.512 
1716 
2015 
2051 
1874 
1482 
1761 
1550 
1519 
14S4 
1720 
1287 
1180 
1754 
2202 
1762 
1647 
1385 
1730 
1228 
1624 
1684 
1694 

979 
889 
912 
1006 
940 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 


139 


ScH-EDULE — Showing  statement  of  volunteer  troops  organized  within  tho  State,  and  sent  to  the 
field,  commencing  April,  1861,  and  ending  December  31,  18(1."),  with  uumlier  of  regiment,  name 
of  original  commanding  officer,  date  of  organization  and  muster  into  United  States'  service, 
place  of  muster,  and  the  aggregate  strength  of  each  organization. 

INFANTRY. 


72 
73 
74 
75 
76 
77 
78 
79 
80 
81 
82 
83 
84 
83 
86 
87 


Commanding  officer  at  organiza- 


tion. 


Col.  Frederick  A.  Starring.. 

"    Jas.  F.  Jaquess 

"    Jason  Marsh 

"    George  Ryan 

"    Alonzo  W.  Mack 

>'    David  P.  Grier 

"    W.  II.  Beuuison 

'•    Lvman  Guiunip 

"    Thos.  G.  \llen 

"    Jas.  J.  Dollins 

"    Frederick  Hecker 

"    Aimer  C.  Harding 

•'    Louis  H.  Waters 

"    Robert  S.  Moore 

"     David  D.  Irons 

"    John  R.  Whiting 

88  "    F.  T.Sherman 

89  •'    John  Christopher 

90  "    Timothv  O'ih'ra 

91  "    Henry  M.  Day 

92  "     Smith  D.  Atkins 

93  "    Ilolden  Putnam 

94  *•    Wm.  W.  Orme 

95  '■    Lawr'n  S.  Church 

96  "    Thos.  E.  Champion.  ... 

97  "    F.S.Rutherford 

98  "    J.  J.  Funkhouscr 

99  ''    G.  W.  K.  Bailey 

100  '■    Fred.  A.  Bartleson 

101  "    Chas.  II.  Fox 

102  "    Wm.  McMurtry 

10.3     "    Amos  C.  Babcock 

104  "    Absalom  B.  Moore 

105  "    Daniel  Dustin 

lOfi     "    Robert  B.  Latham 

IO7     "    Thomas  Snell 

10s      "    John  Warner 

lOo      "     Alex.  J.  Nimmo  

lib     '■    Thos.  S.  Casey 

111  "    James  S.  Martin 

112  "    T.  J.  Henderson 

113  '•    Geo.  B.  Hoge 

114  ■'    James  W.  Judy 

115  "    Jesse  H.  Moore   

116  "    Nathan  H.Tupper 

117  "     Risden  M.  Moore 

llH      ■'     John  G.  Fonda..   .   

II9     '•    Thos.  J.  Keuney 

12(1     "    George  W.  McKeaig  — 

l2i  .Vever  organized 

122  Col.  John  I.  Rinaker 

12:^      "    James  Moore 

124  "    Thomas  J.  Sloan 

125  "     Oscar  F.  Harmon 

126  "    Jonathan  Richmond 

127  "    John  VanArman 

12s     "    Robert  M.  Hudley 

12!)     "    George  P.  Smith 

130  "    Nathaniel  Nilcs 

131  "    George  W.  Neeley 

132  "    Thomas  C.  Pickett 

133  "    Thad.  Phillips 

134  "     W.  W   McCheeney 

135  "    Johns.  Wolfe 


Date  of  organization  and'Place     where     mustered 


muster  into  the  United 
States  service 


Aug.  21,1862., 


Sept.  4,  1862... 
Sept.  2.  1862.. 
.\ug,  22,  1862. 
*Sept.  3,  1862. 
Sept.  1,  1862... 
Aug.  28,  1862.. 
Aug.  2.5,  1862... 
Aug.  26, 1862.. 


Aug.  21,  1862.. 
Sept.  1.  1862.. 
Aug.  27,  1862. 


Sept.  22.  1862. . 
Aug.  27,  1862... 
*Aug  25, 186^.. 
Nov.  22,  1862.. 
Sept.  8,  1862... 
Sept.  4, 1862.... 
Oct.   13,1862.... 
Aug.  20, 1862... 
Sept.  4,1862... 
Sept.  6,  1S62... 
Sept.  8,  18(32.. 
Sept.  3.  1^6i  .. 
Aug.  26,  1862.  . 
Aug.   30,  1802. 
Sept.  2,  1862... 


Oct,  2,  1862. . . 
■Vug.  27.  1862. 
Sept.  2,  186^. 
Sept.  17,  1862. 
Sept.  4.1862.. 
.\ug.  28,  1862. 
Sept.  11,  18G1. 


Sept.  18,  1862. 
Sept.  12,1862.., 

Oct.  1.1862 

Sept.  18,  1S62. . . 
Sept.  13,  1862... 
Sept.  30  18(12... 
Sept.  19,  1862. . . 
Nov  29.  1S62.  . 
Oct.  7,  1862... 
Oct.  29,  1862.... 


Sept. 
Sept. 
Sept. 
Sept. 


4,1862.. 
6  1862  . 
10  18G2. 
4,  1862.. 


*Sept.  5, 1862. 
Dec  18,  1862.. 
Sept.  8,  1862.. 
Oct.  25.  ]8()5.. 
Nov.  13,1862.. 
June  1,  1864.. 
May  31,1864.. 


into  tho 
service. 


United  States 


June  6,  1864. 


Camp  Douglas 

Camp  Butler 

Rockford 

Dixon 

Kankakee 

Peoria. ., 

tiuincy 

Danville 

Ceutralia 

Anna 

Camp  Butler . . . 

Monmouth 

t^uiucy 

Peoria 

Peoria 

Shawueetown 

Camp  Douglas     

Camp  Douglas 

Camp  Douglas 

Camp  Butler 

Rockford 

Princeton  and  Chicago. . 

Bloomington, 

Rockford 

Rockford 

Camp  Butler 

Centralia 

Florence,  Pike  Co., 

Joliet 

Jacksonville 

Knoxville 

peoria 

Ottawa 

Chicago 

Lincoln 

Camp  Butler 

Peoria 

Anna 

Anna 

Salem. ..   

Peoria 

Camp  Douglas 

CainpBuller 

Camp  Butler 

Decatur 

Camp  Butler 

Camp  Butler 

(Juiucv 

Camp  Butler 


Carlinville..,.. 

Mattoon 

Camp  Butler... 

Danville 

Chicago 

Camp  Douglas. 
Camp  Butler... 

Poutiac 

Camp  But'er. .. 
Camp  ^lassac. . 

Camp  Fry 

Camp  Biiller. 

Cam])  Fry 

Mattoon 


> 

a  — Ijq 

S  "  ™ 

0  CD 

•  ovt 
(R  a 

1471 

908 

989 

987 

1110 

1051 

1028 

974 

928 

1187 

961 

128ti 

956 

95!* 

993 

994 

;)07 

l-.:85 

958 

1041 

1265 

1036 

1091 

1427 

12t)6 

1082 

1078 

936 

921 

911 

998 

917 

977 

10(-)1 

1097 

944 

927 

967 

873 

994 

1095 

1258 

990 

960 

952 

995 

1101 

952 

844 

'934 

1050 

11 :» 

033 

998 

957 

866 

1011 

932 

8S0 

8.5;} 

851 

878 

8,52 


uo 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 


Schedule— Showing  statement  of  volunteer  troops  organized  within  the  State,  and  sent  to  the 
field,  commencing  April,  1861,  and  ending  December  31, 1865,  with  number  of  regiment,  name 
of  original  commanding;  officer,  date  of  organization  and  muster  into  United  States'  service, 
place  of  muster,  and  the  aggregate  strength  of  each  organization. 

"  ~  IN  FANTR  Y. 


c 


13t) 
137 
138 
139 
140 
141 
142 
143 
144 
145 
146 
147 
148 
149 
UO 
151 
152 
153 
154 
155 
156 


Commanding  officer  at  organiza- 
tion. 


Col.  Fred.  A.  Johns. 


John  Wood. 

"    J.W.Goodwin 

"    Peter  Davidson 

'•    L.H.Whitney 

"    Stephen  Bronson 

"  RoUin  V.  Ankney..   . 

"    Dudley  C.  Smith 

'•    Cyrus  Hall 

"  George  W.  Lackey.   . 

"    Henry  II.  Dean 

•'    Hiram  F.  Sickles 

"    Horace  H.  Wilsie 

"    Wm.  C.  Kueffner 

"  George  W.  Keener.. . . 

"  French  B.  Woodall. . . 

"     F.  D.  Stephenson 

"    Stephen  Bronson 

"  McLean  F.Wood..   .. 

"  Gustavus  A.  Smith.   . 

"    Alfred  F.  Smith 

"    J.  W.  Wilson 

"    John  A.  Bross 

Capt.  John  Curtis 

'•    Simon  J.  Stookey 

«'    James  Steele 


Date  of  organization  and  Place 
muster  into  the  United  '"' 
States  service. 


:une  1, 1864... 
June  5.  1864... 
June  21,  18W.. 
June  1.  1864... 
June  18,  1864.. 
June  16,  1864.. 
June  18,  1864.. 
June  11,1864.. 
Oct.  21,1864... 
Junes,  1864... 
Sept.  20,1864.. 
Feb.  18,  1865... 


Feb.  11, 
Feb.  14, 
Feb.  25, 
Feb.  1«, 
Feb.  27, 
Feb.  22, 
Feb.  28, 
March  9. 


1865.. 
1865  . 
1865. . 
1865.. 
1865. . 
1865 
1865  . 
1865. 


Dec.  1,  1861. 


where     mustered 

into  the  United  States 
service. 


June  21,  1864. 
June  15,  1864. 


Centralia 

Quincy 

Quincy 

Peoria 

Camp  Butler.. 

Elgin 

Camp  Butler. . 

Mattoon 

A'ton,  Ills 

Camp  Butler.. 
Camp  Butler.. 

Chicago 

Quincy 

Camp  Butler. , 
Camp  Butler.. 

Quincy 

Camp  "Butler. , 

Chicago 

Camp  Butler. 
Camp  Butler. 

Chicago 

Chicago 

Quincy 

CampButler. 
Camp  Butler. 
Chicago 


J-..  O  ■ 

o  a> 

a  CO 

■   S  ^ 


842 
849 
835 
878 
871 
842 
851 
865 

1159 
880 

1056 

1047 
917 
983 
933 
970 
945 

1076 

994 

929 

975 

985 

903 

91 

90 

86 


CAVALRY. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 


Col.  Thomas  A.  Marshall 

"  Silas  Noble  ... 

"  Eugene  A .  Carr 

"  T.Lyle  Dickey 

"  John  J.  Updegraff 

"  Thomas  H.  Cavanaugh. 

"  Wm.  Pitt  Kellogg 

"  John  F.  Faruswortli. . . . 

"  Al  bert  G.  Brackett 

"  James  A.  Barrett 

"  Roberto.  IngersoU 

"  ArnoVoss 

"  Joseph  W.Bell 

"  Horace  Capron 

"  Warren  Stewart 

■'  Christian  Thielman 

"  John  L.  Beveridge 


June,  1861 

Aug.  24,  " 

Sept.  21,  " 

Sept.  30,  " 

December  " 

Nov.,  '61,  Jan. ,'62. 

August,  "61 

Sept.  18,  '61 

Oct.  26, '61 

Nov.  2.5,  "61  

Dec.  20,  '61 

Dec,  '61,  Feb..  '62.. 


Jan.  7, '63  

Organized  Dec.  25,  '63. 
Jan.  and  April,  '63. ..  . 
Jan.  28,  '64 


Bloomington... 
Camp  Butler... 
Camp  Butler... 

Ottawa 

Camp  Butler... 
Camp  Butler... 
Camp  Butler... 
St.  t  harles..  .. 
Camp  Douglas. 
Camp  Butler... 

Peoria 

Camp  Butler.  . 
Camp  Douglas. 
Peoria  ...       . . . 

Camp  Butler.. . 
Camp  Butler... 
St.  Charles 


1206 
1861 
2183 
1656 
1609 
2248 
2282 
2412 
2619 
1934 
2362 
2174 
1759 
1.565 
t473 
1463 
1247 


FIRST  REGIMENT— ILLINOIS  LIGHT  ARTILLERY. 


Co 
A 
B 
O 
D 
E 
F 
G 
H 
I 

K 
L 
M 


Field  and  Staff. 

Capt.  C.  M.  Willard 

"      Ezra  Taylor 

"      C.  Haughtaling 

'•      Edward  Mc.Mlister. 

"      A.  C.  Waterhouse.. 

"      John  T.  Cheney  ... 

"      Artliur  O'Leary 

"      A.xel  Silversparr 

"      Edward  Bouton 

'•      A.  Franklin 

"      John  Rourke 

"      John  B.  Miller 

Recruits 


Oct.  .31,1861. 
Jan.  14,  '62... 
Dec.  19, 'HI... 
Feb.  25,  "62.. 
Feb.  28, '62. 
Feb.  20,  '62.. 
Feb.  15, '62... 
Jan.  9,  '62.... 
Feb.  22, '62.. 
Aug.  12,  '62 


Chicago    

Chicago 

Ottawa 

Ptaiufield 

Chicago 

Camp  Butler.. 

Cairo 

Chicago 

Chicago 

Shawneetown 

Chicago 

Chicago 


7 
168 
204 
175 
141 
148 
159 
113 
147 
169 
96 
153 
154 
883 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 


141 


ScETEDtrLE— Showing  ptatement  of  volunteer  troops  organized  within  the  State,  and  sent  to  the 
field  commencing  April,  1861,  and  ending  December  31,  1865,  with  number  of  regiment,  name 
of  original  commanding  officer,  date  of  organization  and  muster  into  United  States  service, 
place  of  muster,  and  the  aggregate  strength  of  each  organization. 

LIGHT  ARTILLERY. 


o 
p 

Commanding  officer  at  organiza- 
tion. 

Date  of  organization  and 
muster  into  the  L'nited 
States  service. 

Place    where     mustered 
into  the  United  States 
service. 

Aggr.    Btrength 
since  organi- 
zation. 

SECOND  REGIMENT— ILLINOIS  LIGHT  ARTILLERY. 


Capt.  Peter  Davidson Aug.    i; 

Riley  Madison June  20 

"      Caleb  Hopkins Aug.  5, '61 

"      Jasper  M.  Dresser Dec.  17,  '61 

"      Adolph  Schwartz Feb.  1. '62.. 

"      John  W.  Powell Dec.  11,  '61. 

"      Charles  J.  Stolbrand Dec.  31,  '61 

"      Andrew  Steinbeck 

"      Charles  W.  Keith 

"      Benjamin  F.Rogers 

"      William  H.  Bolton Feb.  28. 

"      John  C.  Pliillips June  6, 

Field  and  Staff ' 

Recruits    ' 


1861 Peoria 

'61 , Springfield  . 

Cairo 

Cairo 


'62. 
'62. 


Cairo 

Cape  Girardeau,  Mo., 

Camp  Butler 

Camp  Butler 

Camp  Butler. 

Camp  Butler 

Chicago 

Chicago 


INDEPENDENT  BATTERIES. 


116 
127 
IM 
117 
136 
190 
108 
115 
107 
108 
145 
100 
10 
1171 


Board  of  Trade 
Springfield. .  . . 

Mercantile 

Elgin 

Coggswell's... 
Henshaw's  — 

Bridges' 

Colvin's 

Busteed's 


Capt.  James  S.  Stokes 

'*  Thomas  F.  Vaughn 

"■  Charles  G.  Cooley 

"  George  W.  Renwick... 

"  William  Coggswell... 

"  Ed.  C,  Henshaw 

"  Lyman  Bridges 

"  JohnH.Colvin 


July  31,  1862. 
Aug.  21,  '62.. 
Aug.  29.  '62 . . 
Nov.  15,  '62.. 
Sept  2:}, '61.. 
Oct.  15.  '62. . . 
Jan.  1, '62.... 
Oct.  10,  '63. . . 


Chicago 

Camp  Butler... 

Chicago 

Elgin 

Camp  Douglas. 

Ottawa 

Chicago 

Chicago 

Chicago 


258 
199 
270 
242 
221 
196 
252 
91 
127 


RECAPITULATION. 

Infantry 185.941 

Cavalrv 32.082 

ArtilleVv 7,277 


DUELS. 

The  code  of  chivalry  so  common  among  Southern  gentlemen 
and  so  frequently  brought  into  use  in  settling  personal  differences 
has  also  been  called  to  settle  the  "  affairs  of  honor  "  in  our  own 
State,  however,  but  few  times,  and  those  in  the  earlier  days. 
Several  attempts  at  duels  have  occurred;  before  the  disputants  met 
in  mortal  combat  the  differences  were  amicably  and  satisfactorily 
settled;  honor  was  maintained  without  the  sacrifice  of  life.  In 
1810  a  law  was  adopted  to  suppress  the  practice  of  dueling.  This 
law  held  the  fatal  result  of  dueling  to  be  murder,  and,  as  it  was 
intended,  had  the  effect  of  making  it  odious  and  dishonorable. 
Prior  to  the  constitution  of  18-18,  parties  would  evade  the  law  by 


142  HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

going  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  the  State  to  engage  in  their  con- 
tests of  honor.  At  that  time  they  incorporated  in  the  Constitution 
an  oath  of  office,  which  was  so  broad  as  to  cover  the  whole  world. 
Any  person  who  had  ever  fought  a  duel,  ever  sent  or  accepted  a 
challenge  or  acted  the  part  of  second  was  disfranchised  from  holding 
office,  even  of  minor  importance.  After  this  M^ent  into  effect,  no 
other  duel  or  attempt  at  a  duel  has  been  engaged  in  within  the 
State  of  Illinois,  save  those  fought  by  parties  living  outside  of 
the  State,  who  came  here  to  settle  their  personal  differences. 

THE   FIKST   DUEL. 

The  first  duel  fought  within  the  boundaries  of  this  great  State 
was  between  two  young  military  officers,  one  of  the  French  and 
the  other  of  the  English  army,  in  the  year  1765.  It  was  at  the 
time  the  British  troops  came  to  take  possession  of  Fort  Chartres, 
and  a  woman  was  the  cause  of  it.  The  affair  occurred  early 
Sunday  morning,  near  the  old  fort.  They  fought  with  swords,  and 
in  the  combat  one  sacrificed  his  life. 

BOND   AND   JONES. 

In  1809  the  next  duel  occurred  and  was  bloodless  of  itself,  but  out 
of  it  grew  a  quarrel  which  resulted  in  the  assassination  of  one  of 
the  contestants.  The  principals  were  Shadrach  Bond,  the  first 
Governor,  and  Rice  Jones,  a  bright  young  lawyer,  who  became  quite 
a  politician  and  the  leader  of  his  party.  A  personal  difference  arose 
between  the  two,  which  to  settle,  the  parties  met  for  mortal  combat 
on  an  island  in  the  Mississippi.  The  weapons  selected  were  hair- 
trigger  pistols.  After  taking  their  position  Jones'  weapon  was 
prematurely  discharged.  Bond's  second,  Dunlap,  now  claimed  that 
according  to  the  code  Bond  had  the  right  to  the  next  fire.  But 
Bond  would  not  take  so  great  advantage  of  his  opponent,  and  said 
it  was  an  accident  and  would  not  fire.  Such  noble  conduct 
touched  the  generous  nature  of  Jones,  and  the  difficulty  was  at 
once  amicably  settled.  Dunlap,  however,  bore  a  deadly  hatred  for 
Jones,  and  one  day  while  he  was  standing  in  the  street  in  Ivaskaskia, 
conversing  with  a  lady,  lie  crept  up  behind  him  and  shot  him  dead 
in  his  tracks.     Dunlap  successfully  escaped  to  Texas. 

RECTOR  AND   BARTON. 

In  1812  the  bloody  code  again  brought  two  young  men  to  the 
field  of  honor.     They  were  Thomas  Rector,  a  son  of  Capt.  Stephen 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS.  145 

Rector  who  bore  such  a  noble  part  in  the  war  of  1812,  ana  Joshua 
Barton.  Tlicy  liad  espoused  the  quarrel  of  older  brothers.  The 
affair  occurred  on  Bloody  Island,  in  the  Mississippi,  but  in  the 
limits  of  Illinois.  This  place  was  frequented  so  often  by  Missou- 
rians  to  settle  personal  difficulties,  that  it  received  the  name  of 
Bloody  Island.     Barton  fell  in  this  conflict. 

STEWART    AND    BENNETT. 

In  1819  occurred  the  first  duel  fought  after  the  admission  of  the 
State  into  the  Union.  This  took  place  in  St.  Clair  county  between 
Alphonso  Stewart  and  William  Bennett.  It  was  intended  to  be  a 
sham  duel,  to  turn  ridicule  against  Bennett,  the  challenging  party- 
Stewart  was  in  the  secret  but  Bennett  was  left  to  believe  it  a 
reality.  Their  guns  were  loaded  with  blank  cartridges.  Bennett, 
suspecting  a  trick,  put  a  ball  into  his  gun  without  the  knowledge 
of  his  seconds.  The  word  "fire"  was  given,  and  Stewart  fell 
mortally  wounded.  Bennett  made  his  escape  but  was  subsequently 
captured,  convicted  of  murder  and  suffered  the  penalty  of  the  law 
by  hanging. 

PEARSON    AND    BAKER. 

In  1840  a  personal  difference  arose  between  two  State  Senators, 
Judo-e  Pearson  and  E.  D.  Baker.  The  latter,  smarting  under  the 
epithet  of  "lalsehoud,"  threatened  to  chastise  Pearson  in  the  public 
streets,  bv  a  "  fist  fight."  Pearson  declined  making  a  "blackguard'' 
of  himself  but  intimated  a  readiness  to  fight  as  gentlemen,  accord- 
ing to  the  code  of  honor.  The  affair,  however,  was  carried  no 
further. 

HARDIN    AND   DODGE. 

The  exciting  debates  in  the  Legislature  in  1840-'41  were  often 
bitter  in  personal  "slings,"  and  threats  of  combats  were  not 
infrequent.  During  these  debates,  in  one  of  the  speeclies  by  the 
Hon.  J.  J.  Hardin,  Hon.  A.  R.  Dodge  thought  he  discovered  a 
personal  insult,  took  exceptions,  and  an  "  affair"  seemed  imminent. 
The  controversy  was  referred  to  friends,  however,  and  amicably 
settled. 

m'cLERNAND    AND    SMITH. 

Hon.  John  A.  McClernand,  a  member  of  the  House,  in  a  speech 
delivered  during  the  same  session  made  charges  against  the  Whig 
Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court.     This  brought  a  note  from  Judge 


146  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

T.  W.  Smith,  by  the  hands  of  liis  "  friend "  Dr.  Merriman,  to 
McClernand.  This  was  construed  as  a  challenge,  and  promptly 
accepted,  naming  the  place  of  meeting  to  be  Missouri;  time,  early; 
the  weapons,  rifles;  and  distance,  40  paces.  At  this  critical  junc- 
ture, the  Attorney  General  had  a  warrant  issued  against  the  Judge, 
whereupon  he  was  arrested  and  placed  under  bonds  to  keep  the 
peace.     Thus  ended  this  attempt  to  vindicate  injured  honor. 

LINCOLN  AND  SHIELDS. 

During  the  hard  times  subsequent  to  the  failure  of  the  State  and 
other  banks,  in  1842,  specie  became  scarce  while  State  money  was 
plentiful,  but  worthless.  The  State  officers  thereupon  demanded 
specie  payment  for  taxes.  This  was  bitterly  opposed,  and  so  fiercely 
contested  that  the  collection  of  taxes  was  suspended. 

During  the  period  of  the  greatest  indignation  toward  the  State 
ofiicials,  under  the  nom  de  plume  of  "  Rebecca,"  Abraham  Lincoln 
had  an  article  published  in  the  Sangamo  Journal^  entitled  "  Lost 
Township."  In  this  article,  written  in  the  form  of  a  dialogue,  the 
officers  of  the  State  were  roughly  handled,  and  especially  Auditor 
Shields.  The  name  of  the  author  was  demaded  from  the  editor  by 
Mr.  Shields,  who  was  very  indignant  over  the  manner  in  which  he 
was  treated.  The  name  of  Abraham  Lincoln  was  given  as  the 
author.  It  is  claimed  by  some  of  his  biographers,  however,  that 
the  article  was  prepared  by  a  lady,  and  that  when  the  name  of  the 
author  was  demanded,  in  a  spirit  of  gallantry,  Mr.  Lincoln  gave 
his  name.  In  company  with  Gen.  Whiteside,  Gen.  Shields  pur- 
sued Lincoln  to  Tremont,  Tazewell  county,  where  he  was  in  attend- 
ance upon  the  court,  and  immediately  sent  him  a  note  "requiring 
a  full,  positive  and  absolute  retraction  of  all  offensive  allusions  " 
made  to  him  in  relation  to  his  "private  character  and  standing  as 
a  man,  or  an  apology  for  the  insult  conveyed."  Lincoln  had  been 
forewarned,  however,  for  William  Butler  and  Dr.  Merriman,  of 
Springfield,  had  become  acquainted  with  Shields'  intentions  and  by 
riding  all  night  arrived  at  Tremont  ahead  of  Shields  and  informed 
Lincoln  what  he  might  expect.  Lincoln  answered  Shields'  note, 
refusing  to  offer  any  explanation,  on  the  grounds  that  Shields'  note 
assumed  the  fact  of  his  (Lincoln's)  authorship  of  the  article,  and 
not  pointing  out  what  the  offensive  part  was,  and  accompanying  the 
same  with  threats  as  to  consequences,  Mr.  Shields  answered  this, 
disavowing  all  intention  to  menace ;  inquired  if  he  was  the  author, 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  147 

asked  a  retraction  of  that  portion  relating  to  his  private  character. 
Mr.  Lincohi,  still  technical,  returned  this  note  with  the  verbal 
statement  "  that  there  could  be  no  further  negotiations  until  the 
first  note  was  withdrawn."  At  this  Shields  named  Gen.  White- 
side as  his  "  friend,"  when  Lincoln  reported  Dr.  Merriman  as  his 
"friend,"  These  gentlemen  secretly  pledged  themselves  to  agree 
upon  some  amicable  terms,  and  compel  their  principals  to  accept 
them.  The  four  went  to  Springfield,  when  Lincoln  left  for  Jack- 
sonville, leaving  the  following  instructions  to  guide  his  friend.  Dr. 
Merriman: 

"  In  case  "Whiteside  shall  signify  a  wish  to  adjust  this  affair  with- 
out further  difficulty,  let  him  know  that  if  the  present  papers  be 
withdrawn  and  a  note  from  Mr.  Shields,  asking  to  know  if  I  am  the 
author  of  the  articles  of  which  he  complains,  and  asking  that  I  shall 
make  him  gentlemanly  satisfaction,  if  I  am  the  author,  and  this 
without  menace  or  dictation  as  to  what  that  satisfaction  shall  be,  a 
pledge  is  made  that  the  following  answer  shall  be  given: 

I  did  write  the  "Lost  Township  "  letter  which  appeared  in  the  Journal  of  the 
2d  inst.,  but  had  no  participation,  in  any  form,  in  any  other  article  alluding  to 
you.  I  wrote  that  wholly  for  political  effect.  I  had  no  intention  of  injuring 
your  personal  or  private  character  or  standing,  as  a  man  or  gentleman ;  and  I  did 
not  then  think,  and  do  not  now  think,  that  that  article  could  produce  or  has  pro- 
duced that  effect  against  you ;  and,  had  I  anticipated  such  an  effect,  would  have 
foreborne  to  write  it.  And  I  will  add  that  your  conduct  toward  me,  so  far  as  I 
know,  had  always  been  gentlemanly,  and  that  I  had  no  personal  pique  against 
you,  and  no  cause  for  any. 

"  If  this  should  be  done,  I  leave  it  to  you  to  manage  what  shall 
and  what  shall  not  be  published.  If  nothing  like  this  is  done,  the 
preliminaries  of  the  fight  are  to  be: 

"  1st.  Weapons. — Cavalry  broad  swords  of  the  largest  size,  pre- 
cisely equal  in  all  respects,  and  such  as  are  now  used  l)y  the  cavalry 
company  at  Jacksonville. 

"  2d.  Position. — A  plank  ten  feet  long  and  from  nine  to  twelve 
inches  broad,  to  be  firmly  fixed  on  edge,  on  the  ground,  as  a  line 
between  us  which  neither  is  to  pass  his  foot  over  on  forfeit  of  his 
life.  Next  a  line  drawn  on  the  ground  on  either  side  of  said  plank, 
and  parallel  with  it,  each  at  the  distance  of  the  whole  length  of  the 
sword,  and  three  feet  additional  from  the  plank;  and  the  passing  of 
his  own  such  line  by  either  party  during  the  fight,  shall  be  deemed 
a  surrender  of  the  contest. 


148  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

"3d.  Time. — On  Thursday  evening  at  5  o'clock,  if  you  can  get 
it  so;    l»ut  in  no  case  to  be  at  a  greater  distance  of  time  than  Friday 

evening  at  5  o'clock. 

"4:th.  Place. — Within  three  miles  of  Alton,  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  the  particular  spot  to  be  agreed  on  by  you. 

"  Any  preliminary  details  coming  within  the  aboverules,  you  are 
at  liberty  to  make  at  your  discretion,  but  you  are  in  no  case  to 
swerve  from  these  rules,  or  pass  beyond  their  limits." 

The  position  of  the  contestants,  as  prescribed  by  Lincoln,  seems 
to  have  been  such  as  both  would  have  been  free  from  coming  in 
contact  with  the  sword  of  the  other,  and  the  first  impression  is  that 
it  is  nothing  more  than  one  of  Lincoln's  jokes.  He  possessed  very 
lono"  arms,  however,  and  could  reach  his  adversary  at  the  stipulated 
distance. 

I^ot  being  amicably  arranged,  all  parties  repaired  to  the  field  of 
combat  in  Missouri.  Gen.  Hardin  and  .Dr.  English,  as  mutual 
friends  of  both  Lincoln  and  Shields,  arrived  in  the  meantime,  and 
after  much  correspondence  at  their  earnest  solicitation  the  affair 
was  satisfactorily  arranged,  Lincoln  making  a  statement  similar  to 
the  one  above  referred  to. 

SHIELDS  AND  BUTLEE. 

William  Butler,  one  of  Lincoln's  seconds,  was  dissatisfied  with 
the  bloodless  termination  of  the  Lincoln-Shields  affair,  and  wrote  an 
account  of  it  for  the  Sangamo  Journal.  This  article  reflected  dis- 
creditably upon  both  the  principals  engaged  in  that  controversy. 
Shields  replied  by  the  hands  of  his  friend  Gen.  Whiteside,  in  a 
curt,  menacing  note,  which  was  promptly  accepted  as  a  challenge 
by  Butler,  and  the  inevitable  Dr.  Merriman  named  as  his  friend, 
who  submitted  the  following  as  preliminaries  of  the  fight: 

Time. — Sunrise  on  the  following  morning. 

Place. — Col.  Allen's  farm  (about  one  mile  north  of  State  House.) 
Weapons. — Rifles. 

Distance. — One  hundred  yards. 

The  parties  to  stand  with  their  right  sides  toward  each  other — 
the  rifles  to  be  held  in  both  hands  horizontally  and  cocked,  arms 
extended  downwards.  Neither  party  to  move  his  person  or  his 
rifle  after  being  placed,  before  the  word  fire.  The  signal  to  be: 
"Are  you  ready?     Fire!     one — two — three!"   about  a   second    of 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS.  149 

time  intervening  between  each  word.     JSTeitlier  party  to  fire  before 
the  word  ''  fire,"  nor  after  the  word  "  three." 

Gen.  Wliiteside,  in  language  cnrt  and  abrupt,  addressed  a  note  to 
Dr.  Merriman  declining  to  accept  the  terms.  Gen.  Shields,  how- 
ever, addressed  another  note  to  Butler,  explaining  the  feelings  of 
his  second,  and  offering  to  go  out  to  a  lonely  place  on  the  prairie  to 
figlit,  where  there  would  be  no  danger  of  being  interrupted;  or,  if 
that  did  not  suit,  he  M'ould  meet  him  on  his  own  conditions,  when 
and  where  he  pleased.  Butler  claimed  the  affair  was  closed  and 
declined  the  proposition. 

WHITESIDE  AND   MEEEIMAN. 

Now  Gen.  "Whiteside  and  Dr.  Merriman,  who  several  times  had 
acted  in  the  capacity  of  friends  or  seconds,  were  to  handle  the 
deadly  weapons  as  principals.  While  second  in  the  Shields-Butler 
^^5(7(9,  Whiteside  declined  the  terms  proposed  by  Butler,  in  curt 
and  abrupt  language,  stating  that  tlie  place  of  combat  could  not  be 
dictated  to  him,  for  it  was  as  much  his  right  as  Merriman's,  who, 
if  he  was  a  gentleman,  would  recognize  and  concede  it.  To  this 
Merriman  replied  by  the  hands  of  Capt.  Lincoln.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  Merriman  had  acted  in  the  same  capacity  for  Lin- 
coln. Whiteside  then  wrote  to  Merriman,  asking  to  meet  him  at 
St.  Louis,  when  he  would  hear  from  him  further.  To  this  Merri- 
man replied,  denying  his  right  to  name  place,  but  offered  to  meet 
in  Louisiana,  Mo.  This  Whiteside  would  not  agree  to,  but  later 
signified  his  desire  to  meet  him  there,  but  the  aff'air  being  closed, 
the  doctor  declined  to  re-open  it, 

PRATT  AND  CAMPBELL. 

These  two  gentlemen  were  members  of  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention of  1847,  and  both  from  Jo  Davies  county.  A  dispute  arose 
which  ended  in  a  challenge  to  meet  on  the  field  of  honor.  They 
both  repaired  to  St.  Louis,  but  the  authorities  gaining  knowledge 
of  their  bloody  intentions,  had  both  parties  arrested,  which  ended 
this  "  aff'air." 

DEESS  AND  MANNERS. 

The  dress,  habits,  etc.,  of  a  people  throw  so  much  light  upon  their 
conditions  and  limitations  that  in  order  better  to  show  the  circum- 
stances surrounding  the  people  of  the  State,  we  will  give  a  short 


150  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

exposition  of  the  manner  of  life  of  our  Illinois  people  at  different 
epochs.  The  Indians  themselves  are  credited  by  Charlevoix  with 
being  "very  laborious," — raising  poultry,  spinning  the  wool  of  the 
buffalo  and  manufacturing  garments  therefrom.  These  must  have 
been,  however,  more  than  usually  favorable  representatives  of  their 

race. 

"  The  working  and  voyaging  dress  of  the  French  masses,"  says 
Keynolds,  "was  simple  and  primitive.  The  French  were  like  the 
lilies  of  the  valley  (the  Old  Ranger  was  not  always  exact  in  his 
quotations), — they  neither  spun  nor  wove  any  of  their  clothing,  but 
purchased  it  from  the  merchants.  The  white  blanket  coat,  known 
as  the  capot,  was  the  universal  and  eternal  coat  for  the  winter  with 
the  masses.  A  cape  was  made  of  it  that  could  be  raised  over  the 
head  in  cold  weather. 

"  In  the  house,  and  in  good  weather,  it  hung  behind,  a  cape  to 
the  blanket  coat.  The  reason  that  I  know  these  coats  so  well  is, 
that  I  have  worn  many  in  my  youth,  and  a  working  man  never  wore 
a  better  garment.  Dressed  deer-skins  and  blue  cloth  were  worn 
commonly  in  the  winter  for  pantaloons.  The  blue  handkerchief 
and  the  deer-skin  moccasins  covered  the  head  and  feet  generally  of 
the  French  Creoles.  In  1800,  scarcely  a  man  thought  himself  clothed 
unless  he  had  a  belt  tied  around  his  blanket  coat,  and  on  one  side 
was  hung  the  dressed  skin  of  a  pole-cat,  filled  with  tobacco,  pipe, 
flint  and  steel.  On  the  other  side  was  fastened,  under  the  belt,  the 
the  butcher-knife.  A  Creole  in  this  dress  felt  like  Tarn  O'Shanter 
filled  with  usquebaugh;  he  could  face  the  devil.  Checked  calico 
shirts  were  then  common,  but  in  winter  flannel  was  frequently 
worn.  In  the  summer  the  laboring  men  and  the  voyagers  often 
took  their  shirts  off  in  hard  work  and  hot  weather,  and  turned  out 
the  naked  back  to  the  air  and  sun." 

"  Among  the  Americans,"  he  adds,  "home-made  wool  hats  were 
the  common  wear.  Fur  hats  were  not  common,  and  scarcely  a  boot 
was  seen.  The  covering  of  the  feet  in  winter  was  chiefly  moccasins 
made  of  deer-skins,  and  shoe  packs  of  tanned  leather.  Some  wore 
shoes,  but  not  common  in  very  early  times.  In  the  summer  the 
greater  portion  of  the  young  people,  male  and  female,  and  many  of 
the  old,  went  barefoot.  The  substantial  and  universal  outside  wear 
was  the  blue  linsey  hunting-shirt.  This  is  an  excellent  garment, 
and  I  have  never  felt  so  happy  and  healthy  since  I  laid  it  off.     It  is 


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HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS.  153 

made  of  wide  sleeves,  open  before,  with  ample  size  so  as  to  envelop 
the  body  almost  twice  around.  Sometimes  it  had  a  large  cape, 
which  answers  well  to  save  the  shoulders  from  the  rain.  A  belt  is 
mostly  used  to  keep  the  garment  close  around  the  person,  and, 
nevertheless,  there  is  nothing  tight  about  it  to  hamper  the  body. 
It  is  often  fringed,  and  at  times  the  fringe  is  composed  of  red,  and 
other  gay  colors.  The  belt,  frequently,  is  sewed  to  the  hunting-shirt. 
The  vest  was  mostly  made  of  striped  linsey.  The  colors  were  made 
often  with  alum,  copperas  and  madder,  boiled  with  the  bark  of  trees, 
in  such  a  manner  and  proportions  as  the  old  ladies  prescribed.  The 
pantaloons  of  the  masses  were  generally  made  of  deer-skin  and 
linsey.     Course  blue  cloth  was  sometimes  made  into  pantaloons. 

"  Linsey,  neat  and  fine,  manufactured  at  home,  composed  generally 
the  outside  garments  of  the  females  as  well  as  the  males.  The 
ladies  had  linsey  colored  and  woven  to  suit  their  fancy.  A  bonnet, 
composed  of  calico,  or  some  gay  goods,  was  worn  on  the  head  when 
they  were  in  the  open  air.  Jewelry  on  the  pioneer  ladies  was 
uncommon;  a  gold  ring  was  an  ornament  not  often  seen." 

In  1820  a  change  of  dress  began  to  take  place,  and  before  1830, 
according  to  Ford,  most  of  the  pioneer  costume  had  disappeared. 
"The  blue  linsey  hunting-shirt,  with  red  or  white  fringe,  had  given 
place  to  the  cloth  coat.  [Jeans  would  be  more  like  the  fact.]  The 
raccoon  cap,  with  the  tail  of  the  animal  dangling  down  behind,  had 
been  thrown  aside  for  hats  of  wool  or  fur.  Boots  and  shoes  had 
supplied  the  deer-skin  moccasins;  and  the  leather  breeches,  strapj^ed 
tight  around  the  ankle,  had  disappeared  before  unmentionables  of  a 
more  modern  material.  The  female  sex  had  made  still  greater  pro. 
gress  in  dress.  The  old  sort  of  cotton  or  woolen  frocks,  spun,  woven 
and  made  with  their  own  fair  hands,  and  striped  and  cross- barred 
with  blue  dye  and  turkey  red,  had  given  place  to  gowns  of  silk  and 
calico.  The  feet,  before  in  a  state  of  nudity,  now  charmed  in  shoes 
of  calf-skin  or  slippers  of  kid;  and  the  head,  formerly  unbonneted, 
but  covered  with  a  cotton  handkerchief,  now  displayed  the  charms 
of  the  female  face  under  many  forms  of  bonnets  of  straw,  silk  and 
leghorn.  The  young  ladies,  instead  of  walking  a  mile  or  two  to 
church  on  Sunday,  carrying  their  shoes  and  stockings  in  their  hands 
until  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  place  of  worship,  as  formerly, 
now  came  forth  arrayed  complete  in  all  the  pride  of  dress,  mounted 
on  fine  horses  and  attended  by  their  male  admirers." 


154:  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

The  last  half  century  has  doubtless  witnessed  changes  quite  as 
great  as  those  set  forth  by  our  Illinois  historian.  The  chronicler 
of  to-day,  looking  back  to  the  golden  days  of  1830  to  1840,  and 
comparing  them  with  the  present,  must  be  struck  with  the  tendency 
of  an  almost  monotonous  uniformity  in  dress  and  manners  that 
comes  from  the  easy  inter-communication  afforded  by  steamer,  rail- 
way, telegraph  and  newspaper.  Home  manufacturers  have  been 
driven  from  the  household  by  the  lower-priced  fabrics  of  distant 
mills.  The  Kentucky  jeans,  and  the  copperas-colored  clothing  of 
home  manufacture,  so  familiar  a  few  years  ago,  have  given  place  to 
the  cassiraeres  and  cloths  of  noted  factories.  The  ready-made- 
clothing  stores,  like  a  touch  of  nature,  made  the  whole  world  kin- 
and  may  drape  the  charcoal  man  in  a  dress-coat  and  a  stove-pipe 
hat.  The  prints  and  silks  of  England  and  France  give  a  variety  of 
choice,  and  an  assortment  of  colors  and  shades  such  as  the  pioneer 
women  could  hardly  have  dreamed  of.  Godey,  and  Demorest,  and 
Harper's  Bazar  are  found  in  our  modern  farm-houses,  and  the  latest 
fashions  of  Paris  are  not  uncommon. 

PHYSICAL  FEATUKES  OF  ILLINOIS. 

In  area  the  State  has  55,410  square  miles  of  territory.  It  is 
about  150  miles  wide  and  400  miles  long,  stretching  in  latitude 
from  Maine  to  North  Carolina.  The  climate  varies  from  Portland 
to  Richmond.  It  favors  every  product  of  the  continent,  including 
the  tropics,  with  less  than  half  a  dozen  exceptions.  It  produces 
every  great  food  of  the  world  except  bananas  and  rice.  It  is  hardly 
too  much  to  say  that  it  is  the  most  productive  spot  known  to  civil- 
ization. With  the  soil  full  of  bread  and  the  earth  full  of  minerals; 
with  an  upper  surface  of  food  and  an  under  layer  of  fuel;  with  per- 
fect natural  drainage,  and  abundant  springs,  and  streams,  and  navi- 
gable rivers;  half  way  between  the  forests  of  the  North  and  the 
fruits  of  the  South;  within  a  day's  ride  of  the  great  deposits  of 
iron,  coal,  copper,  lead  and  zinc;  and  containing  and  controlling 
the  great  grain,  cattle,  pork  and  lumber  markets  of  the  world,  it  is 
not  strange  that  Illinois  has  the  advantage  of  position. 

There  are  no  mountains  in  Illinois;  in  the  southern  as  well  as  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  State  there  are  a  few  hills;  near  the  banks 
pf  the  Illinois,  Mississippi,  and  several  other  rivers,  the  ground  is 


HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS.  loj 

elevated,  forming  the  so-called  bluffs,  on  which  at  the  present  day 
may  be  found,  uuetfaced  by  the  hand  of  Time,  the  marks  and  traces 
left  by  the  water  which  was  formerly  much  higher;  whence  it  may 
be  safe  to  conclude  that,  where  now  the  fertile  prairies  of  Illinois 
extend,  and  the  rich  soil  of  the  country  yields  its  golden  harvests, 
must  have  been  a  vast  sheet  of  water,  the  mud  deposited  by  which 
formed  the  soil,  thus  accounting  for  the  present  great  fertility  of  the 
country. 

Illinois  is  a  garden  400  miles  long  and  150  miles  wide.  Its  soil 
is  chiefly  a  black,  sandy  loam,  from  6  inches  to  60  feet  thick.  About 
the  old  French  towns  it  has  yielded  corn  for  a  century  and  a  half 
without  rest  or  help.  She  leads  all  other  States  in  the  number 
of  acres  actually  under  plow.  Her  mineral  wealth  is  scarcely 
second  to  her  agricultural  power.  She  has  coal,  iron,  lead,  zinc, 
copper,  many  varieties  of  building  stone,  marble,  fire  clay,  cuma 
clay,  common  brick  clay,  sand  of  all  kinds,  gravel,  mineral  paint, — 
in  fact,  everything  needed  for  a  high  civilization. 

AGRICULTURE. 

If  any  State  of  the  Union  is  adapted  for  agriculture,  and  the  other 
branches  of  rural  economy  relating  thereto,  such  as  the  raising  of 
cattle  and  the  culture  of  fruit  trees,  it  is  pre-eminently  Illinois. 
Her  extremely  fertile  prairies  recompense  the  farmer  at  less 
trouble  and  expense  than  he  would  be  obliged  to  incur  elsewhere,  in 
order  to  obtain  the  same  results.  Her  rich  soil,  adapted  by  nature 
for  immediate  culture,  only  awaits  the  plow  and  tiie  seed  in  order 
to  mature,  within  a  few  mouths,  a  most  bountiful  harvest.  A 
review  of  statistics  will  be  quite  interesting  to  the  reader,  as  well  as 
valuable,  as  showing  the  enormous  quantities  of  the  various  cereals 
produced  in  our  prairie  State: 

In  1S76  there  was  raised  in  the  State  130,000,000  of  bushels  of 
corn, — twice  as  much  as  any  other  State,  and  one-sixth  of  all  the  corn 
raised  in  the  United  States.  It  would  take  375,000  cars  to  transport 
this  vast  amount  of  corn  1o  market,  which  would  make  15,000  trains 
of  25  cars  each.  She  harvested  2,747.000  tons  of  hay,  nearly  one- 
tenth  of  all  the  hay  in  the  Republic.  It  is  not  generally  appreciated, 
but  it  is  true,  that  the  hay  crop  of  the  country  is  worth  more  than 
the  cotton  crop.    The  hay  of  Illinois  equals  the  cotton  of  Louisiana* 


156 


HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 


Go  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  see  them  peddling  handfuls  of  hay  or 
grass,  almost  as  a  curiosity,  as  we  regard  Chinese  gods  or  the  cryo- 
lite of  Greenland;  drink  your  coffee  and  condensed  milk;  and  walk 
back  from  the  coast  for  many  a  league  through  the  sand  and  burs 
till  you  get  up  into  the  better  atmosphere  of  the  mountains,  with- 
out seeing  a  waving  meadow  or  a  grazing  herd;  then  you  will  begin 
to  appreciate  the  meadows  of  the  Prairie  State. 

The  value  of  her  farm  implements  was,  in  1876,  $211,000,000, 
and  the  value  of  live  stock  was  only  second  to  New  York.  The 
same  year  she  had  25,000,000  hogs,  and  packed  2,113,845,  about 
one-half  of  all  that  were  packed  in  the  United  States.  She  marketed 
$57,000,000  worth  of  slaughtered  animals, — more  than  any  other 
State,  and  a  seventh  of  all  tlie  States. 

Illinois  excels  all  other  States  in  miles  of  railroads  and  in  miles 
of  postal  service,  and  in  money  orders  sold  per  annum,  and  in  the 
amount  of  lumber  sold. 

Illinois  was  only  second  in  many  important  matters,  taking  the 
reports  of  1876.  This  sample  list  comprises  a  few  of  the  more 
important:  Permanent  school  fund;  total  income  for  educational 
purposes;  number  of  publishers  of  books,  maps,  papers,  etc.;  value 
of  farm  products  and  implements,  and  of  live  stock;  in  tons  of  coal 
mined. 

The  shipping  of  Illinois  was  only  second  to  New  York.  Out  of 
one  port  during  the  business  hours  of  the  season  of  navigation  she 
sent  forth  a  vessel  every  nine  minutes.  This  did  not  include  canal- 
boats,  which  went  one  every  five  minutes. 

No  wonder  she  was  only  second  in  number  of  bankers  or  in  phy- 
sicians and  surgeons. 

She  was  third  in  colleges,  teachers  and  schools;  also  in  cattle, 
lead,  hay,  flax,  sorghum  and  beeswax. 

She  was  fourth  in  population,  in  children  enrolled  in  public 
schools,  in  law  schools,  in  butter,  potatoes  and  carriages. 

She  was  fifth  in  value  of  real  and  personal  property,  in  theologi- 
cal seminaries,  and  colleges  exclusively  for  women,  in  milk  sold, 
and  in  boots  and  shoes  manufactured,  and  in  book-binding. 

She  was  only  seventh  in  the  production  of  wood,  while  she  was 
the  twelfth  in  area.  Surely  that  was  well  done  for  the  Prairie  State. 
She  then  had,  in  1876,  much  more  wood  and  growing  timber  than 
she  had  thirty  years  before. 


HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS.  ^gj 

A  few  leading  industries  will  justify  emphasis.  She  manufactured 
$205,000,000  worth  of  goods,  which  phiced  her  well  up  toward 
New  York  and  Pennsylvania.  The  number  of  her  manufacturing 
establishments  increased  from  1860  to  1870,  300  per  cent. ;  capital 
employed  increased  350  per  cent.;  and  the  amount  of  product  in- 
creased 400  per  cent.  She  issued  5,500,000  copies  of  commercial 
and  financial  newspapers,  being  only  second  to  New  York.  She  had 
6,759  miles  of  railroad,  then  leading  all  otlier  States,  worth  $636,- 
458,000,  using  3,245  engines,  and  67,712  cars,  making  a  train  long 
enough  to  cover  one-tenth  of  the  entire  roads  of  the  State.  Her 
stations  were  only  five  miles  apart.  She  carried,  in  1876,  15,795,- 
000  passengers  an  average  of  36|-  miles,  or  equal  to  taking  her 
entire  ])opulation  twice  across  the  State.  More  than  two-thirds  of 
her  land  was  within  five  miles  of  a  railroad,  and  less  than  two  per 
cent,  was  more  than  fifteen  miles  away 

The  State  has  a  large  financial  interest  in  the  Illinois  Central 
railroad.  The  road  was  incorporated  m  1850,  and  the  State  gave 
each  alternate  section  for  six  miles  on  each  side,  and  doubled  the 
price  of  the  remaining  land,  so  keeping  herself  good.  The  road 
received  2,595,000  acres  of  land,  and  paid  to  the  State  one-seventh 
of  the  gross  receipts.  The  State  received  in  1877,  $350,000,  and 
had  received  up  to  that  year  in  all  about  $7,000,000.  It  was  prac- 
tically the  people's  road,  and  it  had  a  most  able  and  gentlemanly 
management.  Add  to  the  above  amount  the  annual  receipts  from 
the  canal,  $111,000,  and  a  large  per  cent,  of  the  State  tax  was  pro- 
vided for- 

GOYERNORSOF   ILLINOIS. 

Shadrach  Bond — Was  the  first  Governor  of  Illinois.  He  was  a 
native  of  Maryland  and  born  in  1773;  was  raised  on  a  farm;  re- 
ceived a  common  English  education,  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1794. 
He  served  as  a  delegate  in  Congress  from  1811  to  1815,  where  he 
procured  the  right  of  pre-emption  of  public  land.  He  was  elected 
Governor  in  1818;  was  beaten  for  Congress  in  1824  by  Daniel  P. 
Cook      He  died  at  Kaskaskia,  April  11,  1830. 

Edward  Coles — Was  born  Dec.  15,  1786,  in  Yirgiuia.  His  father 
was  a  slave-holder;  gave  his  son  a  collegiate  education,  and  left  to 
him  a  large  number  of  slaves.  These  he  liberated,  giving  each 
head  of  a  family  160  acres  of  land  and  a  considerable  sum  of  money. 


158 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 


He  was  President  Madison's  private  secretary.  He  came  to  Illinois 
in  1819,  was  elected  Governor  in  1822,  on  the  anti-slavery  ticket; 
moved  to  Philadelphia  in  1833,  and  died  in  1868. 

Niiiian  Edwards. — In  1809,  on  the  formation  of  the  Territory  of 
Illinois,  Mr.  Edwards  was  appointed  Governor,  which  position  he 
retained  until  the  organization  of  the  State,  when  he  was  sent  to 
the  United  States  Senate.  He  was  elected  Governor  in  1826.  He 
was  a  native  of  Maryland  and  born  in  1775;  received  a  collegiate 
education;  was  Chief  Justice  of  Kentucky,  and  a  Eepublican  in 
politics. 

Joh7i  Reynolds — Was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1788,  and  came 
with  his  parents  to  Illinois  in  1800,  and  in  1830  was  elected  Gov- 
ernor on  the  Democratic  ticket,  and  afterwards  served  three  terms 
in  Congress.  He  received  a  classical  education,  yet  was  not  polished. 
He  was  an  ultra  Democrat;  attended  the  Charleston  Convention  in 
1860,  and  urged  the  seizure  of  United  States  arsenals  by  the 
South.     He  died  in  1865  at  Belleville,  childless. 

Joseph  Duncan. — In  1834  Joseph  Duncan  was  elected  Governor 
by  the  Whigs,  although  formerly  a  Democrat.  He  had  previously 
served  four  terms  in  Congress.  He  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1794; 
had  but  a  limited  education;  served  with  distinction  in  the  war  of 
1812;  conducted  the  campaign  of  1832  against  Black  Hawk.  He 
came  to  Illinois  when  quite  young. 

Thomas  Carlin — Was  elected  as  a  Democrat  in  1838.  He  had 
but  a  meager  education ;  held  many  minor  offices,  and  was  active 
both  in  the  war  of  1812  and  the  Black  Hawk  war.  He  was  born  in 
Kentucky  in  1789;  came  to  Illinois  in  1812,  and  died  at  Carrollton, 
Feb.  14,  1852. 

Thomas  Ford — Was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  the  year  1800 ;  was 
brought  by  his  widowed  mother  to  Missouri  in  1804,  and  shortly 
afterwards  to  Illinois.  He  received  a  good  education,  studied  law; 
was  elected  four  times  Judge,  twice  as  Circuit  Judge,  Judge  of 
Chicago  and  Judge  of  Supreme  Court.  He  was  elected  Governor 
by  the  Democratic  party  in  1842;  wrote  his  history  of  Illinois  in 
1847  and  died  in  1850, 

Augustus  C.  French — Was  born  in  New  Hampshire  in  1808; 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1831,  and  shortly  afterwards  moved  to 
Illinois  when  in  1846  he  was  elected  Governor.  On  the  adoption 
of  the  Constitution  of  1848  he  was  again  chosen,  serving  until  1853. 
He  was  a  Democrat  m  iDolitics. 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 


159 


Joel  A.  Matteson — Was  born  in  Jefferson  county,  N".  Y.,  in  1808. 
His  father  was  a  farmer,  and  gave  his  son  only  a  common  school 
education.  He  first  entered  upon  active  life  as  a  small  tradesman, 
but  subsequently  became  a  large  contractor  and  manufacturer.  He 
was  a  lieavy  contractor  in  building  the  Canal.  He  was  elected  Gov- 
ernor in  1852  upon  the  Democratic  ticket. 

William  H.  Blssell — Was  elected  by  the  liepublican  party  in 
1856.  He  had  previously  served  two  terms  in  Congress;  was 
colonel  in  the  Mexican  war  and  has  held  minor  official  positions.  He 
was  born  in  JS'ew  York  State  in  1811;  received  a  common  educa- 
tion; came  to  Illinois  early  in  life  and  engaged  in  the  medical  pro- 
fession. This  he  changed  for  the  law  and  became  a  noted  orator, 
and  the  standard  bearer  of  the  Republican  party  in  Illinois.  He 
died  in  1860  while  Governor. 

Bichard  Yates — "The  war  Governor  of  Illinois,"  was  born  in 
Warsaw,  Ky.,  in  1818;  came  to  Illinois  in  1831:  served  two  terms 
in  Congress;  in  1860  was  elected  Governor,  and  in  1865  United 
States  Senator.  He  was  a  college  graduate,  and  read  law  under  J.  J. 
Hardin.  He  rapidly  rose  m  his  chosen  profession  and  charmed  the 
people  with  oratory.  He  filled  the  gubernatorial  chair  during  the 
trying  days  of  the  Rebellion,  and  by  his  energy  and  devotion  won 
the  title  of  "  War  Governor."  He  became  addicted  to  strona:  drink, 
and  died  a  drunkard. 

Richard  J.  Ogleshy — Was  born  in  1824,  in  Kentucky;  an  orphan 
at  the  age  of  eight,  came  to  Illinois  when  only  12  years  old.  He 
was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  carpenter's  trade;  worked  some  at 
farming  and  read  law  occasionally.  He  enlisted  in  the  Mexican 
War  and  was  chosen  First  Lieutenant.  After  his  return  he  ao-ain 
took  up  the  law,  but  during  the  gold  fever  of  1849  went  to  Califor- 
nia; soon  returned,  and,  in  1852,  entered  upon  his  illustrious 
political  career.  He  raised  the  second  regiment  in  the  State,  to 
suppress  the  Rebellion,  and  for  gallantry  was  promoted  to  Major 
General.  In  1864  he  was  elected  Governor,  and  re-elected  in  1872, 
and  resigned  for  a  seat  in  the  United  States  Senate.  He  is  a  staunch 
Republican  and  resides  at  Decatur. 

Shelby  M.  Cullom — Was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1828;  studied 
law,  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  1848;  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature  in  1856, 
and  again  in  1860.     Served  on  the  war  commission  at  Cairo,  1862, 


160  HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 

and  was  a  member  of  the  39th,  40th  and  41st  Congress,  in  all  of  which 
he  served  with  credit  to  his  State.  He  was  ao-ain  elected  to  the 
State  Legislature  in  1872,  aad  re-elected  in  1874,  and  was  elected 
Governor  of  Illinois  in  1876,  which  office  he  still  holds,  and  has 
administered  with  marked  ability. 

LIEUTENANT   GOVEKNOES. 

Pierre  Menard — Was  the  first  Lieut.  Gov.  of  Illinois.  He  was 
born  in  Quebec,  Canada,  in  1767.  He  came  to  Illinois  in  1790 
where  he  engaged  in  the  Indian  trade  and  became  wealthy.  He 
died  in  1844.     Menard  county  was  named  in  his  honor. 

Adolphus  F.  Hubbard — Was  elected  Lieut.  Gov.  in  1822.    Four 

years   later  he  ran  for  Governor  against  Edwards,  but  was  beaten. 

William  Kinney — Was  elected  in  1826.      He   was  a  Baptist 

clergyman;  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1781  and  came  to  Illinois  in 

1793. 

Zadock  Casey — Although  on  the  opposition  ticket  to  Governor 
Reynolds,  the  successful  Gubernatorial  candidate,  yet  Casey  was 
elected  Lieut.  Gov.  in  1830.  He  subsequently  served  several  terms 
in  Congress. 

Alexander  M.  Jenkins — Was  elected  on  ticket  with  Gov.  Duncan 
in  1834  by  a  handsome  majority. 

8.  H.  Anderson — Lieut.  Gov.  under  Gov.  Cariin,  was  chosen  in 
1838.     He  was  a  native  of  Tennessee. 

John  Moore — Was  born  in  England  in  1793;  came  to  Illinois  in 
1830;  was  elected  Lieut.  Gov.  in  1842.  He  won  the  name  of 
"  Honest  John  Moore." 

Joseph  B.  Wells — Was  chosen  with  Gov.  French  at  his  first 
election  m  18i6. 

William  McMurtry. — In  1848  when  Gov.  French  was  again 
chosen  Governor,  William  McMurtry  of  Knox  county,  was  elected 
Lieut.  Governor. 

Gustavus  P.  Koerner — Was  elected  in  1852.  He  was  born  in 
Germany  in  1809.  At  the  age  of  22  came  to  Illinois.  In  1872  he 
was  a  candidate  for  Governor  on  Liberal  ticket,  but  was  defeated, 

John  Wood — Was  elected  in  1856,  and  on  the  death  of  Gov. 
Bissell  became  Governor. 

Francis  A.  Hoffman — Was  chosen  with  Gov.  Yates  in  1860. 
He  was  born  in  Prussia  in  1822,  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1840. 


CENTRAL  HOSPITAL  FOR  THE  INSANE,  JACKSONVILLE. 


BAKER.-C6 


ILLINOIS  INDUSTRIAL  UNIVERSITY,  CHAMPAIGN-FOUNDED  BY  THE  STATE, 

ENDOWED  BY  CONGRESS. 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 


161 


William  Bross — Was  born  in  New  Jersey,  came  to  Illinois  in 
1848,  was  elected  to  office  in  1864. 

John  Dougherty — "Was  elected  in  1868. 

John  L.  Beveredge — Was  chosen  Lieut.  Gov.  in  1872.  In  1873 
Oglesby  was  elected  to  the  U.  S.  Senate  when  Beveridge  became 
Governor. 

Andrew  Shuman — Was  elected  Kov.  7,  1876,  and  is  the  present 
incumbent. 


SUPERINTENDENT   OP  PUBLIC   INSTRUCTION. 


Ninian  W.  Edwards 1854-56 

W.  H.  Powell 1857-58 


Newton  Baleman 1859-75 

Samuel  M.  Etter 1876 


ATTORNEY  GENERALS. 


Daniel  P.  Cook 1819 

William  Mears 1820 

Samuel  D.  Lockwood 1821-22 

James  Turney 1823-28 

George  Forquer 1829-32 

James  Semple 1833-34 

Nmian  E.  Edwards 1834-35 

Jesse  B.  Thomas,  Jr 1835 

Walter  B.  Scates 1836 

Asher  F.  Linder 1837 


Geo.  W.  Olney 1838 

Wickliffe  Kitchell 1839 

Josiah  Lamborn 1841-42 

James  A.  McDougall 1843-46 

David  B.  Campbell 1846 

[Office  abolished  and  re-created  in  1867] 

Robert  G.  Ingersoll 1867-68 

Washington  Bushnell 1869-72 

James  K.  Edsall 1873-79 


TREASURERS. 


John  Thomas 1818-19 

E.  K.  McLaughlin 1819-22 

Ebner  Field 1823-26 

James  Hall 1827-30 

John  Dement 1831-30 

Charles  Gregory 1836 

John  D.  Whiteside 1837-40 

M.  Carpenter 1841-48 

John  Moore 1848-56 


James  Miller 1857-60 

William  Butler 1861-62 

Alexander  Starne 1863-64 

James  H.  Beveridge 1865-66 

George  W.  Smith 1867-68 

Erastus  N.  Bates 1869-72 

Edward  Rutz  1873-75 

Thomas  S.  Ridgeway 1876-77 

Edward  Rutz 1878-.79 


SECRETARIES  OF  STATE. 


Elias  K.  Kane 1818-22      Thompson  Campbell 1843-46 


Samuel  D.  Lockwood 1822-23 

David  Blackwell  1823-24 

Morris  Birkbeck 1824 

George  Forquer 1825-28 

Alexander  P.  Field 1829-40 

Stephen  A.  Douglas 1840 

Lyman  Trumbull 1841-42 


Horace  S.  Cooley 1846-49 

David  L.  Gregg 1850-52 

Alexander  Starne 1853-56 

Ozias  M.  Hatch 1857-60 

Sharon  Tyndale 1865-68 

Edward  Rummel 1869-72 

George  H.  Harlow 1873-79 


162  HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 

AXJDITOKS. 

Elijah  C.  Berry 1818-31  Thompson  Campbell 1846 

I.  T.  B.  Stapp 1831-35  Jesse  K.  Dubois 1857-64 

Levi  Davis 1835-40  Orlin  H.  Miner 1865-68 

James  Shields 1841-42  Charles  E.  Lippencott 1809-76 

W.  L.  D.  Ewing 1843-45  Thompson  B.  Needles 1877-79 


UNITED    STATES    SENATORS. 

Ninian  Edwards. — On  the  organization  of  the  State  in  1818, 
Edwards,  the  popular  Territorial  Governor,  was  chosen  Senator  for 
the  short  term,  and  in  1819  re-elected  for  full  term. 

Jesse  B.  Thomas — One  of  the  federal  judges  during  the  entire 
Territorial  existence  was  chosen  Senator  on  organization  of  the 
State,  and  re-elected  in  1S23,  and  served  till  1829. 

John  McLean — In  1824  Edwards  resigned,  and  McLean  was 
elected  to  fill  his  unexpired  term.  He  was  born  in  North  Carolina 
in  1791,  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1815;  served  one  term  in  Congress, 
and  in  1829  was  elected  to  the  U.  S.  Senate,  but  the  following  year 
died.  He  is  said  to  have  been  the  most  gifted  man  of  his  period  in 
Illinois. 

Elias  Kent  Kane—W^iS  elected  Nov.  30,  1824,  for  the  term  be- 
o-innino-  March  4,  1825.     In  1830  he  W'as  re-elected,  but  died  before 

too' 

the  expiration  of  his  term.  He  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and  in 
1814  came  to  Illinois.  He  was  first  Secretary  of  State,  and  after- 
wards State  Senator. 

David  Jewett  Baker— W&s  appointed  to  fill  the  unexpired  term 
of  John  McLean,  in  1830,  Nov.  12,  but  the  Legislature  refused  to 
endorse  the  choice.  Baker  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  born  in 
1T92,  and  died  in  Alton  in  1869. 

JohnM.  RoUnso7i. — Instead  of  Baker,  the  Governor's  appointee, 
the  Legislature  chose  Robinson,  and  in  1834  he  was  re-elected.  In 
1843  was  elected  Supreme  Judge  of  the  State,  but  within  two 
months  died.  He  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  came  to  Illinois 
while  quite  young. 

William  L.  D.  Ewing— Was  elected  in  1835,  to  fill  the  vacancy 
occasioned  by  the  death  of  Kane.     He  was  a  Kentuckian. 

Richard  M.  Young— Was.  elected  in  1836,  and  held  his  seat 
from  March  4,  1837,  to  March  4,  1843,  a  full  term.     He  was  a 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  163 

native  of  Kentucky;  was  Circuit  Judge  before  his  election  to  the 
Senate,  and  Supreme  Judge  in  1842.  He  died  in  an  insane  asylum 
at  Washington. 

Samuel  McRoberts — The  first  native  Illinoisian  ever  elevated  to 
the  high  office  of  U.  S.  Senator  from  this  State,  was  born  in  1T99, 
and  died  in  18-i3  on  his  return  home  from  Washington.  lie  was 
elected  Circuit  Judge  in  1824,  and"  March  4,  1841,  took  his  seat  in 
the  U.  S.  Senate. 

Sidneij  Breese—^'A%  elected  to  the  U.  S.  Senate,  Dec.  17,  1842, 
and  served  a  full  term.  He  was  born  in  Oneida  county,  N.  Y. 
He  was  Major  in  the  Black  Hawk  war;  Circuit  Judge,  and  in  1841 
was  elected  Supreme  Judge.  He  served  a  full  term  in  the  U.  S. 
Senate,  beginning  March  4,  1843,  after  which  he  was  elected  to  the 
Legislature,  again  Circuit  Judge,  and,  in  1857,  to  the  Supreme 
Court,  which  position  he  held  until  his  death  in  1878. 

James  Semple — Was  the  successor  of  Samuel  McRoberts,  and 
was  appointed  by  Gov.  Ford  in  1843.  He  was  afterwards  elected 
Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

Stephen  A.  Douglas — Was  elected  Dec.  14,  1846.  He  had  pre- 
viously served  three  terms  as  Congressman.  He  became  his  own 
successor  in  1853  and  again  in  1859.  From  his  first  entrance  in  the 
Senate  he  was  acknowledged  the  peer  of  Clay,  Webster  and  Cal- 
houn, with  whom  he  served  his  first  term.  His  famous  contest 
with  Abraham  Lincoln  for  the  Senate  in  1858  is  the  most  memor- 
able in  the  annals  of  our  country.  It  was  called  the  battle  of  the 
giants,  and  resulted  in  Douglas'  election  to  the  Senate,  and  Lincoln 
to  the  Presidency.  He  was  born  in  Brandon,  Vermont,  April  23, 
1813,  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1833,  and  died  in  1861.  He  was 
appointed  Secretary  of  State  by  Gov.  Carlin  in  1840,  and  shortly 
afterward  to  the  Supreme  Bench. 

James  Shields — Was  elected  and  assumed  his  seat  in  the  U.  S. 
Senate  in  1849,  March  4.  He  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1810,  came 
to  the  United  States  in  1827.  He  served  in  the  Mexican  army,  was 
elected  Senator  from  Wisconsin,  and  in  1879  from  Missouri  for  a 
short  term. 

Lyman  Trumlull — Took  his  seat  in  the  [J.  S.  Senate  March  4, 
1855,  and  became  his  own  successor  in  1861.  He  had  previously 
served  one  term  in  the  Lower  House  of  Congress,  and  served  on 
the  Supreme  Bench.     He  was  born  in   Connecticut;   studied  law 


164  HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 

and  came  to  Illinois  early  in  life,  where  for  years  he  was  actively 
engaged  in  politics.     He  resides  in  Chicago. 

Orvill  H.  Browning — Was  appointed  U.  S.  Senator  in  1861,  to 
fill  the  seat  made  vacant  by  the  death  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  until 
a  Senator  could  be  regularly  elected.  Mr.  Browning  was  born  in 
Harrison  county,  Kentucky;  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1831,  and 
settled  in  Quincy,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law, 
and  was  instrumental,  with  his  friend,  Abraham  Lincoln,  in  form- 
ing the  Republican  party  of  Illinois  at  the  Bloomington  Conven- 
tion. He  entered  Johnson's  cabinet  as  Secretary  of  the  Interior, 
and  in  March,  1868,  was  designated  by  the  President  to  perform  the 
duties  of  Attorney  General,  in  addition  to  his  own,  as  Secretary  of 
the  Interior  Department. 

William  A.  Richardson — Was  elected  to  the  U.  S.  Senate  in 
1863,  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  his  friend,  Stephen  A  Douglas. 
He  was  born  in  Fayette  county,  Ky.,  about  1810,  studied  law, 
and  settled  in  Illinois;  served  as  captain  in  the  Mexican  War,  and, 
on  the  battle-field  of  Buena  Vista,  was  promoted  for  bravery,  by  a 
unanimous  vote  of  his  regiment.  He  served  in  the  Lower  House 
of  Congress  from  1847  to  1856,  continually. 

Richard  Yates — Was  elected  to  the  U.  S.  Senate  in  1865,  serv- 
ing a  full  term  of  six  years.  He  died  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Nov.  2Y, 
1873. 

John  A.  Logan — Was  elected  to  the  U.  S.  Senate  in  1871.  He 
was  born  in  Jackson  county.  111.,  Feb.  9,  1826,  received  a  common 
school  education,  and  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  Mexican  War, 
where  he  rose  to  the  rank  of  Regimental  Quartermaster,  On 
returning  home  he  studied  law,  and  came  to  the  bar  in  1852;  was 
elected  in  1858  a  Representative  to  the  36th  Congress  and  re-elected 
to  the  37th  Congress,  resigning  in  1861  to  take  part  in  the  sup- 
pression of  the  Rebellion;  served  as  Colonel  and  subsequently  as  a 
Major  General,  and  commanded,  with  distinction,  the  armies  of 
the  Tennessee.  He  was  again  elected  to  the  U.  S.  Senate  in  1879 
for  six  years. 

David  Davis — Was  elected  to  the  U.  S.  Senate  in  1877  for  a  term 
of  six  years.  He  was  born  in  Cecil  county,  Md.,  March  9,  1815, 
graduated  at  Kenyon  College,  Ohio,  studied  law,  and  removed  to 
Illinois  in  1835;  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  settled  in  Blooming- 
ton,  where  he  has  since  resided  and  amassed  a  large  fortune.     He 


HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS.  165 

was  for  many  years  the  intimate  friend  and  associate  of  Abraham 
Lincoln,  rode  the  circuit  with  him  each  year,  and  after  Lincohi's 
election  to  the  Presidency,  was  appointed  by  him  to  fill  the  position 
of  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States. 

REPRESENTATIVES  IN  CONGRESS. 

FIFTEENTH  CONGRESS.  NINETEENTH    CONGRESS. 

Jolin  McLean 1818     Daniel  P.  Cook 1825-26 

SIXTEENTH   CONGRESS.  TWENTIETH  CONGRESS. 

Daniel  P.  Cook 1819-20     Joseph  Duncan 1827-28 

SEVENTEENTH   CONGRESS.  TWENTY-FIRST    CONGRESS. 

Daniel  P.  Cook 1821-22     Joseph  Duncan 1829-30 

EIGHTEENTH    CONGRESS.  TWENTY-SECOND  CONGRESS. 

Daniel  P.  Cook 1823-24     Joseph  Duncan 1831-32 

TWENTY-THIRD    CONGRESS. 

Joseph  Duncan 1833-34     Zadock  Casey 1833-34 

TWENTY-FOTTRTH    CONGRESS. 

Zadock  Casey 1835-36     William  L.  May 1835-36 

John  Reynolds 1835-36 

TWENTY-FIFTH    CONGRESS. 

Zadock  Casey 1837-38     William  L.  May 1837-38 

John  Reynolds 1837-38 

TWENTY-SIXTH    CONGRESS. 

Zadock  Casey.... 1839-iO     John  T.  Stuart 1839-40 

John  Reynolds 1839-40 

TWENTY-SEVENTH    CONGRESS. 

Zadock  Casey 1841^2     John  T.  Stuart 1841-42 

John  Reynolds 1841^2 

TWENTY-EIGHTH   CONGRESS. 

Robert  Smith 1843-44  Joseph  P.  Hoge 1843-44 

Orlando  B.  Finklin 1843^4  John  J.  Hardin 1843-44 

Stephen  A.  Douglas 1843-44  John  Wentworth 1843-44 

John  A.  McClernand 1843^4 

TWENTY-NINTH  CONGRESS. 

Robert  Smith 1845-46     Joseph  P.  Hoge 1845-46 

Stephen  A.  Douglas 1845^6     John  A.  McClernand 1845-46 

Orlando  B.  Finklin 1845-46     John  Wentworth 1845-46 

John  J.  Hardin 1845 

THIRTIETH   CONGRESS. 

John  Wentworth 1847-48      Orlando  B.  Finklin 1847-48 

Thomas  J.  Turner 1847  Robert  Smith 1847-48 

Abraham  Lincoln 1847-48     William  A.  Richardson 1847-48 

John  A.  McClernand 1847^8 


166  HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 

TnillTY-FIRST    CONGRESS. 

John  A.  McClernand 1849-50  Edward  D.  Baker. 1849-50 

John  Wentworth 1849-50  William  H.  Bissell 1849-50 

Timothy  R.  Young 1849-50  Thomas  L.  Harris 1849 

William  A.  Richardson. 1849-50 

THIRTY-SECOND    CONGRESS. 

William  A.  Richardson. 1851-52  Richard  Yates 1851-53 

Thompson  Campbell .  .1851-53  Richard   S.  Maloney 1851-52 

Orlando  B.  Finkliu 1851-53 AVillis 1851-52 

John  Wentworth 1851-52  William  H.  Bissell 1851-52 

THIRTY-THIRD    CONGRESS. 

William  H.  Bissell 1853-54  Thompson  Campbell 1853-54 

John  C.  Allen 1853-54  James  Knox 1853-54 

Willis 1853-54  Jesse  O.  Norton 1853-54 

Elihu  B.  Washburne 1853-54  William  A.  Richardson 1863-54 

Richard  Yates 1853-54 

THIRTY-FOURTH    CONGRESS. 

Elihu  B.  Washburne 1855-56  Samuel  S.  Marshall 1855-56 

Lyman  Trumbull 1855-56  J.  L.  D.  Morrison 1855-56 

James  H.  Woodworth 1855-56  John  C.  Allen 1855-56 

James  Knox.. 1855-56  Jesse  O.  Norton 1855-56 

Thompson  Campbell 1855-56  William  A.  Richardson 1855-56 

THIRTY-FIFTH    CONGRESS. 

Elihu  B.  Washburne .1857-58     Samuel  8.  Marshall 1857-58 

Charles  D.  Hodges 1857-58      Isaac  N.  Morris 1857-58 

William  Kellogg 1857-58      Aaron  Shaw 1857-58 

Thompson  Campbell 1857-58      Robert  Smith 1857-58 

John  F.  Farnsworth 1857-58     Thomas  L.  Harris 1857-58 

Owen  Lovejoy 1857-58 

THIRTY-SIXTH    CONGRESS. 

Elihu  B.  Washburne 1859-60     John  F.  Farnsworth 1859-60 

John  A.  Logan 1859-60     Philip  B.  Fouke 1859-60 

Owen  Lovejoy 1859-60     Thomas  L.  Harris 1859-60 

John  A.  McClernand 1859-60      William  Kellogg 1859-60 

Isaac  N  Morris 1859-60     James  C.  Robinson 1859-60 

THIRTY-SEVENTH    CONGRESS. 

Elihu  B.  Washburne 1861-68  Isaac  N.  Arnold 1861-62 

James  C.  Robinson 1861-62  Philip  B.  Fouke 1861-62 

John  A.  Logan 1861-63  William  Kellogg 1861-62 

Owen  Lovejoy 1861-63  Anthony  L.  Knapp 1861-62 

John  A.  McClernand 1861-62  William  A.  Richardson 1861-62 

THIRTY-EIGHTH    CONGRESS. 

Elihu  B.  Washburne 1863-64     William  J.  Allen 1863-64 

Jesse  O.  Norton 1863-64      Isaac  N.  Arnold 1863-64 

James  C.  Robinson 1863-64     John  R.  Eden 1863-64 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 


169 


Lewis  W.  Ross 1863-64 

John  T.  Stuart 1863-64 

Owen  Lovcjoy 1803-64 

William  R.  Morrison 1863-64 

John  C.  Allen 1863-64 


John  F.  Farnsworth 1863-64 

Charles  W.  Morris 1863-64 

Eben  C.  Ingersoll 1863-64 

Anthony  L.  Knapp 1863-64 


THIRTY-NINTH    CONGRESS. 


Elihu  B.  Washburne 1865-66 

Anthony  B.  Thornton 1865-60 

John  Wentworth 1865-60 

Abner  C.  Hardin .1865-66 

Eben  C.  Ingersoll 1865-66 

Barton  C.  Cook 1865-00 

Shelby  M.  Cullom 1865-66 

FORTIETH   CONGRESS 


John  F.  Farnsworth 1865-66 

Jehu  Baker 1805-00 

Heury  P.  H.  Bromwcll 1805-00 

Andrew  Z.  Kuykandall 1865-66 

Samuel  S.  Marshall 1865-66 

Samuel  W.  Moulton 1865-60 

Lewis  W.  Ross 1865-00 


Elihu  B.  Washburne 1867-68 

Abner  C.  Hardin 1867-68 

Eben  C.  Ingersoll 1807-68 

Norman  B.  Judd 1807-68 

Albert  G.  Burr 1867-68 

Burton  C.  Cook 1867-68 

Shelby  M.  Cullom 1867-68 


John  F.  Farnsworth 1867-68 

Jehu  Baker 1867-68 

Henry  P.  H.  Bromwell 1867-68 

John  A.  Logan 1867-08 

Samuel  S.  Marshall 1867-68 

Green  B.  Raum 1867-68 

Lewis  W.  Ross 1867-68 


FORTY-FIRST    CONGRESS. 


Norman  B.  Judd 1809-70 

John  F.  Farnsworth 1869-70 

H.  C.  Burchard 1869-70 

John  B.  Hawley 1869-70 

Eben  C  Ingersoll 1869-70 

Burton  C.  Cook 1869-70 

Jesse  H.  Moore 1869-70 


Shelby  M.  Cullom 1869-70 

Thomas  W.  MeNeely 1869-70 

Albert  G.  Burr 1869-70 

Samuel  S.  Marshall 1869-70 

John  B.  Hay 1869-70 

John  M.  Crebs 1869-70 

John  A.  Logan 1869-70 


FORTY-SECOND  CONGRESS. 


Charles  B.  Farwell 1871-72 

John  F.  Farnsworth 1871-72 

Horatio  C.  Burchard 1871-72 

John  B.  Hawley 1871-72 

Bradford  N.  Stevens 1871-72 

Henry  Snapp 1871-72 

Jesse  H.  Moore 1871-72 


James  C.  Robinson 1871-72 

Thomas  W.  McNeely 1871-72 

Edward  Y.  Rice 1871-72 

Samuel  S.  :Marshall 1871-72 

John  B.  Hay .1871-72 

John  M.  Crebs 1871-72 

John  S.  Beveredgc 1871-72 


FORTY-TUIRD    CONGRESS. 


John  B.  Rice 1873-74     Robert  M.  Knapp 1873-74 


Jasper  D.  Ward 1873-74 

Charles  B.  Farwell 1873-74 

Stephen  A.  Hurlbut 1873-74 

Horatio  C.  Burchard 1873-74 

John  B.  Hawley 1873-74 

Franklin  Corwin 1873-74 


James  C.  Robinson 1873-74 

John  B.  McNulta 1873-74 

Joseph  G.  Cannon 1873-74 

John  R.  Eden 1873-74 

James  S.  Martin 1873-74 

William  R.  Morrison 1873-74 


170 


HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 


Greenbury  L.  Fort 1873-74 

Granville  Banere 1878-74 

William  H.  Ray 1873-74 

FORTY-FOURTH   CONGRESS 


Isaac  Clements 1873- 

Samuel  S.  Marshall 1873- 


Bernard  G.  Caulfleld 1875-76 

Carter  H.  Ilariison 1875-76 

Charles  B.  Farwell 1875-76 

Stephen  A.  Hurlbut 1875-76 

Horatio  C.  Burchard 1875-76 

Thomas  J.  Henderson 1875-76 

Alexander  Campbell 1875-76 

Greenbury  L.  Fort 1875-76 

Richard  H.  Whiting 1875-76 

John  C.  Bagby 1875-76 

FORTY-FIFTH    CONGRESS, 

William  Aldrich 1877-78 

Carter  H.  Harrison 1877-78 

Lorenzo  Brentano 1877-78 

William  Lathrop 1877-78 

Horatio  C.  Burchard 1877-78 

Thomas  J.  Henderson 1877-78 

Philip  C.  Hayes 1877-78 

Greenbury  L.  Fort 1877-78 

Thomas  A.  Boyd 1877-78 

Benjamin  F.  Marsh 1877-78 

FORTY-SIXTH    CONGRESS 


Scott  Wike 1875- 

W^illiam  M.  Springer 1875- 

Adlai  E.  Stevenson 1875- 

Joseph  G.  Cannon 1875- 

John  R.  Eden 1875- 

W.  A.  J.  Sparks 1875- 

William  R.  Morrison 1875- 

William  Hartzell 1875- 

William  B.  Anderson 1875- 


•74 
■74 


■76 
■76 
■76 
76 
76 
76 
76 
76 
76 


Robert  M.  Rn^pp 1877 

William  M.  Springer 1877 

Thomas  F.  Tipton 1877 

Joseph  G.  Cannon 1877 

JohnR.  Eden 1877 

W.  A.  J.  Sparks 1877- 

William  R.  Morrison 1877 

William  Hartzell 1877 

Richard  W.  Townshend 1877 


William  Aldrich 1879-80 

George  R.Davis 1879-80 

Hiram  Barber 1879-80 

John  C  Sherwin 1879-80 

R.  M.  A.  Hawk 1879-80 

Thomas  J.  Henderson 1879-80 

Philip  C.  Hayes 1879-80 

Greenbury  L.  Fort 1879-80 

Thomas  A.  Boyd 1879-80 

Benjamin  F.  Marsh 1879-80 


James  W.  Singleton 1879 

William  M.  Springer 1879 

A.  E.  Stevenson 1879 

Joseph  G.  Cannon 1879 

Albert  P.  Forsythe 1879 

W.  A.  J.  Sparks 1879 

William  R.  Morrison 1879^ 

John  R.  Thomas 1879 

R.  W.  Townshend 1879- 


-78 
-78 
-78 
-78 
-78 
-78 
-78 
-78 
-78 


-80 
-80 
-80 
-80 
-80 
-80 
-80 
-80 
-80 


CHICAGO. 

"While  we  cannot,  in  the  brief  space  we  have,  give  more  than  a 
meager  sketch  of  such  a  city  as  Chicago,  yet  we  feel  the  history  of 
the  State  would  be  incomplete  without  speaking  of  its  metropolis, 
the  most  wonderful  city  on  the  globe. 

In  comparing  Chicago  as  it  was  a  few  years  since  with  Chicago 
of  to-day,  we  behold  a  change  whose  veritable  existence  we  should 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS.  171 

be  inclined  to  doubt  were  it  not  a  stern,  indisputable  fact.  Eapid 
as  is  the  customary  development  of  places  and  things  in  the  United 
States-,  the  growth  of  Chicago  and  her  trade  stands  without  a  parallel. 
The  city  is  situated  on  the  west  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Chicago  river.  It  lies  11  feet  above  the  lake,  having 
been  raised  to  that  grade  entirely  by  the  energy  of  its  citizens,  its 
site  having  originally  been  on  a  dead  level  with  the  water  of  the 
lake. 

The  city  extends  north  and  south  along  the  lake  about  ten  miles, 
and  westward  on  the  prairie  from  the  lake  five  or  six  miles,  embrac- 
ino-  an  area  of  over  10  square  miles.  It  is  divided  by  the  river 
into  three  distinct  parts,  known  as  the  Korth,  West  and  South 
Divisions,  or  "Sides,"  by  which  they  are  popularly  and  commonly 
known.     These  are  connected  by  33  bridges  and  two  tunnels. 

The  first  settlement  of  Chicago  was  made  in  1801,  during  which 
year  Fort  Dearborn  was  built.  At  the  close  of  1830  Chicago  con- 
tained 12  houses,  with  a  population  of  about  100.  The  town  was 
organized  in  1833,  and  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1837.  The  first 
frame  building  was  erected  in  1832,  and  the  first  brick  house  in 
1833.  The  first  vessel  entered  the  harbor  June  11,  1831;  and  at 
the  first  oflicial  census,  taken  July  1,  1837,  the  entire  population 
was  found  to  be  4,170.  In  1850  the  population  had  increased  to 
29,963;  in  1860,  to  112,172;  in  1870,  298,977;  and,  according  to 
the  customary  mode  of  reckoning  from  the  number  of  names  in 
the  City  Directory,  the  population  of  1879  is  over  500,000. 

Nicholas  Perrot,  a  Frenchman,  was  the  first  white  man  to  visit 
the  site  of  Chicago.  This  he  did  in  1671,  at  the  instigation  of  M. 
Toulon,  Governor  of  Canada.  He  was  sent  to  invite  the  Western 
Indians  to  a  convention  at  Green  Bay.  It  has  been  often  remarked 
that  the  first  white  man  who  became  a  resident  of  Chicago  was  a 
negro.  His  name  was  Jean  Baptiste  Pointe  au  Sable,  a  mulatto  from 
the  West  Indies.  He  settled  there  in  1796  and  built  a  rude  cabin  on 
the  north  bank  of  the  main  river,  and  laid  claim  to  a  tract  of  land 
surrounding  it.  He  disappeared  from  the  scene,  and  his  claim  was 
"jumped"  by  a  Frenchman  named  Le  Mai,  who  commenced  trad- 
ing with  the  Indians.  A  few  years  later  he  sold  out  to  John  Kin- 
zie,  who  was  then  an  Indian  trader  in  the  country  about  St. 
Joseph,  Mich.,  and  agent  for  the  American  Fur  Company,  which 
had  traded  at  Chicago  with  the  Indians  for  some  time;   and  this 


172  niSTOKY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

fact  liad,  probably  more  tlian  any  other,  to  do  with  the  determina- 
tion of  the  Government  to  establish  a  fort  there.  The  Indians 
were  growing  numerous  in  that  region,  being  attracted  by  the 
facilities  for  selling  their  wares,  as  well  as  being  pressed  nortliward 
by  the  tide  of  emigration  setting  in  from  the  south.  It  was  judged 
necessary  to  have  some  force  near  that  point  to  keep  them  in 
check,  as  well  as  to  protect  the  trading  interests.  Mr.  Kinzie 
moved  his  family  there  the  same  year  Fort  Dearborn  was  built^ 
and  converted  the  Jean  Baptiste  cabin  into  a  tasteful  dwelling. 

For  about  eight  years  things  moved  along  smoothly.  The  garri- 
son was  quiet,  and  the  traders  prosperous.  Then  the  United  States 
became  involved  in  trouble  with  Great  Britain.  The  Indians  took 
the  war-path  long  before  the  declaration  of  hostilities  between  the 
civilized  nations,  committing  great  depredations,  the  most  atro- 
cious of  which  was  the  massacre  of  Fort  Dearborn,  an  account  of 
which  may  be  found  in  this  volume  under  the  heading  of  "  The 
War  of  1812." 

THE    GREAT   FIKE. 

From  the  year  1840  the  onward  march  of  the  city  of  Chicago 
to  the  date  of  the  great  fire  is  well  known.  To  recount  its  marvel- 
ous growth  in  population,  wealth,  internal  resources  and  improve- 
ments and  everything  else  that  goes  to  make  up  a  mighty  city, 
would  consume  more  space  than  we  could  devote,  however  interest- 
ing it  might  be.  Its  progress  astonished  the  world',  and  its  citizens 
stood  almost  appalled  at  the  work  of  their  own  hands.  She  was 
happy,  prosperous  and  great  when  time  brought  that  terrible  Octo- 
ber night  (Oct.  9,  1871)  and  with  it  the  great  fire,  memorable  as 
the  greatest  fire  ever  occurring  on  earth.  The  sensation  conveyed 
to  the  spectator  of  this  unparalleled  event,  either  through  the  eye, 
the  ear,  or  other  senses  or  sympathies,  cannot  be  adequately 
described,  and  any  attempt  to  do  it  but  shows  the  poverty  of  lan- 
guage. As  a  spectacle  it  was  beyond  doubt  the  grandest  as  well  as 
the  most  appalling  ever  oflfered  to  mortal  eyes.  From  any 
elevated  standpoint  the  appearance  was  that  of  a  vast  ocean  of 
flame,  sweeping  in  mile-long  billows  and  breakers  over  the  doomed 

city. 

Added  to  the  spectacular  elements  of  the  conflagration — the 
intense  and  lurid  light,  the  sea  of  red  and  black,  and  the  spires  and 
pyramids  of  flame  shooting  into  the  heavens — was  its  constant  and 


SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  LA  SALLE  STREET  TUNNEL,  CHICAGO. 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 


173 


terrible  roar,  drowning  even  the  voices  of  tlie  shrieking  multitude; 
and  ever  and  anon — for  a  while  as  often  as  every  half-minute — 
resounded  far  aiid  wide  the  rapid  detonations  of  explosions,  or  fall- 
ino-  walls.  In  short,  all  sights  and  sounds  which  terrify  the  weak 
and  unnerve  the  strong  abounded.  But  they  were  only  the  accom- 
paniment which  the  orchestra  of  nature  were  furnishing  to  the 
terrible  tragedy  there  being  enacted. 

The  total  area  burned  over,  including  streets,  was  three  and  a 
third  square  miles.  The  number  of  buildings  destroyed  was 
17,450 ;  persons  rendered  homeless,  98,500 ;  persons  killed,  about 
200.  Not  including  depreciation  of  real  estate,  or  loss  of  business, 
it  is  estimated  that  the  total  loss  occasioned  by  the  fire  was 
$190,000,000,  of  which  but  $44,000,000  was  recovered  on  insur- 
ance. The  business  of  the  city  was  interrupted  but  a  short  time; 
and  in  a  year  after  the  fire  a  large  part  of  the  burned  district  was 
rebuilt,  and  at  present  there  is  scarcely  a  trace  of  the  terrible  dis- 
aster, save  in  the  improved  character  of  the  new  buildings  over 
those  destroyed,  and  the  general  better  appearance  of  the  city — 
now  the  finest,  in  an  architectural  sense,  in  the  world. 

One  of  the  features  of  this  great  city  worthy  of  mention  is  the 
Exposition,  held  annually.  The  smouldering  ruin's  were  yet  smok- 
ing when  the  Exposition  Building  was  erected,  only  ninety  days 
being  consumed  in  its  construction.  The  accompanying  engrav- 
ing of  the  building,  the  main  part  of  which  is  1,000  feet  long, 
will  give  an  idea  of  its  magnitude. 

COMMERCE   OF   CHICAGO. 

The  trade  of  Chicago  is  co-extensive  with  the  world.  Every- 
where, in  every  country  and  in  every  port,  the  trade- marks  of  her 
merchants  are  seen.  Everywhere,  Chicago  stands  prominently 
identified  with  the  commerce  of  the  continent.  A  few  years  ago, 
grain  was  carted  to  the  place  in  wagons;  now  more  than  10,000 
miles  of  railroad,  with  thousands  of  trains  heavily  ladened  with  the 
products  of  the  land  center  there.  The  cash  value  of  the  produce 
handled  during  the  year  1S7S  was  $220,000,000,  and  its  aggregate 
weight  was  7,000,000  tons,  or  would  make  700,000  car  loads. 
Divided  into  trains,  it  would  make  28,000  long,  heavily  ladened 
freight  trains,  wending  their  way  from  all  parts  of  the  United  States 
toward  our  great  metropolis.     These  trains,  arranged  in  one  con- 


174  ^  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

tinuons  line,  would  stretch  from  London  across  tlie  broad  Atlantic 
to  New  York  and  on  across  our  continent  to  San  Francisco. 

In  regard  to  the  grain,  lumber  and  stock  trade,  Chicago  has  sur- 
passed all  rivals,  and,  indeed,  not  only  is  without  a  peer  but  excels 
any  three  or  four  cities  in  the  world  in  these  branches.  Of  grain, 
the  vast  quantity  of  134,851,193  bushels  was  received  during  the 
year  1878.  This  was  about  two-fifths  more  than  ever  received 
before  in  one  year.  It  took  13,000  long  freight  trains  to  carry  it 
from  the  fields  of  the  Northwest  to  Chicago.  This  would  make  a 
continuous  train  that  would  reach  across  the  continent  from  New 
York  to  San  Francisco.  Speaking  more  in  detail,  we  have  of  the 
various  cereals  received  during  the  year,  62,783,577  bushels  of  corn, 
29,901,220  bushels  of  wheat,  18,251,529  bushels  of  oats,  133,981,104 
pounds  of  seed.  The  last  item  alone  would  fill  about  7,000  freight 
cars. 

The  lumber  received  during  the  year  1878  was,  1,171,364,000  feet, 
exceeded  only  in  1872,  the  year  after  the  great  fire.  This  vast 
amount  of  lumber  would  require  195,000  freight  cars  to  transport 
it.  It  would  build  a  fence,  four  boards  high,  four  and  one-lialf 
times  around  the  globe. 

In  the  stock  trade  for  the  year  1878,  the  figures  assume  propor- 
tions almost  incredible.  They  are,  however,  from  reliable  and 
trustworthy  sources,  and  must  be  accepted  as  authentic.  There 
were  received  during  the  year,  6,339,656  hogs,  being  2,000,000  more 
than  ever  received  before  in  one  year.  It  required  129,916  stock 
cars  to  transport  this  vast  number  of  hogs  from  the  farms  of  the 
West  and  Northwest  to  the  stock  yards  of  Chicago,  These  hogs 
arranged  in  single  file,  would  form  a  connecting  link  between 
Chicago  and  Pekin,  China. 

Of  the  large  number  of  hogs  received,  five  millions  of  them  were 
slaughtered  in  Chicago.  The  aggregate  amount  of  product  manu- 
factured from  these  hogs  was  918,000,000  pounds.  The  capacity  of 
the  houses  engaged  in  slaughtering  operations  in  Chicago  is  60,000 
hogs  daily.  The  number  of  liands  employed  in  these  houses  is 
from  6,000  to  8,000.  Tlie  number  of  packages  required  in  which 
to  market  the  year's  product  is  enormously  large,  aggregating  500,- 
000  barrels,  800,000  tierces  and  650,000  boxes. 

There  lias  been  within  the  stock  yards  of  the  city,  during  the 
year  1878,  1,036,066  cattle.     These  were  gathered  from  the  plains 


HISTOKY   OF    ILLINOIS.  175 

of  Oregon,  Wyoming  and  Utah,  and  the  grazing  regions  of  Texas, 
as  well  as  from  all  the  Southern,  Western  and  Northwestern  States 
and  Territories  and  from  the  East  as  far  as  Ohio.  If  these  cattle 
were  driven  from  Chicago  southward,  in  single  file,  through  the 
United  States,  Mexico,  and  the  Central  American  States  into  South 
America,  the  foremost  could  graze  on  the  plains  of  Brazil,  ere  the 
last  one  had  passed  the  limits  of  the  great  city. 

Not  only  does  Chicago  attract  to  its  great  market  the  products  of 
a  continent,  but  from  it  is  distributed  throughout  the  world  manu- 
factured goods.  Every  vessel  and  every  train  headed  toward  that 
city  are  heavily  ladened  with  the  crude  products  of  the  farm,  of  the 
forests,  or  of  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  and  every  ship  that  leaves  her 
docks  and  every  train  that  flies  from  her  limits  are  filled  with 
manufactured  articles.  These  goods  not  only  find  their  way  all 
over  our  own  country  but  into  Europe,  Asia,  Australia,  Africa, 
South  America,  Mexico,  and  the  Islands  of  the  sea;  indeed,  every 
nook  and  corner  of  the  globe,  where  there  is  a  demand  for  her 
goods,  her  merchants  are  ready  to  supply. 

The  wholesale  trade  for  the  year  1ST8  reached  enormous  fiirures, 
aggregating  $280,000,000.  Divided  among  the  leading  lines,  we 
find  there  were  sold  of  dry  goods,  $95,000,000  worth.  The  trade  in 
groceries  amounted  to  $66,000,000;  hardware,  $20,000,000;  boots 
and  shoes,  $24,000,000;  clothing,  $1T,000,000;  carpets,  $8,000,000; 
millinery,  $7,000,000;  hats  and  caps,  $6,000,000;  leather,  $8,000,- 
000;  drugs,  $6,000,000;  jewelry,  $4,500,000;  musical  instruments, 
$2,300,000.  Chicago  sold  over  $5,000,000  worth  of  fruit  during 
the  year,  and  for  the  same  time  her  fish  trade  amounted  to  $1,400,- 
000,  and  her  oyster  trade  $4,500,000.  The  candy  and  other  con- 
fectionery trade  amounted  to  $1,534,900.  This  would  fill  all  the 
Christmas  stockings  in  the  United  States. 

In  1852,  the  commerce  of  the  city  reached  the  hopeful  sum  of 
$20,000,000;  since  then,  the  annual  sales  of  one  firm  amount  to 
that  much.  In  1870,  it  reached  $400,000,000,  and  in  1878  it  had 
grown  so  i-apidh'  that  the  trade  of  the  city  amounted  during  that 
year  to  $650,000,000.  Her  manufacturing  interests  hav^e  likewise 
grown.  In  1878,  her  manufactories  employed  in  the  neighborhood 
of  75,000  operators.  The  products  mannfactured  during  the  3^ear 
were  valued  at  $230,000,000.  In  reviewing  the  shi])ping  interests  of 
Chicago,  we  find  it  ecpially  enormous.    So  considerable,  indeed,  is  the 


176  HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 

commercial  navy  of  Chicago,  that  in  the  seasons  of  navigation,  one 
vessel  sails  every  nine  minutes  during  the  business  hours;  add  to 
this  the  canal-boats  that  leave,  one  every  five  minutes  during  the 
same  time,  and  you  will  see  something  of  the  magnitude  of  her 
shipping.  More  vessels  arrive  and  depart  from  this  port  during  the 
season  than  enter  or  leave  any  other  port  in  the  world. 

In  1831,  the  mail  system  was  condensed  into  a  half-breed,  who 
went  on  foot  to  Niles,  Mich.,  once  in  two  weeks,  and  brought  back 
what  papers  and  news  he  could  find.  As  late  as  1846,  there  was 
often  but  one  mail  a  week.  A  post-ofiice  was  established  in 
Chicago  in  1833,  and  the  postmaster  nailed  up  old  boot  legs  upon 
one  side  of  his  shop  to  serve  as  boxes.  It  has  since  grown  to  be 
the  largest  receiving  office  in  the  United  States. 

In  lSl::t,  the  (puigmires  in  the  streets  were  first  pontooned  by 
plank  roads.  The  wooden-block  pavement  appeared  in  1857.  In 
1840,  water  was  delivered  by  peddlers,  in  carts  or  by  hand.  Then 
a  twenty -five  horse  power  engine  pushed  it  through  hollow  or  bored 
logs  along  the  streets  till  1854,  when  it  was  introduced  into  the 
houses  by  new  works.  The  first  fire-engine  was  used  in  1835,  and 
the  first  steam  fire-engine  in  1859.  Gas  was  utilized  for  lighting 
the  city  in  1850.  The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  was 
oro-anized  in  1858.  Street  cars  commenced  running  in  1854.  The 
Museum  was  opened  in  1863.  The  alarm  telegraph  adopted  in 
1864.     The  opera-house  built  in  1865.     The  telephone  introduced 

in  1878. 

One  of  the  most  thoroughly  interesting  engineering  exploits  of 
the  city  is  the  tunnels  and  water-works  system,  the  grandest  and 
most  unique  of  any  in  the  world;  and  the  closest  analysis  fails  to 
detect  any  impurities  in  the  water  furnished.  The  first  tunnel  is 
five  feet  two  inches  in  diameter  and  two  miles  long,  and  can  deliver 
50,000,000  gallons  per  day.  The  second  tunnel  is  seven  feet  in 
diameter  and  six  miles  long,  running  four  miles  under  the  city,  and 
can  deliver  100,000,000  gallons  per  day.  This  water  is  distributed 
through  410  miles  of  water  mains. 

Chicao-o  river  is  tunneled  for  the  passage  of  pedestrians  and  vehi- 
cles from  the  South  to  the  West  and  North  divisions. 

There  is  no  grand  scenery  about  Chicago  except  the  two  seas,  one 
of  water,  the  other  of  prairie.  Kevertheless,  there  is  a  spirit  about 
it,  a  push,  a  breadth,  a  power,  that  soon  makes  it  a  place  never  to 


m- 


a 
o 


s 


f:        //y^W^' 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS.  177 

be  forsaken.  Chicago  is  in  the  field  ahnost  alone,  to  handle  the 
wealth  of  one-fourth  of  the  territory  of  this  great  republic.  The 
Atlantic  sea-coast  divides  its  margins  between  Portland,  Boston, 
New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Savannah,  but  Chicago  has 
a  dozen  empires  casting  their  treasures  into  her  lap.  On  a  bed  of 
coal  that  can  run  all  the  macliinery  of  the  world  for  500  centuries; 
in  a  garden  that  can  feed  the  race  by  the  thousand  years;  at  the 
head  of  the  lakes  tliat  give  lier  a  temperature  as  a  summer  resort 
equaled  by  no  great  city  in  the  land;  with  a  climate  that  insures 
the  health  of  her  citizens;  surrounded  by  all  the  great  deposits  of 
natural  wealth  in  mines  and  forests  and  herds,  Chicago  is  the 
wonder  of  to-day,  and  will  be  the  city  of  the  future. 

STATES  OF  THE  UNION. 

THEIR  SETTLEMENT,  ORIGIN  OF  NAME  AND  MEANING,  COGNOMEN,  MOT- 
TOES, ADMISSION  INTO  THE  UNION,  POPULATION,  AREA,  NUMBER  OF 
SOLDIERS  FURNISHED  DURING  THE  REBELLION,  NUMBER  OF  REPRE- 
SENTATIVES IN  CONGRESS,  PRESENT  GOVERNORS,  ETC.,  ETC.,  ETC. 

Alabama. — This  State  was  first  explored  by  LaSalle  in  1684,  and 
settled  by  the  French  at  Mobile  in  1711,  and  admitted  as  a  State  in 
1817.  Its  name  is  Indian,  and  means  "  Here  we  rest."  Has  no 
motto.  Population  in  1860,964,201;  in  1870,906,992.  Furnished 
2,576  soldiers  for  the  Union  army.  Area  50,722  square  miles. 
Montgomery  is  the  capital.  Has  8  Representatives  and  10  Presi- 
dential electors.  Rufus  W.  Cobb  is  Governor;  salary,  $3,000; 
politics,  Democratic.     Length  of  term,  2  years. 

Arkansas — Became  a  State  in  1836.  Population  in  1860,  435,- 
450;  in  1870,484,471.  Area  52,198  square  miles.  Little  Rock, 
capital.  Its  motto  is  Regnant  Populi — "  The  people  rule."  It  has 
the  Indian  name  of  its  principal  river.  Is  called  the  "Bear  State." 
Furnished  8,289  soldiers.  She  is  entitled  to  4  members  in  Congress, 
and  6  electoral  votes.  Governor,  W.  R.  Miller,  Democrat;  salary, 
$3,500 ;  term,  2  years. 

California — Has  a  Greek  motto,  E^ireJca,  which  means  "  I  have 
found  it."  It  derived  its  name  from  the  bay  forming  the  peninsula 
of  Lower  California,  and  was  first  applied  by  Cortez.  It  was  first 
visited  by  the  Spaniards  in  1542,  and  by  the  celebrated  Enghsh 


178  HISTORY   OF    ILLINOIS. 

navigator,  Sir  Francis  Drake,  in  1578.  In  1846  Fremont  took 
possession  of  it,  defeating  the  Mexicans,  in  the  name  of  the  United 
States,  and  it  was  admitted  as  a  State  in  1850.  Its  gold  mines 
from  1868  to  1878  produced  over  $800,000,000.  Area  188,982  square 
miles.  Population  in  1860,  379,994.  In  1870,  560,247.  She  gave 
to  defend  the  Union  15,225  soldiers.  Sacramento  is  the  capital. 
Has  4  Representatives  in  Congress.  Is  entitled  to  6  Presidential 
electors.  Present  Governor  is  William  Irwin,  a  Democrat;  term, 
4  years ;  salary,  $6,000, 

Colorado — Contains  106,475  square  miles,  and  had  a  population 
in  1860  of  34,277,  and  in  1870,  39,864.  She  furnished  4,903 
soldiers.  "Was  admitted  as  a  State  in  1876.  It  has  a  Latin  motto, 
Nil  sine  JSfumine,  which  means,  "  Nothing  can  be  done  without 
divine  aid."  It  was  named  from  its  river.  Denver  is  the  capital. 
lias  1  member  in  Congress,  and  3  electors,  T.  W.  Pitkin  is  Gov- 
ernor; salary,  $3,000;  term,  2  years;  politics,  Pepublican. 

Connecticut — Qui  transtulit  sustinet,  "  He  who  brought  us  over 
sustains  us,"  is  her  motto.  It  was  named  from  the  Indian  Quon- 
ch-ta-Cut,  signifying  "Long  River."  It  is  called  the  "Nutmeg 
State."  Area  4,674  square  miles.  Population  1860,  460,147;  in 
1870,  537,454.  Gave  to  the  Union  army  55,755  soldiers,  Hart- 
ford is  the  capital.  Has  4  Representatives  in  Congress,  and  is 
entitled  to  6  Presidential  electors.  Salary  of  Governor  $2,000; 
term,  2  years. 

Delaware. — "  Liberty  and  Independence,"  is  the  motto  of  this 
State.  It  was  named  after  Lord  De  La  Ware,  an  English  states- 
man, and  is  called,  "  The  Blue  Hen,"  and  the  "  Diamond  State."  It 
was  first  settled  by  the  Swedes  in  1638.  It  was  one  of  the  original 
thirteen  States.  Has  an  area  of  2,120  square  miles.  Population  in 
1860,  112,216;  in  1870,  125,015.  She  sent  to  the  front  to  defend 
the  Union,  12,265  soldiers.  Dover  is  the  caj^ital.  B[as  but  1  mem- 
ber in  Congress;  entitled  to  3  Presidential  electors.  John  W. 
Hall,  Democrat,  is  Governor;  salary,  $2,000;  term,  2  years. 

Florida — Was  discovered  by  Ponce  de  Leon  in  1512,  on  Easter 
Sunday,  called  by  the  Spaniards,  Pascua  Florida,  which,  with  the 
variety  and  beauty  of  the  flowers  at  this  early  season  caused  him  to 
name  it  Florida — which  means  in  Spanish,  flowery.  Its  motto  is, 
"  In  God  we  trust."  It  was  admitted  into  the  Union  in  1845.  It  has 
an  area  of  59,268  square  miles.      Population  in  1860,  140,424;  in 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS.  179 

1870, 187,756.  Its  capital  is  Tallahassee.  Has  2  members  in  Con- 
gress. Has  4  Presidential  electors.  George  F.  Drew,  Democrat, 
Governor;    term,  4  years;  salary,  $3,500. 

Georgia — Owes  its  name  to  George  II.,  of  England,  who  first 
established  a  colony  there  in  1732.  Its  motto  is,  "  Wisdom,  justice 
and  moderation."  It  was  one  of  the  original  States.  Population 
in  1860,  1,057,286;  1870,  1,184,109.  Capital,  Atlanta.  Area  58,- 
000  square  miles.  Has  9  Eepresentatives  in  Congress,  and  11 
Presidential  electors.  Her  Governor  is  A.  H.  Colquitt,  Democrat; 
term,  4  years;  salary,  $4,000. 

Illinois — Motto,  "  State  Sovereignty,  National  Union."  Name 
derived  from  the  Indian  word,  Illini,  meaning,  superior  men.  It 
is  called  the  ''Prairie  State,"  and  its  inhabitants,  "Suckers." 
Was  first  explored  by  the  French  in  1673,  and  admitted  into  the 
Union  in  1818.  Area  55,410  square  miles.  Population,  in  1860^ 
1,711,951;  in  1870,  2,539,871.  She  sent  to  the  front  to  defend  the 
Union,  258,162  soldiers.  Capital,  Springfield  Has  19  members  in 
Congress,  and  21  Presidential  electors.  Shelby  M.  Cullom,  Kepnb. 
lican,  is  Governor;  elected  for  4  years;  salary,  $6,000. 

Indiana — Is  called  "  Hoosier  State."  Was  explored  in  1682, 
and  admitted  as  a  State  in  1816.  Its  name  was  suggested  by  its 
numerous  Indian  population.  Area  33,809  square  miles.  Popu- 
lation in  1860,  1,350,428;  in  1870,  1,680,637.  She  put  into  the 
Federal  army,  194,363  men.  Capital,  Indianapolis.  Has  13  mem- 
bers in  Congress,  and  15  Presidential  electors.  J.D.Williams, 
Governor,  Democrat;  salary,  $3,000;  term,  4  year. 

Iowa — Is  an  Indian  name  and  means  "This  is  the  land."  Its 
motto  is,  "Our  liberties  we  prize,  our  rights  we  will  maintain." 
It  is  called  the  "  Hawk  Eye  State."  It  was  first  visited  by 
Marquette  and  Joliet  in  1673;  settled  by  New  Englanders  in 
1833,  and  admitted  into  the  Union  in  1846.  Des  Moines  is  the 
capital.  It  has  an  area  of  55,045,  and  a  population  in  1860  of  674.913, 
and  in  1870  of  1,191,802.  She  sent  to  defend  the  Government, 
75,793  soldiers.  Has  9  members  in  Congress;  11  Presidential 
electors.  John  H.  Gear,  Kepublican,  is  Governor;  salary,  $2,500; 
term,  2years. 

Kansas — Was  admitted  into  the  Union  in  1861,  making  the 
thirty-fourth  State.  Its  motto  is  Ad  astra  per  aspera^  "  To  the 
stars  through  difiiculties."     Its  name  means,  "  Smoky  water,"  and 


180  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS. 

is  derived  from  one  of  her  rivers.  Area  78,841  square  miles. 
Population  in  1860,  107,209;  in  1870  was  362,812.  She  furnished 
20,095  soldiers.  Capital  is  Topeka.  Has  3  Representatives  in  Con- 
gress, and  5  Presidential  electors.  John  P.  St.  John,  Governor; 
politics,  Republican;  salary,  $3,000;  terra,  2  years. 

Kentucky — Is  the  Indian  name  for  "At  the  head  of  the  rivers." 
Its  motto  is,  "  United  we  stand,  divided  we  fall,"  The  sobriquet 
of  "dark  and  bloody  ground  "  is  applied  to  this  State.  It  was  first 
settled  in  1769,  and  admitted  in  1792  as  the  fifteenth  State.  Area 
37,680.  Population  in  1860,  1,155,684;  in  1870,  1,321,000.  She 
put  into  the  Federal  army  75,285  soldiers.  Capital,  Frankfort. 
Has  10  members  in  Congress;  12  Electors.  J.  B.  McCreary, 
Democrat,  is  Governor;  salary,  $5,000 ;  term,  4  years. 

Louisiana — Was  called  after  Louis  XIY.,  who  at  one  time 
owned  that  section  of  the  country.  Its  motto  is  "  Union  and  Con- 
fidence." It  is  called  "The  Creole  State."  It  was  visited  by  La 
Salle  in  1684,  and  admitted  into  the  Union  in  1812,  making  the 
eighteenth  State.  Population  in  1860,708,002;  in  1870,  732,731. 
Area  46,431  square  miles.  She  put  into  the  Federal  army  5,224 
soldiers.  Capital,  Kew  Orleans.  Has  6  Representatives  and  8 
Electors.  F.  T.  Nichols,  Governor,  Democrat;  salary,  $8,000; 
term,  4  years. 

Maine. — This  State  was  called  after  the  province  of  Maine  in 
France,  in  compliment  of  Queen  Henrietta  of  England,  who  owned 
that  province.  Its  motto  is  Dirigo^  meaning  "  I  direct."  It  is 
called  "The  Pine  Tree  State."  It  was  settled  by  the  English  in 
1625.  It  was  admitted  as  a  State  in  1820.  Area  31,766  square 
miles.  Population  in  1860,  628,279;  in  1870,  626,463;  69,738  sol- 
diers v/ent  from  this  State.  Has  5  members  in  Congress,  and  7 
Electors.  Selden  Conner,  Republican,  Governor;  term,  1  year; 
salary,  $2,500. 

Maryland — Was  named  after  Henrietta  Maria,  Queen  of 
Charles  I.  of  England.  It  has  a  Latin  motto,  Crecite  et  Tnultiplica- 
mini,  meaning  "  Increase  and  Multiply."  It  was  settled  in  1634, 
and  was  one  of  the  original  thirteen  States.  It  has  an  area  of  11,- 
124  square  miles.  Population  in  1860  was  687,049;  in  1870,  780,- 
806.  This  State  furnished  46,053  soldiers.  Capital,  Annapolis. 
Has  6  Representatives,  and  8  Presidential  electors.  J.  H.  Carroll, 
Democrat,  Governor;  salary,  $4, 500 ;  term,  4  years. 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS.  181 

Massachusetts — Is  the  Indian  for  "  The  country  around  the  great 
hills."  It  is  called  the  "Bay  State,"  from  its  numerous  bays.  Its 
motto  is  E use  petit  placidam  sub  lihertatc  quietem,  "  By  the  sword 
she  seeks  placid  rest  in  liberty."  It  was  settled  in  1620  at  Plymouth 
by  English  Puritans.  It  was  one  of  the  original  thirteen  States, 
and  was  the  first  to  take  up  arms  against  the  English  during  the 
Revolution.  Area  7,800  square  miles.  Population  in  1860,  1,231,- 
066;  in  18T0,  1,457,351.  She  gave  to  the  Union  army  146,467  sol- 
diers. Boston  is  the  capital.  Has  11  Representatives  in  Con- 
gress, and  13  Presidential  electors.  Thomas  Talbot,  Republican,  is 
Governor;  salary,  $5,000;  terra,  1  year. 

Michigan — Latin  motto,  Luehor,  and  Si  qucEvis  yeninsulariL 
amainam  circumspice, '-'■  1  will  defend" — "  If  you  seek  a  pleasant 
peninsula,  look  around  you."  The  name  is  a  contraction  of  two 
Indian  words  meaning  "  Great  Lake."  It  was  early  explored  by 
Jesuit  missionaries,  and  in  1837  was  admitted  into  the  Union.  It 
is  known  as  the  "  Wolverine  State."  It  contains  56,243  square 
miles.  In  18G0  it  had  a  population  of  749,173;  in  1870, 1,184,059. 
She  furnished  88,111  soldiers.  Capital,  Lansing.  Has  9  Repre- 
sentatives and  11  Presidential  electors.  C.  M.  Croswell  is  Gov- 
ernor; politics,  Republican;  salary,  $1,000;  term,  2  years. 

Minnesota — Is  an  Indian  name,  meaning  "  Cloudy  Water."  It 
has  a  French  motto,  VE toils  du  Word — "  The  Star  of  the  North." 
It  was  visited  in  1680  by  La  Salle,  settled  in  1846,  and  admitted 
into  the  Union  in  1858.  It  contains  83,531  square  miles.  In  1860 
had  a  population  of  172,023;  in  1870,  439,511.  She  gave  to  the 
Union  army  24-,002  soldiers.  St.  Paul  is  the  capital.  Has  3  mem- 
bers in  Congress,  5  Presidential  electors.  Governor,  J.  S.  Pills- 
bury,  Republican;  salary,  $3,000;  term,  2  years. 

Mississipjyi — Is  an  Indian  name, meaning  "Long River,"  and  the 
State  is  named  from  the  "  Father  of  Waters."  The  State  was  first 
explored  by  De  Sota  in  1541;  settled  by  the  French  at  Natchez  in 
1716,  and  was  admitted  into  the  Union  in  1817.  It  has  an  area  of 
47,156  square  miles.  Population  in  1860,  791,305;  in  1870,827,- 
922.  She  gave  to  suppress  the  Rebellion  545  soldiers.  Jackson  is 
the  capital.  lias  6  representatives  in  Congress,  and  8  Presidential 
electors.  J.  M.  Stone  is  Governor,  Democrat;  salary,  $4,000; 
terra,  4  years. 

Missouri — Is  derived  from  the  Indian  word  "  muddy,"  which 


182  HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS. 


more  properly  applies  to  the  river  that  flows  through  it.  Its  motto 
is  Salus  popull  suprema  lex  esto,  "  Let  the  welfare  of  the  people 
be  the  supreme  law."  The  State  was  first  settled  by  the  French 
near  JelFerson  City  in  1719,  and  in  1S21  was  admitted  into  the 
Union.  It  has  an  area  of  67,380  square  miles,  equal  to  43,123,200 
acres.  It  had  a  population  in  1860  of  1,182,012;  in  1870,  1,721,- 
000.  She  gave  to  defend  the  Union  108,162  soldiers.  Capital, 
Jefierson  City.  Its  inhabitants  are  known  by  the  offensive  cogno- 
man  of  ^'  Pukes."  Has  13  representatives  in  Congress,  and  15 
Presidential  electors.  J.  S.  Phelps  is  Governor;  politics.  Demo- 
cratic; salary,  $5,000;  term,  4  years. 

Nebraska— Rsi.^  f  jr  its  motto,  "  Equality  before  the  law."  Its 
name  is  derived  from  one  of  its  rivers,  meaning  "  broad  and  shal- 
low, or  low."  It  was  admitted  into  the  Union  in  1367.  Its  capital 
is  Lincoln.  It  had  a  population  in  1860  of  28,841,  and  in  1870, 
123,993,  and  in  1875,246,280.  It  has  an  area  of  75,995  square 
miles.  She  furnished  to  defend  the  Union  3,157  soldiers.  Has  but 
1  Kepresentative  and  3  Presidential  electors.  A.  Nance,  Kepub- 
lican,  is  Governor;  salary,  $2,500;  term,  2  years. 

Nevada — "  The  Snowy  Land  "  derived  its  name  from  the  Span- 
ish. Its  motto  is  Latin,  Volens  et  potens,  and  means  "  willing 
and  able."  It  was  settled  in  1850,  and  admitted  into  the  Union  in 
1864.  Capital,  Carson  City.  Its  population  in  1860  was  6,857; 
in  1870  it  was  42,491.  It  has  an  area  of  112,000  square  miles. 
She  furnished  1,080  soldiers  to  suppress  the  Eebellion.  Has  1  Rep- 
resentative and  3  Electors.  Governor,  J.  H.  Kinkhead,  Eepublican; 
salary,  $6,000 ;  term,  4  years. 

Neio  Hamjyshire — Was  first  settled  at  Dover  by  the  English  in 
1623.  Was  one  of  the  original  States.  Has  no  motto.  It  is 
named  from  Hampshire  county  in  England.  It  also  bears  the 
name  of  "  The  Old  Granite  State."  It  has  an  area  of  9,280  miles, 
which  equals  9,239,200  acres.  It  had  a  population  in  1860  of  326,- 
073,  and  in  1870  of  318,300.  She  increased  the  Union  army  with 
33,913  soldiers.  Concord  is  the  capital.  Has  3  Eepresentatives 
and  5  Presidential  electors.  N.  Head,  Eepublican,  Governor; 
salary,  $1,000;  term,  1  year. 

New  Jersey — Was  named  in  honor  of  the  Island  of  Jersey  in  the 
British  channel.  Its  motto  is  "  Liberty  and  Independence."  It  was 
first  settled  at  Bergen  by  the  Swedes  in  1624.     It  is  one  of  the  orig- 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS.  1S3 

inal  thirteen  States.  It  has  an  area  of  8,320  square  miles,  or  5,324,- 
800  acres.  Population  in  1860  was  672,035 ;  in  1870  it  was  906,096. 
She  put  into  the  Federal  army  75,315  soldiers.  Capital,  Trenton. 
Has  7  Representatives  and  9  Presidential  electors.  Governor, 
George  B.  McClelland,  Democrat;  salary,  $5,000;  term,  3  years. 

New  York. — The  "  Empire  State  "  was  named  by  the  Duke  of 
York,  afterward  King  James  II.  of  England.  It  has  a  Latin  motto, 
Excelsior,  which  means  "  Still  Higher."  It  was  first  settled  by  the 
Dutch  in  161-i  at  Manhattan.  It  has  an  area  of  47,000  square 
miles,  or  30,080,000  acres.  The  population  in  1860  was  3,880,735; 
in  1870  it  was  4,332,759.  It  is  one  of  the  original  thirteen  States. 
Capital  is  Albany.  It  gave  to  defend  our  Government  445,959 
men.  Has  33  members  in  Congress,  and  35  Presidential  electors. 
Governor,  L.  Robinson,  Democrat;  salary,  $10,000;  term,  3  years. 

North  Carolina — Was  named  after  Charles  IX.,  King  of  France. 
It  is  called  ''  The  Old  North,"  or  "  The  Turpentine  State."  It  was 
first  visited  in  1524  by  a  Florentine  navigator,  sent  out  by  Francis 
I.,  King  of  France.  It  was  settled  at  Albemarle  in  1663.  It  was 
one  of  the  original  thirteen  States.  It  has  an  area  of  50,704  squai'e 
miles,  equal  to  32,450,560  acres.  It  had  in  1860  a  population  of 
992,622,  and  In  1870,  1,071,361.  Raleigh  is  the  capital.  She 
furnished  3,156  soldiers  to  put  down  the  Rebellion.  Has  8  mem- 
bers in  Congress,  and  is  entitled  to  10  Presidential  electors.  Z.  B. 
Yance,  Democrat,  is  Governor;  salary,  $5,000;  term,  4  years. 

Ohio — Took  its  name  from  the  river  on  its  Southern  boundary, 
and  means  "  Beautiful."  Its  motto  is  1  inperium  in  Iinperio — 
''An  Empire  in  an  Empire."  It  was  first  permanently  settled  in 
1788  at  Marietta  by  New  Englanders.  It  was  admitted  as  a  State 
in  1803.  Its  capital  is  Columbus.  It  contains  39,964  square 
miles,  or  25,576,960  acres.  Population  in  1860,  2,339,511;  in  1870 
it  had  2,665,260.  She  sent  to  the  front  during  the  Rebellion  310,- 
654  soldiers.  Has  20  Representatives,  and  22  Presidential  electors. 
Governor,  R.  M.  Bishop,  Democrat;  salary,  $4,000;  term,  2  years. 

Oregon — Owes  its  Indian  name  to  its  principal  river.  Its  motto 
is  Alis  volat  j)ropriis — "  She  flics  with  her  own  wings."  It  was 
first  visited  by  the  Spaniards  in  the  sixteenth  century.  It  was  set- 
tled by  the  English  in  1813,  and  admitted  into  the  Union  in  1859. 
Its  capital  is  Salem.  It  has  an  area  of  95,274  square  miles,  equal 
to  60,975,360  acres.     It  had  in  1860  a  population  of  52,465;  in 


184:  niSTOKY   OF   ILLINOIS, 

1870,  90,922.  She  furnished  1,810  soldiers.  She  is  entitled  to  1 
member  in  Congress,  and  3  Presidential  electors.  W.  W.  Thayer, 
Republican,  is  Governor;  salary,  $1,500 ;  term,  4  years. 

Pennsylvania. — This  is  the  "Keystone  State,"  and  means  "Penn's 
Woods,"  and  was  so  called  after  "William  Penn,  its  original  owner. 
Its  motto  is,  "  Yirtue,  liberty  and  independence."  A  colony  was 
established  by  Penn  in  1682.  The  State  was  one  of  the  original 
thirteen.  It  has  an  area  of  46,000  square  miles,  equaling  29,440,- 
000  acres.  It  had  in  1860  a  population  of  2,906,215;  and  in  1870, 
3,515,993.  She  gave  to  suppress  the  Rebellion,  338,155.  Harris- 
burg  is  the  capital.  Has  27  Representatives  and  29  electors.  H. 
M.Hoyt,  is  Governor;  salary,  $10,000;  politics,  Republican;  term 
of  office,  3  years. 

Rhode  Island. — This,  the  smallest  of  the  States,  owes  its  name  to 
the  Island  of  Rhodes  in  the  Mediterranean,  which  domain  it  is  said 
to  greatly  resemble.  Its  motto  is  "  Hope,"  and  it  is  familiarly 
called,  "Little  Rhody."  It  was  settled  by  Roger  Williams  in  1636. 
It  was  one  of  the  original  thirteen  States.  It  has  an  area  of  1,306 
square  miles,  or  835,840  acres.  Its  population  in  1860  numbered 
174,620;  in  1870,  217,356.  She  gave  to  defend  the  Union,  23,248. 
Its  capitals  are  Providence  and  Newport.  Has  2  Representatives, 
and  4  Presidential  electors.  C.  Vanzandt  is  Governor;  politics, 
Republican;  salary,  $1,000;  term,  1  year. 

South  Carolina. — The  Palmetto  State  wears  the  Latin  name  of 
Charles  IX.,  of  France  (Carolus).  Its  motto  is  Latin,  Animis 
o^ih usque  par ati,  "  Ready  in  will  and  deed."  The  first  permanent 
settlement  was  made  at  Port  Royal  in  1670,  where  the  French 
Huguenots  had  failed  three-quarters  of  a  century  before  to  found  a 
settlement.  It  is  one  of  the  original  thirteen  States.  Its  capital  is 
Columbia.  It  has  an  area  of  29,385  square  miles,  or  18,806,400 
acres,  with  a  population  in  1860  of  703,708;  in  1870,  728,000. 
Has  5  Representatives  in  Congress,  and  is  entitled  to  7  Presidential 
electors.     Salary  of  Governor,  $3,500;  term,  2  years. 

Tennessee— l^  the  Indian  name  for  the  "  River  of  the  Bend,"  i.  e, 
the  Mississippi,  which  forms  its  western  boundary.  She  is  called 
"The  Big  Bend  State."  Her  motto  is,  "  Agriculture,  Commerce." 
It  was  settled  in  1757,  and  admitted  into  the  Union  in  1796,  mak- 
ing the  sixteenth  State,  or  the  third  admitted  after  the  Revolution- 
ary War— Vermont  being  the  first,  and  Kentucky  the  second.      It 


HISTORY    OF   ILLINOIS.  185 

has  an  area  of  45,600  sqiuue  miles,  or  29,184,000  acres.  In  1860 
its  population  numbered  1,109,801,  and  in  1870,  1,257,983  She 
furnished  31,092  soldiers  to  suppress  the  Rebellion.  Nashville  is 
the  capital.  Has  10  Representatives,  and  12  Presidential  electors. 
Governor,  A.  S.  Marks,  Democrat;  salary,  $4,000;  term,  2  years. 

Texas — Is  the  American  word  for  the  Mexican  name  by  which 
all  that  section  of  the  country  was  known  before  it  was  ceded  to  the 
United  States.  It  is  known  as  "  The  Lone  Star  State."  The  first  set- 
tlement was  made  by  LaSalle  in  1685.  After  the  independence  of 
Mexico  in  1822,  it  remained  a  Mexican  Province  until  1836,  when 
it  gained  its  independence,  and  in  1845  was  admitted  into  the 
Union.  It  has  an  area  of  237,504  square  miles,  equal  to  152,002,- 
560  acres.  Its  population  in  1860  was  604,215;  in  1870,  818,579. 
She  gave  to  put  down  the  Rebelion  1,965  soldiers.  Capital,  Austin. 
Has  6  Representatives,  and  8  Presidential  electors.  Governor,  O. 
M.  Roberts,  Democrat;  salary,  $5,000;  term,  2  years. 

Yermont — Bears  the  French  name  of  her  mountains  Verde  Mont 
"Green  Mountains."  Its  motto  is  "Freedom  and  Unity."  It 
was  settled  in  1731,  and  admitted  into  the  Union  in  1791.  Area 
10,212  square  miles.  Population  in  1860,  315,098 ;  in  1870,  330,551- 
She  gave  to  defend  the  Government,  33,272  soldiers.  Capital,  Mont- 
pelier.  Has  3  Representatives,  and  5  electors.  Governor,  H.  Fair- 
banks, Republican;  term,  2  years;  salary,  $1,000. 

Virginia. — The  Old  Dominion,  as  this  State  is  called,  is  the 
oldest  of  the  States.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  Queen  Elizabeth, 
the  "  Virgin  Queen,"  in  whose  reign  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  made  his 
first  attempt  to  colonize  that  region.  Its  motto  is  Sic  semper 
tyrannis,  "  So  always  with  tyrants."  It  was  first  settled  at  James- 
town, in  1607,  by  the  English,  being  the  first  settlement  in  the 
United  States.  It  is  one  of  original  thirteen  States,  and  had  before 
its  division  in  1862,  61,352  square  miles,  but  at  present  contains 
but  38,352  square  miles,  equal  to  24,545,280  acres.  The  population 
in  1860  amounted  to  1,596,318,  and  in  1870  it  was  1,224,830.  Rich- 
mond is  the  capital.  Has  9  Representatives,  and  11  electors.  Gov- 
ernor, F.  W.  M.  Halliday,  Democrat;  salary,  $5,500;  term,  4  years. 
West  Virginia. — Motto,  31  ojitani  semper  liberi,  "  Mountaineers 
are  always  free."  This  is  the  only  State  ever  formed,  under  the 
Constitution,  by  the  division  of  an  organized  State.  This  was  done 
in  1862,  and  in  1863  was  admitted  into  the  Union.     It  has  an  area  of 


186 


HISTORY    OF    ILLINOIS. 


23,000  square  miles,  or  14,720,000  acres.  The  population  in  1860 
was  376,000;  in  1870  it  numbered  445,616.  She  furnished  32,003. 
Capital,  Wheeling.  Has  3  Representatives  in  Congress,  and  is 
entitled  to  5  Presidential  electors.  The  Governor  is  H.  M.  Mathews, 
Democrat;  term,  4  years;  salary,  $2,700. 

\Visco7isi7i — Is  an  Indian  name,  and  means  "Wild-rushing 
channel."  Its  motto,  Clvitatas  successit  barbarum^  "  The  civilized 
man  succeeds  the  barbarous."  It  is  called  "  The  Badger  State." 
The  State  was  visited  by  the  French  explorers  in  1665,  and  a  settle- 
ment was  made  in  1669  at  Green  Bay,  It  was  admitted  into  the 
Union  in  1848.  It  has  an  area  of  52,924  square  miles,  equal  to 
34,511,360  acres.  In  1860  its  population  numbered  775,881;  in 
1870,  1,055,167.  Madison  is  the  capital.  She  furnished  for  the 
Union  army  91,021  soldiers.  Has  8  members  in  Congress,  and  is 
entitled  to  10  Presidential  electors.  The  Governor  is  W.  E.  Smith; 
politics,  Republican;  salary,  $5,000;  term,  2  years. 


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HISTORY  OF  TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

SETTLEMENT  AND  ORGANIZATION. 
LA  SALLE's  explorations. —  FIRST  ATTEMPT  TO  SETTLE  ILLINOIS. 

TO  TAZEWELL  county  belongs  the  honor  of  having  within 
her  boundary  the  soil  first  turned  by  white  men  in  the  great 
State  of  Illinois.  To  it  we  must  also  look  to  find  the  scene  of  the 
first  attempt  made  by  Europeans  to  settle  our  grand  and  noble  State. 
On  the  third  day  of  next  January  (1880),  it  will  have  been  just  two 
hundred  vears  since  LaSalle  with  his  little  band  of  Frenchmen 
stepped  from  their  canoes,  which  rested  upon  the  placid  waters  of 
the  Illinois,  upon  the  shore  now  embraced  within  the  limits  of  this 
county.  This  little  fleet  of  canoes  contained  in  all  thirty-three 
daring,  resolute  explorers,  and  were  led  by  the  indomitable  will, 
genius  and  enthusiasm  of  the  most  noted  of  French  explorers,  Rob- 
ert Cavalier  de  LaSalle.  This  famous  explorer  had  conceived  the 
plan  of  opening  water  communication  between  the  Gulf  of  St.  Law- 
rence and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  It  was  this  truly  grand  and  com- 
prehensive purpose  that  seems  to  have  animated  him  in  all  his 
wonderful  achievements  and  the  matchless  difficulties  and  hardships 
he  encountered. 

It  was  in  the  consummation  of  this  idea  of  LaSalle's  that  brought 
the  little  band  down  the  beautiful  stream  named  in  honor  of  the 
Illinois  Indians  who  dwelt  upon  its  banks,  and  landed  them  on  its 
eastern  shore.  Seven  years  previous  Jolict  and  Marquette,  the  first 
Europeans  to  discover  the  Illinois,  had  wended  their  way  up  to  its 
course  on  their  return  from  their  famous  voyage  down  the  Missis- 
13 


190  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

sippi.  Being  truly  a  leader,  foremost  in  every  enterprise,  every 
thought,  every  move,  we  do  not  doubt  that  the  dauntless  La- 
Salle  himself  was  the  first  to  alight  upon  the  shore, —  was  the  first 
white  man  to  set  foot  upon  the  soil  of  Tazewell  county.  Thus  it 
will  be  seen  that  here  is  a  spot  truly  historic, —  a  place  noted  for 
being  the  first  in  one  of  the  greatest  States  of  the  Union  where 
civilized  man  made  his  first  attempt  to  establish  himself. 

FORT  CREVECCEUR  BUILT. 

Through  the  difficulties  encountered  with  the  Indians,  and  the 
machinations  of  his  own  men,  LaSalle  was  greatly  retarded  on  his 
journey  southward.  Winter  had  overtaken  him,  and  to  protect  him- 
self and  followers,  and  to  provide  for  them  comfortable  quarters  in 
which  to  pass  that  dreary  season,  he  resolved  to  erect  a  fort.  His 
good  judgment  led  him  to  a  spot  upon  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Illi- 
nois, the  site  of  the  present  Wesley  City,  and  upon  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  one,  Pekin  township.  Here  upon  the  extremity 
of  a  ridge,  protected  on  either  side  by  deep  ravines,  and  extending 
to  within  two  huudred  yards  of  the  water's  edge,  he  built  a  fort 
which  he  christened  Fort  Crevecoeur.  The  moaning  of  the  French 
name  is  heart-breaker.  Why  LaSalle  should  have  chosen  so  sad  a 
name  we  know  not,  unless,  perchance,  by  a  prophetic  vision  he 
glanced  into  the  future  and  foresaw  the  sad  ending  of  his  enterprise. 
Or,  it  may  have  been  thus  named  as  indicative  of  the  misfortunes 
they  suffered  here,  or  from  its  having  been  the  site  of  a  bloody  bat- 
tle between  the  brutal  Iroquois  and  Illinois  Indians. 

To  fortify  the  bluff  thus  selected,  the  point  of  which  at  the  time 
was  about  one  hundred  yards  further  from  the  river  than  it  now  is, 
his  first  move  was  to  dig  a  ditch  behind  and  connect  the  two  ravines. 
He  thus  severed  the  point  upon  which  the  fort  was  to  be  constructed, 
which  contains  about  eighty  acres,  from  all  connection  with  any  land 
of  the  same  altitude.  This  bluif  rises  to  the  height  of  from  160  to 
180  feet,  and  to  increase  the  altitude  of  its  different  sides,  which 
nature  has  made  steep  and  rugged,  an  embankment  encircling  its 
outer  line  was  thrown  up.  To  make  the  fortress  still  more  impregna- 
ble a  palisade  of  heavy  oak  timber,  twenty-five  feet  in  height,  ex- 
tending around  the  entire  fortification,  was  constructed.  This  being 
completed,  buildings  for  the  accommodation  of  the  men  were  erected 
within  the  enclosure,  and  the  little  band  went  into  snug  winter 
quarters. 


HISTORY   OP   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  191 

The  fort  was  admirably  located,  and  commanded  fnll  view  of  the 
river  for  miles  above  and  below ;  and  its  high,  perpendicular  sides, 
heavily  palisaded,  could  not  be  easily  ascended  by  the  foe.  Thus 
advanta^eouslv  situated  a  small  garrison  could  have  defended  it  from 
the  combined  attack  of  all  the  neighboring  Indians,  at  least  until 
the  supply  of  provisions  failed. 

THE  JESUIT  PRIESTS. 

Fortunately,  however,  the  fort  was  never  used  to  protect  the  men 
from  Indian  hostility,  as  they  remained  peaceable  and  friendly  with 
the  garrison.  Indeed,  it  was  used  more  as  a  sanctuary  than  a  fort- 
ress of  military  power.  Fathers  Hennepin  and  Membre  and  old 
Father  Ribourde  labored  daily  with  the  neighboring  Indians.  But 
even  the  zeal  and  earnestness  displayed  by  those  early  Jesuit  mis- 
sionaries in  spiritual  matters  failed  to  make  any  perceptible  impres- 
sion upon  the  filthy  savages.  Hennepin  preached  twice  every  Sun- 
day, chanted  vespers,  and  regretted  that  the  want  of  wine  prevented 
the  celebration  of  mass. 

A  VESSEL  COMMENCED. 

The  fort  having  been  fully  completed,  LaSalle  set  about  to  build  a 
sailing  vessel  with  Avhich  to  descend  the  Mississippi  to  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  Thus  we  see  that  the  first  timber  felled  by  the  axe  of  civ- 
ilization, the  first  mechanical  labor  performed,  and  not  only  the 
first  fort  built  but  the  first  vessel  put  upon  the  stocks  in  Illinois, 
were  all  done  in  Tazewell  county. 

HENNEPIN  SENT  ON  HIS  FAMOUS  VOYAGE. 

In  the  mean  time  LaSalle  sent  Hennepin,  with  Accau  and  Du 
Gay,  on  his  famous  voyage  of  the  discovery  of  the  upper  Mississippi. 
They  left  the  fort  on  the  last  day  of  February.  After  a  year's  sojourn 
among  the  Indians  of  that  region  Hennepin  returned  to  Europe, 
where  the  account  of  his  exploits  and  the  description  of  this  beauti- 
ful country  was  published  in  several  languages.  He  subsequently, 
however,  attempted  to  rob  LaSalle  of  his  well-earned  and  deserved 
honor  by  giving  a  false  account  of  his  discoveries,  in  consequence  of 
which  much  of  his  writings  are  discredited. 

LEGENDS  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI. 

LaSalle  could  not  obtain  any  satisfactory  information  from  the 
Indians  in  regard  to  the  Mississippi.     All  his  inquiries  had  elicited 


192  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

only  the  information  that  the  Father  of  Waters  was  inhabited  by  huge 
goblins,  and  an  attempt  to  sail  upon  its  boisterous  waves  w^as 
destruction.  These  stories  \vere  of  course  discredited  by  LaSalle, 
but  many  of  his  men  were  superstitious,  and  really  feared  to  visit 
that  river,  and  deserted  lest  LaSalle  should  start  an  expedition  in 
search  of  it.  Soon,  however,  an  incident  occurred  Avhich  enabled 
him  to  disabuse  their  minds  of  such  fabulous  stories.  AVhile  hunt- 
ing in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort,  he  chanced  to  meet  a  young  Indian 
who  had  just  returned  from  a  distant  war  excursion.  Finding  him 
almost  famished  with  hunger  LaSalle  invited  him  to  the  fort,  where 
he  refreshed  him  with  a  generous  meal,  and  questioned  him  with 
apparent  indiflPerence  respecting  the  Mississippi.  Owing  to  his  long 
absence  he  knew  nothing  of  Avhat  had  transpired  between  his  breth- 
ren and  the  French,  and,  with  great  subtlety,  imparted  all  the  in- 
formation required.  LaSalle  now  gave  him  presents  not  to  mention 
the  interview.  With  a  number  of  his  men  he  then  proceeded  to  the 
camp  of  the  Indians  to  expose  their  misrepresentations.  Having 
found  the  chiefs  at  a  feast  of  bear  meat  he  boldly  accused  them  of 
falsehood,  and  at  once  proceeded  to  substantiate  his  charges.  The 
Master  of  Light,  he  declared,  was  the  friend  of  truth,  and  had  re- 
vealed to  him  the  true  character  of  the  Mississippi.  He  then  gave 
such  an  accurate  description  of  it  that  the  astonished  but  credulous 
savages  believed  he  had  derived  his  knowledge  through  supernatural 
agency.  They  at  once  confessed  their  guilt,  and  gave,  as  the  reason 
for  resorting  to  such  artifice,  the  fact  that  they  w^anted  him  to  re- 
main with  them.  This  confession  removed  the  principal  cause  of  the 
desertion  of  his  men. 

lasalle's  departure. 

On  the  2d  day  of  April,  1680,  LaSalle  bid  adieu  to  his  diminished 
band,  and  left  it  in  the  wilderness  inhabited  only  by  the  wild  beasts 
of  the  forests  and  the  uncivilized,  brutal  natives,  and  hundreds  of 
miles  in  advance  of  any  frontier  post.  He  placed  the  garrison  in 
charge  of  his  lieutenant,  Henri  Tonti,  an  Italian.  For  a  fuller 
account  of  the  trials  and  difficulties  encountered  bv  Tonti  than  we 
can  give  here,  we  refer  the  reader  to  the  History  of  Illinois  con- 
tained in  this  volume. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  193 

THE  FORT  DESTROYED. 

LaSalle  had  no  sooner  left  than  the  dish:>yal  men  among  tlie  gar- 
rison displayed  a  spirit  of  mutiny,  which  culminated  in  the  almost 
total  destruction  of  the  fort  by  them,  and  all  save  six,  besides  the 
faithful  Tonti,  deserted.  After  the  famous  battle  between  the  Iro- 
quois and  Illinois  Tonti  was  driven  away. 

Soon  LaSalle  returned  to  find  the  fort  destroyed,  tools  thrown  into 
the  river,  and  the  village  of  the  Illinois,  which  numbered  8,000  in- 
habitants, a  desolate  waste.  The  vessel,  however,  was  still  upon  its 
stocks  uninjured.  Thus  disastrously  terminated  the  first  attempt  to 
settle  the  State  of  Illinois  and  the  county  of  Tazewell. 

FIRST  SETTLEMENT  AT  PEORIA. 

The  next  attempt  to  settle  this  section  of  Illinois  was  made  at 
the  upper  end  of  Peoria  lake  in  1778.  The  country  in  the  vicinity 
of  this  lake  was  called  by  the  Indians  Pim-i-te-wi,  that  is,  a  place 
where  there  are  many  fat  beasts.  Here  the  town  of  Laville  de 
Meillet,  named  after  its  founder,  was  started.  Within  the  next 
twenty  years,  however,  the  town  was  moved  down  to  the  lower 
end  of  the  lake  to  the  present  site  of  Peoria.  In  1812  the  town 
was  destroyed  and  the  inhabitants  carried  away  by  Captain  Craig. 
In  1813  Fort  Clark  was  erected  there  by  Illinois  troops  engaged  in 
the  war  of  1812.     Five  years  later  it  was  destroyed  by  fire. 

FRENCH  TRADING  POST  IN  THIS  COUNTY. 

During  the  period  from  the  time  Laville  de  Meillet  was  founded 
in  1778,  or  at  least  after  it  was  moved  to  the  lower  extremity 
of  the  lake,  French  traders  had  a  regular  established  trading  post 
on  the  Illinois  near  the  site  of  old  Fort  Crevecoeur.  They  carried 
on  an  extensive  commerce  with  the  neighboring  Indians,  buying 
their  furs  with  notions.     At  this  business  they  became  quite  wealthy. 

The  "  old  French  trading  post,"  by  which  name  it  was  known,  re- 
mained at  Wesley  City  for  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century  after  the 
first  settlers  came  to  the  county.  A  large  log  building,  about  30  by 
60  feet  in  size  and  10  feet  high,  was  their  principal  store-house.  Mr. 
B.  F.  Montgomery  tells  us  that  he  visited  the  place  in  1836,  and 
in  this  building  found  a  very  large  stock  of  skins  and  furs,  which 
they  told  him  were  worth  in  their  present  state  $2,000.  The  col- 
lection contained  the  covering  of  almost  every  animal  of  any  value 
from  the  weasel  to  the  buffalo. 


194  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

The  principal  traders  at  this  point  during  the  early  settlement  of 
the  county  were  Tromly  and  Besau,  both  of  whom  were  well  known 
by  some  of  the  pioneers.  These  French  traders  had  lived,  traded 
and  intermarried  with  the  Indians  until  there  were  many  half-breeds 
throughout  the  neighborhood.  They  were  quiet,  peaceable  people, 
and  treated  the  settlers  with  the  neatest  kindness.  Besau  died  at  the 
old  post  many  years  ago.  Tromly  went  to  Kansas  in  1844.  The 
former  had  married  an  Indian  squaw  and  reared  a  large  family.  One 
of  his  daughters,  Mary  Besau,  who  is  said  to  have  been  quite  beau- 
tiful and  her  personal  appearance  and  bearing  graceful,  was  married 
to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Anderson.  About  the  year  1845  he  moved 
to  Kansas,  where,  near  Leavenworth,  he  resided  when  last  heard 
from  by  any  Tazewell  county  people. 

These  French  traders  cannot  be  classed  as  settlers,  at  least  in  the 
light  we  wish  to  view  the  meaning  of  that  term.  They  made  no 
improvements ;  they  cultivated  no  land ;  they  established  none  of 
those  bulwarks  of  civilization  brought  hither  a  half  century  ago  by 
the  sturdy  pioneer.  On  the  other  hand,  however,  they  associated 
with  the  natives ;  they  adopted  their  ways,  habits  and  customs ;  they 
intermarried  and  in  every  way,  almost,  became  as  one  of  them. 

A  CENTURY  AND  A  HALF  OF  PEACE. 

Year  after  year  rolled  by  until  quite  a  centur>'  and  a  half  had 
passed  since  LaSalle  stepped  ashore  from  his  skiff,  before  the  aborigi- 
nes who  occupied  the  territory  embraced  within  the  present  boundary 
of  Tazewell  county  were  molested  by  the  encroachment  of  the  white 
man,  save  the  French  traders  above  referred  to.  Generation  after 
generation  of  natives  appeared  upon  the  wild  scenes  of  savage  life, 
lived,  roamed  the  forest  and  prairie,  and  glided  over  the  beautiful, 
placid  Illinois  in  their  log  and  bark  canoes,  and  passed  away.  Still 
the  advance  of  civilization,  the  steady  westward  tread  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  disturbed  them  not.  The  buffalo,  deer,  bear,  and  wolf  roamed 
the  prairie  and  woodland,  the  Indian  their  only  enemy.  But  nature 
had  destined  better  things  for  this  fertile  region.  She  had  been  too 
lavish  in  the  distribution  of  natural  advantages  to  leave  it  longer  in 
the  peaceable  possession  of  those  who  had  for  centuries  refused  to  de- 
velop, even  in  the  slightest  degree,  any  of  her  great  resources.  She 
accordingly  directed  hitherward  the  footsteps  of  the  industrious, 
enterprising  pioneer.     Before,  however,  proceeding  to   recount   his 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  195 

advent,  we  wish  to  speak  of  the  diiferent  tribes  and  families  of  the 
Indians  who  dwelt  in  this  portion  of  the  State. 

DIFFERENT  INDIAN  TRIBES. 

At  the  time  the  earliest  European  explorers  visited  the  State  the 
various  tribes  of  the  Illinois  confederacy  dwelt  upon  the  banks  of 
the  Illinois  river.  They  were  the  Peorias,  Michigans,  Tamaroas, 
Kaskaskias,  and  Cahokas.  This  once  powerful  confederacy  was 
almost  exterminated  by  the  wars  with  the  Iroquois,  the  Foxes  and 
Sacs,  and  the  Pottawatomies.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  hard  and  desperate  battles  were  fought  upon  the  land 
of  this  county  between  the  different  tribes.  Hundreds  of  brave 
warriors  had  fallen  beneath  the  tomahawks  of  other  tribes,  until 
acres  of  the  land  now  possessed  by  the  nobler  race  were  strewn  with 
the  dead  and  dying.  After  a  famous  contest  in  the  year  1680, 
between  the  different  tribes  of  the  Illinois  confederacy  and  a  chosen 
band  of  brutal  Iroquois,  the  latter,  who  were  victorious,  carved  upon 
the  trunks  of  the  largest  trees  upon  the  shore  of  the  Illinois  river 
hieroglyphics,  representing  the  chiefs,  the  braves,  and  different  bat- 
tle scenes. 

From  about  the  year  1780  to  1832,  the  time  of  the  Black-Hawk 
war,  the  Kickapoos  dwelt  in  the  western  and  southwestern  part  of 
the  county.  Their  principal  village  was  in  Logan  county.  The 
Pottawatomies,  however,  were  the  chief  occupants  and  immediate 
predecessors  of  the  whites. 

For  some  years  after  the  first  settlers  came  wigwams  were  scat- 
tered here  and  there  over  the  county.  The  kind  and  generous 
Shaubena,  with  his  band  of  Pottawatomies,  had  his  principal  camp 
and  wigwams  on  the  bank  of  the  Illinois  river  near  where  the  gas- 
works of  Pekin  are  now  located.  Another  extensive  camping 
ground  was  on  the  Mackinaw  river,  near  the  present  town  of  Mack- 
inaw. Old  Machina  was  the  chief  of  this  band.  The  Kickapoos 
had  made  a  treaty  shortly  previous  to  the  coming  of  the  first  settler, 
by  which  the  whites  acquired  all  their  land.  When  the  whites  came, 
however,  to  settle  and  occupy  the  land  the  Kickapoos  were  angry, 
and  some  of  them  felt  disposed  to  insult  and  annoy  the  settlers. 
When  John  Hendrix  came  to  Blooming  Grove  the  Indians  ordered 
him  to  leave.  Not  long  afterwards  they  frightened  away  a  family 
which  settled  on  the  Mackinaw.     Old  ]\Iachina  ordered  one  family 


196  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

away  by  throwing  leaves  in  the  air.  This  was  to  let  the  bootanas 
(white  men)  know  that  they  must  not  be  found  in  the  country  when 
the  leaves  of  autumn  should  fall.  In  1823,  when  the  Orendorifs 
came,  Old  Machina  had  learned  to  speak  a  little  English.  He  came 
to  Thomas  OrendorfP  and  with  a  majestic  wave  of  his  hand  said : 
"Too  much  come  back,  white  man:  t'other  side  Sangamon."  The 
Rhodes  family  were  also  ordered  away.  These  families  settled  in  the 
eastern  part  of  this  and  western  part  of  McLean  counties,  but  at 
the  time  and  for  years  afterwards  was  all  Tazewell  county.  These 
things  appeared  a  little  threatening,  but  the  settlers  refused  to  leave 
and  were  not  molested. 

When  the  Black  Hawk  war  broke  out  in  1832,  the  Indians  liv- 
ing here  were  very  much  like  the  whites  in  some  particulars.  The 
pale-faces  looked  upon  the  neighboring  red  men  with  suspicion,  and 
feared  they  would  be  massacred  by  them,  while  at  the  same  time  the 
Indians  experienced  a  like  timidity.  They  watched  the  whites 
closely  lest  they  should  arise  up  some  night  and  butcher  their  squaws 
and  papooses.  Controlled  by  this  feeling  they  began  to  emigrate. 
Shaubena  went  north  and  located  at  Shaubena's  Grove,  DeKalb 
county.  In  the  early  part  of  the  decade  between  1840  and  1850  he 
returned  and  spent  two  winters  at  Pleasant  Grove,  in  Elm  Grove 
township. 

After  the  grand  exit  of  1832  the  Indians,  who  had  roamed  at  will 
over  the  prairies  and  through  the  forests  for  centuries,  returned  only 
as  visitors.  Devoted  to  the  sweet  memories  of  departed  kindred, 
one  would  occasionally  return  alone  and  with  a  melancholy  spirit. 
He  would  hunt  the  burial  mound  and  silently  and  sadly  commune 
with  the  loved  dead.  You  see  the  native  red  man  no  more.  He  is 
only  of  the  past  so  far  as  Tazewell  county  is  concerned.  Should 
one  pass  through  the  principal  thoroughfares  of  your  cities  robed 
in  his  native  costume  he  would  excite  the  wonder  and  curiosity  of 
all,  the  old  as  well  as  the  young. 

THE  WAR  OF  1812. 

During  the  war  of  1812  Tazewell  county  was  the  scene  of  one  of 
the  most  effective  engagements  against  the  Indians  waged  in  Illinois 
during  that  war.  Gov.  Edwards  had  collected  an  army  of  about 
400  men  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  and  set  out  in  the  latter 
part  of  October,  1812,  for  the  seat  of  war.     This  was  in  the  neigh- 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  197 

borhood  of  Peoria  lake.  At  the  same  time  Gen.  Hopkins  started 
with  2,000  mounted  Kentucky  riflemen.  His  destination  was  the 
same  point,  and  Edwards  expected  to  work  in  concert  with  the  noted 
General.  However,  when  his  men  had  marched  about  90  miles 
across  Illinois  prairie  into  the  enemy's  country  they  became  wearied, 
and  regardless  of  the  General's  protestations,  turned  about  without 
even  seeing  the  foot-prints  of  an  Indian,  and  started  on  a  hasty 
homeward  march. 

COURSE  OF  THE  ARMY. 

Edwards  with  his  brave  and  courageous  Illinois  rangers  continued 
on.  It  may  be  remarked  that  in  this  little  band  were  three  men, 
all  of  whom  subsequently  became  noted  governors  of  Illinois. 
Leaving  Fort  Russell  they  marched  up  through  Sangamon  and 
Logan  counties,  striking  Tazewell  at  the  point  in  Hittle  townshij) 
where  Sugar  creek  makes  its  exit.  On  this  creek  the  troops  found 
an  old  deserted  Kickapoo  village.  These  tenantless  bark  wigwams 
were  painted  up  here  and  there  with  rude  savage  devices,  mostly  rep- 
resenting the  red-skins  scalping  whites.  This  provoked  the  warlike 
indignation  of  the  little  army,  and  the  village  was  assaulted,  set  on 
fire  and  destroyed.  After  this,  fearing  that  their  nightly  camp  fires 
would  reveal  their  approach  tat  the  Indians,  whom  they  hoped  to 
surprise,  the  marches  were  continued  till  midnight.  The  course  of 
the  army  was  now  northward  through  Hittle,  Little  MackinaAV, 
Mackinaw,  bearing  westward  through  Deer  Creek,  striking  Morton, 
and  enterino;  ^Yashin2;ton  near  the  center  of  its  southern  line.  From 
this  point  they  took  a  direct  course  for  the  Black  Partridge  village 
of  Pottawatomies,  located  at  the  upper  end  of  the  lake,  on  the  bluffs 
in  Fond  du  Lac  township.  Before  coming  up  to  the  town  Lieut. 
Peyton,  with  a  small  party,  was  sent  to  Peoria.  He  made  no  dis- 
coveries. The  army  moved  rapidly  but  cautiously  forward,  and  late 
in  the  night  preceding  the  attack  camped  in  the  western  part  of 
Washington  township. 

THE  VILLAGE  RECONNOITRED. 

It  was  now  desirable  to  reconnoitre  the  position  of  the  Indian 
town,  that  the  army  might  know  how,  when  and  where  to  strike. 
To  perform  this  perilous  duty  four  of  the  bravest  of  men  stepped 
forward  and  volunteered  their  services.  All  of  them  subsequently 
won  enviable  reputations  in  public  life.     They  were  Thomas  Carlin, 


198  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

and  Robert,  Stephen,  and  Davis  Whiteside.  They  proceeded  to  the 
viHage  and  explored  all  the  approaches  to  it  thoroughly  without  dis- 
turbing the  wily  savage.  The  town  was  found  to  be  about  five 
miles  from  where  the  army  was  encamped,  and  situated  on  a  bluif 
separated  in  part  from  the  high  lands  by  a  swamp  through  which  ran 
a  small  stream  (Ten  Mile  creek).  The  low  banks  of  this  stream 
were  covered  by  a  rank  growth  of  tall  grass  and  bunches  of  brush, 
so  tall  and  dense  as  readily  to  conceal  an  Indian  on  horseback  until 
within  a  few  feet  of  him.  Recent  heavy  rains  had  rendered  the 
ground  additionally  yielding,  making  it  almost  impassable  to  mount- 
ed men. 

A  NIGHT  ALARM. 

That  night  within  the  fireless  and  cheerless  camp  of  the  rangers 
all  was  as  silent  as  the  grave.  A  deep  and  solemn  gloom  settled 
over  the  men.  The  long  marches  lost  the  charm  they  at  first 
possessed,  and  instead  of  being  jovial  and  frolicsome  as  they  were 
then  wont  to  be,  they  were  fatigued  and  sulky.  They  were  in  the 
enemy's  country  and  feared  an  attack  at  any  moment.  They  reposed 
upon  their  arms,  with  their  horses  tethered  near  at  hand,  ready  sad- 
dled to  be  mounted  in  an  instant. 

During  the  night,  when  scarcely  a  whisper  disturbed  the  air,  a 
gun  was  carelessly  discharged  by  o^e  of  the  men.  This  of  course 
caused  the  greatest  consternation  in  the  camp.  The  treacherous  and 
subtle  foe  was  momentarily  expected,  and  the  men  regarded  that  as 
the  signal  for  attack.  All  the  horrors  of  the  night  attack  at  Tippe- 
canoe, then  fresh  in  the  minds  of  every  one,  presented  themselves  to 
the  active  imaginations  of  the  rangers.  Every  white-coated  soldier 
at  that  battle,  it  was  said,  was  singled  out  in  the  dusky  morn- 
ing and  killed  by  the  savages.  Every  soldier  who  happened  to  have 
on  a  light-colored  coat  distinctly  remembered  this,  and  in  an  instant 
not  a  white  coat  could  be  seen.  Soon,  however,  the  voice  of  the 
Governor  assured  the  men  that  the  firing  was  merely  accidental,  and 
all  became  quiet  again. 

FIRST  INDIAN  KILLED. 

A  heavy  fog  prevailed  on  the  following  morning;  however, 
the  army  took  up  its  line  of  march  for  the  Indian  town.  Capt.  Judy 
with  his  spies  were  in  advance.  They  came  up  to  an  Indian  and  his 
squaw,  both  mounted.  The  tall  grass  concealed  them  until  within 
a  few  paces.     The  Indian  wanted  to  surrender,  but  Capt.  Judy  said 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  199 

he  "  did  not  leave  home  to  take  prisoners,"  and  instantly  shot  him. 
AVith  the  blood  streaming  from  his  montli  and  nose,  and  in  his  agony 
"  singing  the  death  song,"  the  dying  Indian  raised  his  gun,  shot  and 
mortally  wounded  one  of  the  soldiers,  and  expired.  The  rest  of  the 
spies,  who  had  incautiously  approached  the  wounded  Indian,  when 
they  saw  him  seize  his  gun,  quickly  dismounted  on  the  far  side  of 
their  horses.  Many  guns  were  immediately  discharged  at  the  other 
Indian,  not  then  known  to  be  a  squaw,  all  of  which  missed  her. 
Badly  scared,  and  her  husband  killed  by  her  side,  the  agonizing 
wails  of  the  squaw  were  heart-rending.  She  was  taken  prisoner  and 
subsequently  restored  to  her  nation. 

THE  ATTACK. 

Owing  to  the  dense  fog  which  prevailed  the  army  was  misled  and 
found  itself  in  the  spongy  bottom  just  below  the  town,  with  the 
miry  creek  to  cross.  This,  of  course,  deranged  the  plan  of  attack, 
and  thus  the  village  escaped  a  surprise.  While  a  halt  was  made, 
preparatory  to  crossing,  the  Indians  were  observed  running  from  the 
town.  An  attack  from  the  Indians  while  crossing  the  treacherous 
stream  was  momentarily  expected.  However,  no  attack  was  made 
or  attempted,  but  the  Indians  were  fleeing  from  their  village  and 
impending  death.  Pell-mell  they  went,  men,  women  and  children, 
some  on  horseback,  some  on  foot,  into  the  swamp  among  the  tall 
grass,  and  toward  a  point  of  timber  in  which  the  Governor  judged 
they  intended  to  make  a  stand  for  battle.  "  I  immediately  changed 
my  course,"  he  writes,  "  ordered  and  led  on  a  general  charge  upon 
them ;"  but  owing  to  the  unsoundness  of  the  ground,  the  pursuers, 
horses,  riders,  arms  and  baggage  all  shared  in  the  common  catastro- 
phe alike,  and  were  unhorsed  and  overwhelmed  in  the  morass. 

A  pursuit  on  foot  was  ordered.  Tliis  was  both  difficult  and  dan- 
gerous on  account  of  the  tall  gra,ss  in  which  the  Indians  were  lurk- 
ing. Several  squads  thus  pursued  the  retreating  foe  for  two  or  three 
miles  across  the  saturated  bottom  to  the  river,  killing  some  of  the 
enemy  while  attempting  to  cross  to  the  western  shore.  To  such  a 
pitch  of  excitement  Avere  the  men  wrought  that  three  of  them,  find- 
ing some  Indian  canoes,  in  the  fury  of  the  chase  crossed  the  river  in 
full  view  of  the  Indians,  but  without  molestation. 

CHEQUENEBOC  BURNED. 

The  Indian  village,  called  by  Gov.  Edwards  Chequeneboc,  after 


200  HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

a  chief,  was  burned.  The  Indians  who  had  not  retreated  over  the 
river,  fled  to  the  interior  wilderness.  Here  some  of  them  were  pur- 
sued, but  the  Indians,  making  a  stand  in  considerable  numbers, 
forced  the  rangers  to  retreat.  Being  reinforced,  they  returned  and 
routed  the  savages.  Some  of  the  troops  were  wounded  in  this  action, 
but  none  killed. 

During  these  engagements  the  place  was  pillaged  and  burned  by 
the  main  body  of  the  troops.  The  Indians  in  their  flight  had  left 
behind  all  their  winter's  store  of  provision,  which  was  destroyed  or 
taken  away.  Hiding  about  the  burning  embers  of  the  ruins  were 
found  some  Indian  children,  forgotten  by  the  frightened  fugitives. 
There  were  also  found  some  disabled  adults,  one  of  whom  was  in  a 
starving  condition,  and  with  a  voracious  appetite  partook  of  the 
bread  given  him.  He  is  said  to  have  been  killed  by  a  cowardly 
soldier  straggling  behind,  after  the  main  army  had  resumed  its  ret- 
rograde march,  who  wanted  to  be  able  to  boast  that  he  had  killed 
an  Indian. 

To  show  the  reckless  daring  of  the  Indian  character,  it  is  men- 
tioned that  a  warrior  walked  calmly  down  the  bluff  some  200  yards 
distant  from  the  town,  deliberately  raised  his  gun  and  fired  upon  the 
troops  in  the  village,  then  turned  and  strode  slowly  away  amid  a 
shower  of  bullets. 

THE  ARMY  RETREATS. 

Gov.  Edwards  failed  to  hear  from  the  larger  force  under  Gen. 
Hopkins,  and  fearing  the  Indians  would  concentrate  and  make  an 
attack  upon  him,  concluded  to  make  a  hasty  retreat.  This  he  began 
the  same  day  of  the  attack,  and  though  a  heavy  and  continuous  rain 
prevailed  tlxe  men  were  in  such  dread  of  a  pursuit  that  they  kept  up 
their  march  until  overtaken  by  darkness,  when,  greatly  exhausted 
and  wet,  without  fire  to  dry  their  clothing  or  food  to  nourish  their 
bodies,  they  sank  into  sleep  upon  the  wet  ground.  Soon  the  little 
army  had  passed  the  limits  of  this  county  on  their  homeward  march, 
where  we  will  leave  it. 

THE  PIONEERS. 

Leaving  the  history  of  the  French  and  Indians,  having  given  all 
of  interest  we  have  been  able  to  gather,  we  come  now  to  the  time 
the  first  pioneer  erected  his  cabin  liere  and  established  for  himself 
and  family  a  home  in  the  wilderness.     So  fertile  was  the  soil  and 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  201 

beautiful  the  flowers,  so  sparkling  were  the  streams  and  shady  the 
groves  that,  in  advance  of  all  the  surrounding  country,  the  pioneers 
sought  and  settled  the  timber  land  and  prairie  of  Tazewell  county. 

The  thrilling  scenes  through  which  the  pioneer  settlers  passed  in 
the  settlement  of  this  portion  of  Illinois  must  ever  awaken  emotions 
of  warmest  regard  for  them.  To  pave  the  way  for  those  who  fol- 
lowed after  them,  to  make  their  settlement  in  the  West  a  pleasure, 
they  bore  the  flood  tide  wave  of  civilization ;  they  endured  all, 
suffered  all.  But  few  of  these  spirits  now  survive ;  they  have  passed 
away  full  of  years  and  honors,  leaving  their  children,  and  children's 
children  and  strangers  to  succeed  them,  and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  the 
toil,  privations  and  savings  of  their  long  and  eventful  lives. 

Life  with  them  is  o'er,  their  labors  all  are  done, 
And  others  now  reap  the  harvest  that  they  won. 

Too  great  honor  cannot  be  accorded  them,  and  we  regret  that  we 
have  not  the  data  to  speak  more  fully  and  definitely  of  them,  their 
personal  experiences,  their  lives  and  characters. 

THE  FIRST  SETTLER. 

AVhen,  in  1826-7,  the  Legislature  formed  Tazewell  county  it 
extended  over  a  vast  region  of  country.  Its  boundaries  then  em- 
braced many  of  the  neighboring  counties,  and  its  jurisdiction  extend- 
ed as  far  north  as  Chicago.  In  giving  the  history  of  the  settlement 
of  the  county,  however,  we  will  speak  only  of  the  territory  within 
its  present  limits. 

The  first  to  cast  his  fortune  here, —  to  "locate"  in  Tazewell  coun- 
ty,— was  Nathan  Dillon.  He  came  in  the  year  182.3,  and  lived, 
labored  and  died  in  the  county  of  his  adoption  an  honorable,  hon- 
ored citizen.  Fortunately  we  have  been  able  to  obtain  a  very  fiill 
narrative  of  his  coming  from  his  own  pen.  We  give  it  in  his  own 
language  just  as  he  has  left  it  to  posterity. 

.  NATHAN  Dillon's  reminiscence. 

It  was  in  the  year  1821  that  we  set  our  faces  westward,  with  heavy 
hearts  at  the  thought  of  leaving  near  friends  and  relatives  behind, 
with  a  view  of  taking  up  our  abode  on  the  broad  prairies  of  the 
West,  and  among  strangers  and  savages.  At  that  early  day,  our 
way  was  in  a  manner  through  a  wilderness  to  our  journey's  end, 
the  destination  of  which  was  eight  miles  south  of  Springfield,  on 
Sugar  creek. 


202  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Although  we  were  well  outfitted  with  good  horses  and  wagons, 
many  hardships  awaited  us  of  which  we  had  not  dreamed.  We  had 
a  terrible  trip  through  Indiana  through  mud,  over  logs  and  brush, 
often  swamped  down  to  the  hubs  of  the  wagon.  We  could  procure 
but  little  feed  for  our  horses  but  new  corn,  and  part  of  the  time 
could  not  obtain  that ;  and  when  at  last  we  struck  the  Grand  Prairie, 
west  of  Clinton,  on  the  AVabash,  we  found  ourselves  with  broken- 
down  horses  and  only  three  days'  provisions,  our  company  consisting 
of  my  brother  Absalom's  family  and  my  own,  with  six  horses  and 
seventy  head  of  cattle  and  twenty  sheep.  The  country  before  us 
was  wild,  new,  almost  untrodden  by  man  ;  but  our  hearts  were  brave. 
The  second  day  out  some  were  attacked  with  the  chills  and  fever, 
and  as  we  advanced  others  were  taken  with  the  same  disease.  Then 
did  we  wish  ourselves  back  again  to  the  home  we  had  left  in  Ohio. 
Not  half  way  across  the  prairie  and  out  of  provisions,  and  not  able 
to  drive  our  team,  let  alone  our  stock,  what  to  do  we  did  not 
know ;  but  at  this  juncture  we  were  overtaken  by  three  young  men, 
who  had  set  out  on  our  trail  with  the  hope  of  safely  walking 
through  :  but  when  thev  overtook  us  were  already  out  of  provisions. 

To  remedy  our  scarcity  we  slaughtered  one  of  our  cows,  thereby 
obtainina:  what  would  subsist  us  till  we  could  reach  the  forks  of  the 
Sangamon,  where  resided  Jacob  Scraggs,  and  where  we  rested.  The 
next  day  we  reached  our  destination.  We  were  among  strangers, 
but  they  were  kind,  generous  and  hospitable.  AVinter  was  draAving 
near,  and  we  had  no  shelter  of  any  kind  in  which  to  stay,  no  feed 
for  our  stock,  and  my  wife  the  only  person  among  us  who  had  not 
been  sick  on  the  road,  and  yet  we  succeeded  in  passing  our  first 
winter  in  Illinois,  as  best  we  could,  and  without  losing  much  stock. 
In  passing,  I  will  note  that  at  the  time  of  our  arrival  there  was  in 
Springfield  a  very  low,  one-story  court-house,  twenty  feet  square ; 
a  jail,  not  so  large,  built  of  round  logs ;  a  tavern,  kept  by  a  Mr. 
Price,  and  a  store,  kept  by  John  Taylor,  who  was  also  sheriff  of 
the  county. 

The  summer  following  much  sickness  prevailed,  and  in  the  fall 
we  lost  two  children,  which  discouraged  us  veiy  much, —  made  us 
home-sick,  and  almost  induced  us  to  return  to  Ohio.  Hearing,  how- 
ever, a  good  account  of  the  Mackinaw  country  to  the  north  of  us, 
we  determined  to  visit  it ;  and  accordingly,  accompanied  by  my 
brothers  Jesse  and  AValter,  and  AVilliam  Hays,  we  set  out  on  a  jour- 
ney to  explore  it.     We  struck  the  stream  at  Mackinaw  Town,  and 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  203 

after  visiting  Deer  Creek,  Walnut  Grove,  White  Oak  and  Stout's 
Groves,  our  provisions  failed  us,  and  we  went  over  to  Fort  Clarke  (as 
Peoria  was  then  called),  but  on  arrival  found  neither  provisions  nor 
people,  except  Abner  Eads  and  Jesse  Ogee.  But  we  managed  to 
catch  some  iish,  and  on  them,  with  some  prairie  chickens  Ave  killed, 
we  subsisted  until  we  returned  to  Elkhart  Grove. 

On  our  return  we  passed  through  Pleasant  Grove  and  Delavan 
Prairie.  We  made  selections  for  future  homes  near  Dillon  Creek, 
and  the  next  fall,  having  put  up  cabins,  we  prepared  to  remove  to 
our  new  home,  got  ready,  and  set  out.  On  our  journey,  when  a 
short  distance  from  where  the  village  of  Delavan  noAv  stands,  we 
were  overtaken  bv  a  heavv  thunder  storm.  We  hurried  alono-  as 
fast  as  possible  until  sundown,  when  the  wind  changed  to  the  north- 
west, and  in  fifteen  minutes'  time  our  clothes  were  frozen  hard,  our 
horses  mired  down,  and  my  wife  and  children  had  to  get  out  of  the 
wagon  into  the  bleak  wind.  Then  we  unloaded  the  wagon  and  moved 
it  out  of  the  slough  by  hand,  the  water  half-leg  deep,  and  reloading, 
hitched  up  the  horse  and  moved  on  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  fur- 
ther, when  the  same  accident  occurred  again.  It  was  now  quite 
dark,  the  wind  blowing,  the  weather  freezino;  cold,  -wolves  howlino- 
in  every  direction.  We  concluded  to  start  for  the  timber,  which 
was  about  three  miles  off;  so,  packing  wife  and  children  on  horse- 
back, w^e  started  against  the  wind  :  it  Avas  to  do  that  or  freeze  on  the 
prairie.  We  were  in  a  truly  desperate  condition, —  no  fire,  and  all  of 
us  wet,  cold  and  hungry.  AYe  had  to  have  fire  or  perish ;  so  on  our 
arrival  at  the  timber  it  devolved  on  me  to  strike  a  fire,  for  my  broth- 
er was  so  near  chilled  through  he  could  do  nothing,  as  he  had  been 
riding  and  driving  a  four-horse  team.  In  those  days  we  had  no 
matches,  and  were  compelled  to  strike  a  fire  by  a  flint-lock  rifle, 
which  was  a  bad  job,  as  the  whole  ground  was  flooded  and  nothing 
could  be  found  dry.  I  at  length  succeeded  in  getting  a  fire,  and  we 
piled  high  the  wood  and  stood  around  and  thawed  out  and  dried  our 
clothes ;  and  when  my  wife  went  to  look  for  the  provisions  to  get 
some  supper,  the  dogs  had  found  where  it  lay,  and  eaten  it  all  up  ; 
and  we  went  supperless  to  our  wet  beds. 

The  next  morning  we  started  by  sunrise  for  the  wagon.     It  was 
frozen  fast,  and  we  had  to  cut  it  out  and  take  it  back  the  way  it 
came  in.     We  had  left  our  cattle  on  the  previous   night,  and   they 
had  started  ofl".     I  took  their  trail  and  followed  them  several  miles 
when  the  ground  became  so  frozen  that  their  hoofs  made  no  impres- 


204  HISTOKY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

sion ;  so  I  gave  them  up  as  lost  and  returned  to  camp.  By  this  time 
I  was  very  hungry ;  and  wife,  with  provisions  brought  from  the 
wagon,  had  prepared  a  good  meal,  and  we  all  did  it  ample  justice,  as 
we  had  not  eaten  anything  for  nearly  two  days..  At  the  beginning 
of  the  second  day  we  mustered  all  force,  determined  to  reach  our 
destination  that  day.  When  we  arrived  at  the  MackinaAV  the  ice 
was  running  in  large  quantities,  and  the  stream  hardly  fordable ;  but 
with  much  labor  and  difficulty  we  got  across,  and  that  evening  ar- 
rived at  our  cabin.  There  was  no  door  or  chimney  to  it;  not  a 
crack  stopped,  and  situated  so  the  north  wind  came  through  at  a 
sweeping  rate ;  but  having  plenty  of  bed-clothes,  we  kept  ourselves 
comfortable,  and  opened  a  place  in  the  roof  to  let  the  smoke  escape, 
prepared  a  good  suppar,  slept  in  the  cabin,  and  felt  ourselves  at 
home.  We  went  to  work  on  the  cabin,  and  in  a  few  days  had  it 
warm  and  comfortable. 

Brother  Walter  returned  to  Sangamon  county  for  a  load  of  corn 
and  meal.  While  he  was  gone  it  rained  a  great  deal,  and  he  was 
twelve  days  in  coming  from  Springfield.  Wm.  Davis  came  with 
him  with  a  drove  of  hogs.  When  they  arrived  at  Mackinaw  the 
water  overflowed  the  banks,  so  they  left  the  team  on  the  other  side, 
and  with  the  men  with  them,  made  a  raft  and  crossed  over,  and  ar- 
rived at  home  late  the  same  night.  The  next  morning  we  started 
for  the  teams,  prepared  to  make  a  raft  large  enough  to  bring  across 
wagon,  provisions  and  horses.  The  weather  was  extremely  cold, 
and  the  work  occupied  two  days.  We  got  our  wagons  and  pro- 
visions across,  but  were  compelled  to  swim  the  horses.  Brother 
John  was  mounted  on  one  of  them,  and  in  plunging  round  in  the 
mud  and  Avater  he  got  dismounted  and  thrown  in  the  water,  and 
when  he  got  out  had  to  ride  near  three  miles  with  frozen  clothes  on, 
and  almost  perished ;  but  a  good  fire  and  hearty  supper  made  us  all 
feel  comfortable.  But  the  horses  had  a  hard  time  of  it,  as  they  had 
to  stand  out  in  a  cold  wind  tied  with  a  halter  all  through  the  cold 
freezing  night. 

So  passed  the  winter  at  our  cabin  with  wife  and  children.  Occa- 
sionally my  brother  was  with  us,  but  my  wife  never  saw  a  white 
woman  from  the  month  of  December  to  the  following  March ;  but 
there  were  plenty  of  Indians,  and  they  were  quite  troublesome,  and 
could  not  be  trusted.  In  the  month  of  May  following  (1824)  I 
was  compelled  to  go  to  the  settlements  after  provisions,  and  John 
Dillon  accompanied  me.     The  night  we  arrived  it  commenced  rain- 


HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  205 

ing,  and  continued,  so  that  on  our  return  the  streams  had  raised  to 
a  fearful  height.  When  we  came  to  Salt  Creek  it  was  a  sea  of  water 
from  hill  to  hill,  and  we  were  compelled  to  cross  as  best  we  could, 
by  ferrying  our  load  in  a  small  boat,  and  swimming  our  horses. 
Kickapoo  was  in  the  same  condition,  and  we  crossed  in  a  small  ca- 
noe, taking  our  wagons  apart  in  order  to  get  them  over.  The  next 
was  Suffar  Creek,  where  Robert  Musick  then  lived.  Here  we  were 
one  whole  day  in  crossing.  The  night  after  we  lay  out  on  the  big 
prairie,  without  fire  and  but  little  to  eat.  If  such  toils  and  priva- 
tions would  not  try  men's  souls,  what  Avould?  We  had  no  more 
ferrying  until  we  reached  Mackinaw,  but  our  team  broke  away,  and 
we  had  to  follow  them  some  eight  miles  before  we  overtook  them. 
On  our  return  we  foiuid  Benj.  Briggs,  who  was  on  his  way  to  Peoria : 
had  been  as  far  as  Mackinaw  and  could  not  cross,  and  was  returning. 
We  returned  to  that  stream  and  spent  a  lonesome  night  on  its  banks, 
and  in  the  morning  found  an  Indian  canoe,  and  with  its  aid  swam 
our  horses  over  and  reached  home.  Brothers  Walter,  Absalom,  and 
others  started  for  the  stream  and  brought  our  wagons  over. 

In  concluding  this  narrative  I  will  speak  of  the  other  first  settlers 
that  came  to  this  section  of  country  (Dillon  Grove,  Tazewell  Co.). 
In  the  month  of  March,  1824,  brother  Absalom  moved  here;  soon 
after  John  Summers,  William  Woodrow,  and  Peter  Scott  came  and 
made  improvements.  My  brothers  Jesse  and  Thomas  came  out  the 
fall  following,  and  the  year  after  my  father  and  brother  William 
came,  and  from  that  time  the  country  settled  very  fast  with  an 
industrious  population. 

EARLY  SETTLEMENTS. 

In  1824  Nathan  Dillon  was  followed  by  his  brothers  with  their 
families,  who  settled  on  the  creek  around  him.  Then  came  George 
and  Isham  Wright  to  Hittle's  Grove,  Esau  and  William  OrendorflF 
to  Sugar  Creek,  Isaac  Perkins,  Hugh  Woodrow,  William  Woodrow, 
Samuel  Woodrow,  John  Summers,  Jacob  and  Jonathan  Tharp,  Peter 
Scott  and  others,  came  into  Sand  Prairie  in  1824.  In  the  northern 
part  of  the  county  came  William  Blanchard,  L.  Andress,  Elias 
Avery,  John  Parker,  Thomas  Camlin,  and  William  Holland.  Mr. 
Holland  came  from  Peoria  in  the  spring  of  1825  and  located  on  the 
site  of  the  present  city  of  Washington,  of  which  he  was  the  founder. 
He  was  formerly  from  North  Carolina,  and  was  employed  by  the 
14 


206  HISTORY    OF    TAZEM'ELL    COUNTY. 

United  States  Government  as  a  blacksmith  for  the  Indians  who  in- 
habited this  portion  of  our  State  at  that  time.  For  several  years 
after  settlino;  here  Mr.  Holland  continued  to  work  for  the  natives. 
He  was  also  a  gunsmith,  and  as  such  his  services  were  in  great  de- 
mand by  both  the  Avhite  and  red  men.  His  was  the  only  house,  and 
his  the  only  family  living  in  the  vicinity  of  Washington  until  1826. 
At  the  time  he  came  to  Washington  his  nearest  neighbor  was  Thos. 
Camlin,  who  lived  on  Farm  Creek,  some  three  miles  east  of  Peoria, 
in  Fond  du  Lac  township.  Camlin  was  a  genial,  clever  pioneer,  and 
always  ready  to  entertain  his  guests  with  spicy  stories  and  thrilling 
incidents  of  his  personal  adventures  with  the  Indians,  whom,  he 
would  claim,  he  used  to  shoot  at  a  distance  of  one-half  to  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile, —  a  second  Daniel  Boone. 

Holland  often  visited  at  Camlin's,  and  passed  many  pleasant  eve- 
nings in  his  society.  Had  we  a  pioneer  of  this  type  in  our  midst 
to-day,  living  as  he  then  lived,  with  his  experiences  of  frontier  life, 
what  a  curiosity  he  would  be !  What  a  thrilling,  blood-curdling 
story  would  the  simple  narrative  of  his  life  make. 

WILLIAM  DAVIS. 

One  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  county  was  William  Davis. 
He  came  in  the  year  1823  with  the  Dillons.  He  brought  his  family 
the  following  year,  and  located  on  section  27,  Elm  Grove  toAvnship. 
The  widow  of  Mr.  Davis  lives  at  the  old  homestead,  the  laud  never 
having  been  transferred  since  first  entered  by  her  husband.  Previ- 
ous to  his  coming  to  this  county  Mr.  Davis  had  been  in  the  employ 
of  Major  Langley,  who  had  the  contract  from  the  United  States 
Government  to  survey  the  southern  part  of  the  State.  Mr.  Davis 
was  a  noted  hunter,  and  with  his  faithful  and  unerring  rifle  supplied 
the  surveying  party  with  abundance  of  the  choicest  game  the  coun- 
try afforded. 

In  this  connection  we  will  relate  an  incident  in  Mr,  Davis'  life 
worthy  of  commemoration.  To  him  belongs  the  honor  of  buying 
the  first  article  of  merchandise  ever  sold  in  Springfield,  the  State 
capital.  It  was  under  the  following  circumstances  that  the  purchase 
was  made :  When  the  surveying  party  reached  the  site  of  the  city 
of  Springfield  his  shoes  had  completely  given  out,  leaving  him  bare- 
foot. Some  parties  by.  the  name  of  Isles  were  putting  up  a  place 
in  which  to  open  a  stock  of  goods  at  that  point.  The  building  was 
made  of  bark  and  was  simply  intended  as  temporary  quarters.     At 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  207 

Mr.  Davis'  solicitation  they  opened  a  box  of  shoes  and  sold  him  a 
pair,  being  the  first  sale  they  had  made. 

Thomas  Davis,  a  son  of  William  Davis,  and  who  now  resides  in 
Tremont  township,  has  in  his  possession  the  rifle  his  father  carried 
while  connected  with  the  surveying  ex})edition.  This  gun  was  also 
the  property  of  William  Davis'  father,  and  is  over  one  hundred 
years  old. 

OTHER  SETTLERS. 

The  same  year  that  Mr.  Holland  came  to  Holland's  Grove,  Amasa 
Stout  and  Matthew  Stout  came  to  Stout's  Grove,  and  Daniel  Seward, 
Benjamin  Briggs,  Alexander  McKnight,  and  James  Scott,  to  Plum 
Grove.  Jesse,  Absalom  and  Jacob  Funk,  Jacob  Wilson,  Jacob 
Hepperly,  Morgan  Buckingham,  Horace  Crocker,  Abraham  Brown 
and  Jeiferson  Huscham  came  and  settled  on  the  river  bottom  above 
and  opposite  Fort  Clarke. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  COUNTY. 

Tazewell  county  was  organized  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  Jan- 
uarv  31st,  1827,  with  the  following  boundaries :  Beginning  at  the 
northeast  corner  of  township  twenty,  north  of  the  base  line,  axid 
range  three  east  of  the  third  printnpal  meridian,  thence  north  on 
said  line  to  the  north  line  of  township  twenty-eight  north,  thence 
west  to  the  middle  of  the  Illinois  river,  thence  down  said  river  to 
the  north  line  of  township  twenty  north,  thence  east  to  the  place  of 
beginning. 

In  the  act  organizing  the  county  January  31,  1827,  an  error  oc- 
curred in  describing  the  boundaries.  This  error  was  corrected  by  an 
act  re-establishing  the  boundaries,  passed  January  22,  1829.. 

The  territory  comprising  the  county  of  Tazewell  formed  part  of 
the  counties  at  the  dates  named  in  the  several  subdivisions  of  the 
State  prior  to  the  organization  of  the  county,  as  follows : 

1809  —  At  this  date  Illinois  Territory  was  organized,  and  was 
subdivided  into  the  counties  of  Randolph  and  St.  Clair.  Tazewell 
was  included  in  the  county  of  St.  Clair. 

1812  —  Tazewell  formed  part  of  the  county  of  Madison. 

1814  —  Tazewell  was  included  in  the  counties  of  Madison  and 
Edwards :  west  of  the  third  principal  meridian  in  Madison,  east  of 
the  meridian  in  Edwards. 

1816  —  Tazewell  was  included  within  the  boundaries  of  Madison 


208  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

and  Crawford  counties :  east  of  the  meridian  in  Cra^vford,  west  in 
Madison. 

1817  —  Tazewell  formed  part  of  the  eounties  of  Bond  and  Craw- 
ford :  west  of  the  meridian  in  Bond,  east  in  Crawford. 

1819  —  Tazewell  was  included  in  Clark  and  Bond  counties:  west 
of  the  meridian  in  Bond,  east  in  Clark. 

1821  —  Tazewell  formed  part  of  Fayette  and  Sangamon  counties: 
west  of  the  meridian  in  Sangamon,  east  in  Fayette. 

1827  —  Tazewell  organized  January  31st:  boundary  defective. 

1829  —  Tazewell  boundaries  defined,  and  error  in  law  of  1827 
corrected  as  above  given.  County  originally  created  from  territory 
then  comprising  part  of  the  counties  of  Sangamon  and  Fayette : 
west  of  the  third  principal  meridian  taken  from  Sangamon,  east  of 
the  meridian,  comprising  24  townships,  taken  from  Fayette. 

1830  —  McLean  county  was  formed  by  taking  off  the  three  ranges 
east  of  the  meridian  and  range  one  west  of  the  meridian. 

1839  —  Logan  county  was  created,  taking  off  three  townships  on 
the  south. 

1841  — The  counties  of  Mason  and  Woodford  were  organized,  and 
Tazewell  reduced  to  its  present  boundaries. 

The  commissioners  to  locate  the  couutv  seat  were  Thos.  M.  Neale, 
Wm.  L.  D.  Ewing  and  Job  Fletcher.  They  were  by  the  act  of  or- 
ganization required  to  meet  on  the  third  Monday  of  March,  1827, 
or  within  five  days  thereafter,  at  the  house  of  Wm.  Orendorif,  for 
the  purpose  of  locating  the  county  seat,  which,  when  located,  was 
to  be  called  "  Mackinaw."  Until  county  buildings  were  erected  the 
courts  were  required  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  Wm.  Orendorff. 
Election  for  county  officers  at  the  house  of  said  Wm.  Orendorif  on 
the  second  Monday  of  April,  1827. 

All  that  part  of  Fayette  lying  east  and  north  of  Tazewell  was 
attached  to  Tazewell  for  county  purposes. 

In  the  year  1825  the  Legislature  created  Peoria  county,  and  at- 
tached to  it  for  all  county  purposes  all  of  the  territory  north  of 
town  20  and  west  of  the  third  principal  meridian,  thus  including  all 
the  present  county  of  Tazewell.  Nathan  Dillon,  William  Holland 
and  Joseph  Smith  were  chosen  County  Commissioners  for  the  new 
county.  The  former  two  resided  in  this  county.  They  held  their 
first  meeting  at  Peoria  March  8,  1825. 

When  the  population  of  Tazewell  was  thought  to  be  sufficiently 
large  to  regularly  organize,  an  election  was  held  in  April,  1827,  and 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  209 

Benjamin  Briggs,  George  Hittle,  and  James  Lotta  were  chosen 
Countv  Commissioners.  The  Commissioners  at  once  proceeded  to 
hold  a  meeting  and  consummate  the  organization.  This  they  did 
at  the  house  of  William  Orendorff,  April  10,  1827.  For  an  account 
of  the  labors  of  the  Commissioners  we  refer  the  reader  to  the  follow- 
ing chapter. 

The  county  at  this  time  was  very  large ;  even  in  1829,  when  a 
new  boundary  was  formed,  it  contained  79  townships.  It  has  been 
divided  for  the  formation  tif  other  counties  so  often  that  it  has  finally 
been  reduced  to  19  townships. 

The  county  was  named  in  honor  of  Hon.  John  Tazewell,  United 
States  Senator  from  the  State  of  Virginia.  There  is  a  county  in 
that  State  which  also  bears  the  same  name,  these  being  the  only  two 
in  the  United  States. 

THE  FIRST  MILL, 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  encountered  by  the  early  settlers 
was  in  having  their  milling  done.  By  a  liberal  application  of  enter- 
prise and  muscle  they  experienced  but  little  trouble  in  producing  an 
abundance  of  the  cereals,  but  having  it  converted  into  brcadstull 
was  a  source  of  much  hard  labor.  As  to  the  establishment  of  the 
first  mill  in  the  county  we  quote  from  the  pen  of  Nathan  Dillon : 

"  Now  let  me  tell  you  how  we  got  along  about  mills.  There  were 
three  or  four  horse-mills  in  Sangamon,  at  40  or  45  miles  distance. 
Sometimes  we  went  to  them ;  sometimes  to  Southwick's,  situated  at 
a  distance  of  60  miles.  We  did  not  mind  the  journey  much,  unless 
the  streams  were  swollen  with  rains,  in  which  case  the  task  of  going 
to  mill  was  severe,  as  there  were  no  bridges  and  ferries  in  those 
days.  By  and  by,  to  remedy  our  wants,  Samuel  Tutter  erected  a 
small  horse-mill  in  the  neighborhood  of  Peoria ;  and  a  few  years 
after  William  Eads  put  one  up  at  Elm  Grove,  a  public  improvement 
which  made  us  feel  quite  rich.  In  those  early  times  we  took  only 
corn  to  mill,  paying  one-sixth  or  one  bit  per  bushel  for  grinding. 
The  meal  obtained  was  of  an  inferior  quality  when  compared  with 
what  we  now  have.  Our  millers  were  good,  honest  fellows,  and  the 
somewhat  heavy  tariffs  they  laid  on  their  customers  not  at  all  wrong, 
for  their  income  was  small.  Times  are  changed.  The  reader  who 
now  looks  at  the  fertile  prairies  of  Illinois,  what  does  he  behold? 
Large  cities  and  flourishing  towns.  Behold  the  prairies,  then  wild 
and  untrodden,  now  covered  with  fine  farms  and  dwellings ;  behold 


210  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

the  travel  of  our  railroads  and  rivers,  visit  our  county  fairs  and  be- 
come acquainted  with  our  intelligent  farmers,  and  the  vast  and  val- 
uable amount  of  products  derived  from  the  soil  they  till ;  behold  on 
every  hand  our  numerous  churches  and  school-houses,  our  court- 
houses and  seats  of  justice,  spread  all  over  the  wide  territory  which 
French,  Philips  and  myself  early  governed  as  humble  justices,  and 
tell  me,  has  not  the  changed  improvement  been  both  great  and 
remarkable." 

A  FEW  FIRST  THINGS. 

As  related  above,  the  first  cabin  built  in  the  county  was  by  Nathan 
Dillon,  on  Dillon  creek,  Dillon  township,  in  1823.  He  moved  into 
this  rude  structure  before  a  door  or  window  was  put  in.  He  built 
a  fire  in  one  corner  and  tore  up  the  clapboard  roof  to  make  an 
opening  for  the  smoke  to  escape.  Here  Aug.  2,  1824,  was  born 
Hannah  Dillon,  daughter  of  Nathan  Dillon,  the  first  white  child  born 
in  the  county.  Stephen  Woodrow  was  the  first  white  male  child 
born  in  the  county.  The  first  improvement  introduced  in  the  county 
aside  from  the  cabins  of  the  pioneers,  was  a  grist-mill  erected  by 
William  Eads  and  William  Davis.  This  mill  was  built  in  1825,  in 
Elm  Grove  township.  It  wa^  generally  run  by  four  horses,  and 
would  not  crack  over  three  bushels  of  corn  in  an  hour.  It  was 
what  was  called  in  those  days  a  "  band  mill."  Being  geared  to  run 
by  horse  or  cattle  power,  the  customers,  on  all  occasions,  had  to  fur- 
nish their  own  power.  About  the  asme  time  Elisha  Perkins  erected 
another  band  mill  in  the  neighborhood  of  Circleville.  Previous  to 
the  erection  of  these  important  improvements  the  nearest  mill  was 
at  Elkhardt,  ten  miles  northeast  of  Springfield.  Perkins'  mill  was 
afterwards  stockaded  and  used  as  a  fort  during  the  Black  Hawk  war. 

The  first  water  grist-mill  built  in  the  county  was  erected  on  Farm 
creek,  in  1827,  by  a  man  named  Leak.  It  had  one  run  of  stones. 
The  bolting  was  done  by  hand. 

The  first  water  mill  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county  was  built 
in  1831  by  Summers,  on  Lick  creek  west  of  the  town  of  Groveland. 
It  was  a  common  hand  mill  run  by  water.  It  was  so  constructed 
that  it  would  drop  but  one  grain  at  a  time  in  the  mill,  thus  consum- 
ing much  time  to  grind  a  grist.  The  mill  was  built  of  logs  roofed 
with  linden  bark,  and  was  about  ten  feet  square. 

The  first  cotton  gin  in  the  county  was  built  by  William  Eads  in 
connection  with  his  grist-mill. 


HISTORY    OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  211 

Theodorus  Fisher  built  the  first  wooleu  factory  ever  operated  in 
Tazewell  county.  It  was  built  in  1832,  on  section  34,  Elm  Grove 
township.  It  was  run  by  ox  power.  An  inclined  wheel  was  used 
upon  which  they  trod  to  make  the  motion.  This  was  an  extensive 
concern  for  the  time,  and  settlers  came  from  Knox,  Peoria,  and 
Sangamon  counties  to  get  their  wool  carded. 

The  first  school-house  in  the  county  was  erected  on  section 
27,  Elm  Grove  township,  in  1827.  Samuel  Bentley  was  the  first 
teacher. 

The  first  camp-meeting  held  in  Tazewell  county  was  by  Petei 
Cartwright,  in  a  grove  on  Dillon  creek,  Elm  Grove  township,  in 
1827. 

The  first  postoffice  of  the  county  was  kept  by  Thomas  Dillon, 
Dillon  townshi]),  in  1825. 

Absalom  Dillon  kept  the  first  store  in  the  county,  first  at  Dillon 
in  1826,  and  then  at  Pekin  in  1830. 

The  first  marriage  celebrated  in  the  county  was  that  of  Daniel 
Dillon  to  Martha  Alexander.  The  ceremony  took  place  in  Elm 
Grove  township,  the  license  having  been  procured  at  Peoria. 

The  first  marriage  that  occurred  after  the  county  was  organized, 
and  the  first  marriage  license  issued,  were  under  the  following  ro- 
mantic circumstances:  Mordecai  Mobley,  the  first  County  Clerk, 
happened  at  old  Father  Stout's  to  stay  all  night.  Mr.  Stout  lived 
about  five  miles  from  Mackinaw.  Mr.  Mobley  says  he  noticed  a 
boy  and  girl  around  but  thought  they  were  brother  and  sister.  Soon 
the  "  old  gentleman "  called  him  aside  and  told  him  that  "  that  ar 
boy  had  been  comin'  to  see  his  darter  for  a  long  time,  and  they  want 
to  o-et  married.  Now,"  continued  Mr.  Stout,  "  we  are  liviii  in  a  new 
country  and  we  don't  know  what's  to  be  done,  and  we  thinks  as 
how  you  can  tell  us.  They  have  to  get  some  kind  of  a  permit,  don't 
they  ?  "  Mr.  Mobley  told  him  they  did,  and  that  he  could  not  only 
tell  them  how  to  get  married,  but  that  he  was  the  man  to  issue  the 
permit.  This  i)leased  Mr.  Stout,  and  no  doubt  the  young  cou})le 
were  delighted  to  think  that  the  great  obstacles  that  prevented  them 
from  being  one  —  for  they  were  both  willing  and  so  were  the  old 
folk  —  were  about  to  be  removed.  INIr.  Stout  wanted  the  license 
immediately.  Accordingly,  Mr.  Mobley  told  them  if  they  would 
get  him  pen  and  ink  and  some  paper  he  would  write  the  license. 
Not  a  sheet  of  blank  paper  could  be  found  in  the  cabin.  At  last, 
Mr.   Mobley  asked  them  if  they  had  a  book.     Mr.  Stout  thought 


212  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 

they  had,  "as  they  used  to  have  one."  Finally  an  old  book  was 
found  which  happened  to  have  one  whole  unmarked  fly-leaf.  Being 
thus  provided  with  paper  they  found  they  had  no  pen.  A  pen  was 
soon  made,  however.  Mr.  Mobley  told  them  to  go  and  catch  the 
biggest  chicken  they  had.  This  was  done  and  a  large  feather  pulled 
out  of  its  Aving  and  a  pen  made  of  it.  Again  they  found  themselves 
in  a  dilemma,  but  out  of  which  the  ingenuity  of  Mr.  Mobley  soon 
brought  them.  After  being  provided  with  paper  and  pen  they  were 
minus  ink.  He,  however,  took  some  water  and  gunpowder  and 
made  some  writing-fluid  that  answered  the  purpose.  With  this  ink 
and  pen,  and  upon  the  fly-leaf  of  the  old  book,  the  first  marriage 
license  issued  in  Tazewell  county  was  written. 

The  couple  for  whom  such  seemingly  insurmountable  obstacles 
were  overcome  were  John  Stout  and  Fanny  Stout.  They  were  mar- 
ried on  the  25th  of  June,  1827,  by  Rev.  William  Brown. 

The  marriage  of  the  celebrated  Peter  Cartwright  was  among  the 
very  first  to  take  place  in  Tazewell  county.  He  was  married  to 
Temperance  Kindle,  Oct.  14,  1827,  by  George  Hittle,  County  Com- 
missioner. His  was  the  sixth  marriage  license  issued  after  the 
county's  organization. 

The  first  death  of  a  white  man  occurring  in  the  county  was  that 
of  a  Mr.  Killum  in  the  month  of  December,  1823.  He  left  Sugar 
creek,  in  Logan  county,  to  go  to  Peoria.  Being  compelled  to  wade 
the  Mackinaw  river  at  high  water,  and  the  weather  turning  suddenly 
cold,  he  perished  on  the  prairie  not  far  from  where  he  crossed. 

In  February,  1825,  Ezekiel  Turner  was  killed  by  lightning,  being 
the  second  death.  Not  a  foot  of  sawed  lumber  being  within  reach, 
the  rites  of  sepulture  were  performed  in  true  pioneer  style.  Wm. 
Woodrow  felled  a  straight  walnut  tree,  cut  a  log  the  proper  length, 
split  it,  and  hollowed  one  half  and  shaped  it  like  a  coflin.  From 
the  other  half  of  the  log  a  slab  was  hewn  for  a  lid,  and  in  this  rude 
burial  case  the  body  was  placed  and  consigned  to  mother  earth ; 
and  no  doubt  that  what  was  mortal  of  Ezekiel  Turner  mouldered 
into  its  original  element  as  peacefully  as  though  it  had  been  encased 
in  satin-lined  rosewood  or  polished  iron. 

THE  FIRST  STEAMBOAT 

to  ascend  the  Illinois  river  landed  at  Pekin,  which  at  that  time 
was  known,  from  its  fine  location,  as  "  Town  Site,"  late  in  the  fall 
of  1828.     A  steamboat  was  a  novelty,  or  rather  a  mystery,  to  many 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL  COUNTY.  213 

of  the  early  settlers.  Coming  up  the  river  the  boat  passed  Kings- 
ton in  the  night.  Hugh  Barr,  who  lived  near  that  point,  heard  it 
coming,  and  being  on  rather  unfriendly  terms  with  the  Indians,  then 
quite  numerous  in  the  vicinity,  concluded  that  it  was  some  infernal 
contrivance  of  theirs  to  frighten  or  harm  him.  Seizing  his  gun  and 
setting  his  equally  bewildered  dog  at  it,  he  pursued  the  offending 
mystery.  The  pilot,  not  being  familiar  with  the  channel,  ran  into 
Clifton's  lake,  and  finding  no  outlet,  he  had  to  back  the  boat  out. 
Barr,  witnessing  this,  drew  off  his  dog,  and  though  still  hugely 
puzzled  to  know  what  manner  of  craft  it  was,  gave  up  pursuit. 
William  Haines  then  lived  about  where  Behrens'  brick  block,  cor- 
ner of  Front  and  Court  streets,  now  stands.  Hearing  the  puff  of 
the  escaping  steam  he  hastily  left  his  bed,  and  half  dressed,  crossed 
the  street  to  Thomas  Snell's,  now  the  Bemis  House,  called  neighbor 
Snell  out  of  bed,  and  inquired  as  to  what  manner  of  creature  was 
coming  up  the  river.  Snell  replied  :  "  I  don't  know.  Bill ;  but  if  I 
was  on  the  Ohio  river  I  would  think  it  was  a  steamboat."  Old 
Father  Tharp,  hearing  the  noise  of  the  paddles  and  the  steam  whistle, 
thought  it  was  Gabriel  blowing  his  horn ;  that  sure  enough  the  end 
of  the  world  had  come  in  the  night ;  and  calling  up  his  family,  en- 
gaged in  prayer  as  a  fitting  preparation  fi)r  the  advent  of  a  higher 
and  better  life. 

PIONEER  LANDLORDS. 

As  amusingly  illustrating  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  the  pio- 
neer hotel  keepers,  we  incorporate  the  following  account  of  two  hotels 
in  Pekin.  It  is  taken  from  the  "  Pekin  City  Directory,"  published 
in  1870  by  Sellers  &  Bates: 

"first-class"  HOTELS. 

The  year  1848  witnessed  the  establishment  of  two  "first-class" 
hotels.  The  Eagle,  which  stood  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the 
Bemis  House,  was  kept  by  Seth  Kinnian,  who  afterwards  acquired 
considerable  celebrity  as  a  hunter  and  trapper  in  the  far  AVest,  and 
by  presenting  buck-horn  and  bear-claw  chairs,  of  his  own  make,  to 
Presidents  Lincoln  and  Johnson. 

The  other,  now  the  Mansion  House,  but  then  known  as  the  "  Tay- 
lor House,"  was  presided  over  by  William  A.  Tinney.  "Uncle 
Bill"  still  resides  here,  good-natured  and  hearty,  notwithstanding 
the  arduous  duties  of  his  offices  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Police 


214  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 


Magistrate  and  Acting  Coroner.  He  distinguished  himself  in  his 
old  days  by  being  the  first  white  man  in  Pekin  to  lead  a  negro  to 
the  polls  to  vote. 

The  manner  of  welcoming  guests  to  these  hotels  was  somewhat 
peculiar,  as  the  following  instance  will  illustrate :  A  traveler  came 
off  a  boat  one  day,  and  went  to  the  Eagle  Hotel.  There  had  been 
a  little  western  "  scrimmage  "  at  the  "  Eagle  "  the  night  before,  and 
though  things  had  not  yet  been  put  in  order,  the  proprietor,  Seth 
Kinman,  was  sitting  in  front  of  the  door,  playing  his  favorite  tune, 
the  "Arkansas  Traveler,"  with  the  greatest  self-satisfaction.  The 
stranger  stopped  and  asked  Seth,  "Are  you  the  proprietor  here ? " 
Seth,  without  resting  his  bow,  replied,  "Wall,  I  reckon  I  be, 
stranger."  "Do  you  keep  tavern?"  "Of  course  I  do;  keep 
tavern  like  h — 1,"  said  Seth,  fiddling  away  with  all  his  might. 
"  Just  pile  in  ;  hang  your  freight  up  on  the  floor  and  make  yourself 
at  home.  The  boys,"  continued  Seth,  "  have  been  having  a  little 
fun,  but  if  there's  a  whole  table  or  plate  in  the  house  I'll  get  you 
some  cold  hash  towards  night."  The  stranger  didn't  like  the  place, 
and  took  his  departure,  leaving  the  "  proprietor "  still  enjoying  his 
violin.  Late  in  the  afternoon  the  traveler  presented  himself  at  the 
"  Taylor  House."  'Squire  Tinney  met  him  outside  with  his  nwst 
austere  expression  and  "Good  morning  —  good  morning,  sir;  walk 
in,  sir ;  take  a  seat,  sir ;  shave  you  as  soon  as  the  water  gets  warm." 
The  stranger,  not  requiring  the  services  of  a  barber,  walked  off  in 
haste  and  amazement,  and  the  'Squire  swore  audibly  "  that  he  was 
some  infernal  Yankee  come  out  West  to  steal  honest  people'smoney." 
The  next  steamboat  that  came  along  found  our  discomfited  traveler 
on  the  beach,  awaiting  passage  for  anywhere  out  of  Pekin. 

THE  DEEP  SNOAV. 

The  big  snow  of  1830  will  be  vividly  remembered  by  all  the  old 
settlers.  The  snow  began  falling  on  the  night  of  the  29th  of  De- 
cember, and  continued  to  fall  fi^r  three  days  and  nights,  until  it 
reached  an  average  depth  of  about  four  feet,  but  drifting  in  places 
as  high  as  from  eighteen  to  twenty  feet.  Great  suffering  was  expe- 
rienced in  consequence.  The  settlers  relied  for  their  daily  food  up- 
on the  Indian  corn  which  they  were  enabled  to  raise,  together  with 
wild  game,  which  was  abundant  at  that  time.  Plenty  of  the  former 
was  raised  to  supply  the  wants  of  all  until  the  next  season's  crop ; 
but  when  the  snow  fell  very  little  had  been  gathered.     Game  could 


HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  215 

not  be  had.  The  great  depth  of  snow  was  a  barrier  to  all  travel, 
and  it  may  well  be  imagined  the  snfferings  of  the  people  were  very 
great  indeed. 

This  was  the  heaviest  snow  that  ever  fell  in  Illinois  within  the 
memory  of  the  oldest  settler  of  this  part  of  the  State.  According 
to  the  traditions  of  the  Indians  as  related  to  the  pioneers,  a  snow  fell 
from  fifty  to  seventy-five  years  before  the  settlement  by  the  white 
people,  which  swept  away  the  numerous  herds  of  buffalo  and  elk 
that  roamed  over  the  vast  prairies  at  that  time.  This  tradition  was 
verified  by  the  large  number  of  bones  of  these  animals  found  in 
different  localities  on  the  prairies  when  first  visited  by  the  whites. 
The  deep  snow  is  one  of  the  landmarks  of  the  pioneer.  He  reck- 
'  ons,  in  giving  dates  of  early  occurrences,  so  many  years  before  or  so 
many  after  the  deep  snow.  He  calculates  the  date  of  his  coming, 
his  marriage  and  the  birth  of  his  children  from  it,  and  well  might  it 
make  a  lasting  impression  upon  their  minds.  Could  we  picture  the 
suffering  of  that  winter;  the  dark  forebodings  that  crept  into  every 
cabin,  starvation  staring  the  inmates  in  the  face ;  the  meagre  meal 
that  for  months  was  their  only  portion,  we,  too,  would  never  forget 
it.  But  human  tongue  or  pen  can  never  adequately  picture  the 
trials  endured  by  the  pioneers  who  were  here  during  that  long  and 
eventful  winter.  For  weeks  the  sun  was  not  visible,  and  so  intense 
was  the  cold  that  not  a  particle  of  snow  would  melt  uj)on  the  south 
sides  of  the  cabins.  People  were  for  weeks  absolutely  blockaded  or 
housed  up,  and  remained  so  until  starvation  compelled  them  to  go 
forth  in  search  of  food. 

Israel  Shreves,  who  came  to  Tazewell  county  from  Decatur  county, 
Indiana,  located  first  in  Elm  Grove  township,  where  he  remained 
two  years,  and  then  moved  to  section  28,  Morton  townshij),  where 
he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days,  dying  there  Aug.  26,  1861. 
Here  he  reared  a  large  family  of  children,  eight  of  whom  are  still 
living.  His  son  Julius  resides  upon  the  old  homestead.  During 
the  deep  snow  Israel  Shreves  and  Major  R.  N.  CuUom  (father  of  the 
present  Governor  of  Illinois),  went  to  the  mill  at  Pleasant  Grove, 
Elm  Grove  townshi}).  This  mill  was  some  eight  miles  from  Shreves' 
farm,  and  still  farther  from  Cullom's ;  but  necessity  compelled  them 
to  make  an  effort  to  obtain  some  meal.  Each  of  them  took  a  horse 
to  carry  their  sack  of  corn.  The  men  traveled  upon  snow  shoes  and 
led  their  horses.  The  snow  was  so  deep  that  it  was  only  with  the 
greatest  difficulty  that  they  could  get  along  at  all.     On  the  elevated 


216  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

places  where  the  wind  could  strike,  the  snow  would  bear  their  horses 
up ;  but  in  the  "  swags  "  it  was  so  soft  that  they  would  sink,  and  but 
for  their  snow  shoes  the  men  would  also  have  gone  down.  In  places 
the  snow  was  so  deep  that  it  would  strike  the  sacks  on  the  horses 
and  brush  them  off.  At  such  places  the  men  were  obliged  to  take 
the  sacks  upon  their  shoulders  and  carry  them  on  to  a  spot  that 
would  bear  their  horses.  They  would  then  return  to  their  horses 
and  lead  them  on.  Ofttimes  it  was  quite  difficult,  owing  to  the  great 
depth  of  the  snow,  to  get  the  horses  upon  the  hard  snow.  The  cold 
was  so  intense,  and  the  wind  so  high,  that  persons  were  in  great 
danger  of  freezing  to  death  ;  but  the  two  determined,  sturdy  pioneers 
pushed  ahead  and  at  last  arrived  at  the  mill. 

On  the  following  day  after  their  arrival  at  the  mill  Mr.  Shreves 
started  for  home,  and  after  a  long  and  painful  journey  reached  his 
destination  in  safety ;  but  so  great  was  the  physical  exertion  he 
made  that  nothwithstanding  the  intense  cold  he  wiped  the  streaming 
perspiration  from  his  brow. 

Mr.  Cullom  remained  another  night  at  the  mill  before  attempting 
to  leave  for  home,  which  he  reached  in  safety  after  a  tedious,  dan- 
gerous journey. 

Mr.  Shreves  had  seven  large,  fat  hogs  running  in  a  ten-acre  field. 
Their  bed  was  quite  a  distance  from  the  house,  and  they  could  not 
be  reached  very  soon.     When  found  they  were  all  frozen  to  death. 

Major  R,  X.  Cullom,  during  this  winter,  carried  corn  on  his  back 
from  Mackinaw  to  his  cabin,  a  distance  of  ten  miles,  to  feed  his 
horses.     He  traveled  on  snow-shoes. 

Rev.  "Wm.  Brown  and  his  brother-in-law,  Alfred  Phillips,  who 
lived  two  and  a  half  miles  from  Mr.  Brown's,  cut  browse  for  their 
cattle  till  they  could  shovel  a  path  to  Holland's  Grove,  now  \yash- 
ington,  to  drive  them  there.     This  was  a  hard  task. 

So  much  extra  work  was  to  be  done  in  the  building  of  homes  that 
in  the  fall  the  pioneers  did  not  gather  in  and  crib  their  corn.  They 
let  it  remain  in  the  field  until  winter  came  before  gathering.  The 
big  snow  therefore  found  many  of  the  settlers  without  any  prepara- 
tion for  a  long  siege.  They  would  go  out  into  the  field,  and  where 
they  could  see  the  top  of  a  corn  stalk  sticking  up  through  the  snow 
they  would  dig  down  until  they  came  to  the  ear.  To  get  wood  they 
would  cut  trees  at  the  top  of  the  snow,  and  when  spring  came  and 
the  snow  had  disappeared,  they  often  found  the  stump  long  enough 
to  cut  into  fence  rails.     The  snow  lay  on  the  ground  until  about  the 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  217 

first  of  April ;  and  we  have  little  doubt  that  many  a  weary  one 
durino:  that  long:  winter  sighed  for  the  comforts  of  the  "  old  home ;" 
still,  notwithstanding  its  great  dreariness  and  the  greater  suiferings 
of  the  people,  none  became  disheartened,  for  we  find  them  in  the 
spring  of  1831  as  determined  as  ever  to  carve  out  for  themselves  a 
home  in  this  truly  beautiful  country. 

During  this  winter,  from  Dec.  29,  1830,  till  Feb.  13,  1831,  it 
snowed  nineteen  times.  After  the  snow  had  melted  we  are  told  that 
the  bones  of  deer  were  so  numerous  in  some  })]aces  that  for  one- 
quarter  of  an  acre  one  could  step  from  bone  to  bone  over  the  whole 
surface,  so  many  deer  had  perished  there. 

The  season  following  the  winter  of  the  deep  snow  was  a  very  late 
one,  and  frost  came  every  month  in  the  year.  The  crops  were  poor, 
as  may  well  be  supposed,  and  the  corn  did  not  ripen. 

The  longest  winter  ever  experienced  since  this  country  was  settled 
by  the  whites  was  that  of  1842-43.  The  cold  weather  set  in  No- 
vember 4,  and  lasted  until  the  following  April. 

SUDDEN  CHANGE. 

The  most  extraordinary  atmospheric  phenomenon  occurring  within 
the  knowledge  of  the  oldest  settler  took  place  in  January,  1836. 
The  intensest  suffering  was  caused  to  man  and  beast  by  this  sudden 
change,  (^uite  a  snow  had  fallen  the  day  previous  to  the  change, 
and  upon  that  day  a  slow,  drizzling  rain  fell,  making  of  the  snow  a 
"  slush."  The  storm  came  from  the  northwest,  and  the  clouds,  upon 
its  approach,  assumed  a  threatening  and  extraordinary  aspect,  those 
higher  being  dark,  and  those  ])el()W  of  a  white  frosty  appearance. 
As  fast  as  the  storm  advanced  it  instantaneously  changed  the  tem- 
perate atmosphere  to  that  of  frigid  coldness.  Incidents  arc  related 
in  connection  with  this  sudden  change  which  are  indeed  marvelous. 
William  Hodgson,  who  had  just  moved  upon  the  farm  he  now  occu- 
pies, section  32,  Groveland  township,  says  he  went  into  the  timber 
for  a  load  of  wood  just  before  the  change.  While  he  was  loading 
his  wagon  the  storm  came  upon  him,  and  so  sudden  and  terrible  that 
he  could  scarcely  manage  his  team.  Before  he  could  get  to  his 
house,  which  was  only  forty  rods  distant,  the  slush  had  frozen  hard. 
The  next  day  the  surface  of  the  country  was  one  vast  sea  of  ice. 
Two  miles  south  of  Hodgson's  farm  a  drove  of  hogs  out  from 
protection  froze  to  death.  Cattle  that  were  in  the  fields  were  held 
fast  by  the  slush  freezing  about  their  feet,  and  it  became  necessary 


218  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

to  cut  away  the  ice  to  liberate  them.  J.  Roberts,  of  Morton  town- 
ship, speaks  of  this  change  in  the  following  language :  "  In  the 
winter  of  1836,  when  there  was  some  four  inches  of  snow  upon  the 
ground,  a  warm  rain  fell  which  transformed  the  snow  into  slush.  I 
was  some  thirty  rods  from  my  house  when  it  began  to  freeze.  I 
immediately  started  for  it,  and  before  I  reached  there  it  was  frozen 
sufficiently  hard  to  bear  me  up." 

HIGH  WATER. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  deep  snow  and  the  sudden  atmospheric 
change ;  we  now  wish  to  record  the  seasons  that  the  greatest  amount 
of  water  fell.  It  is  claimed  that  the  greatest  rain-fall  that  has  ever 
occurred  in  this  country  was  in  1835.  There  was  no  record  kept  of 
the  amount  of  water  that  fell  by  any  of  the  methods  in  use  at  the 
present  time,  and  all  we  have  to  judge  by  is  the  high  water  in  the 
streams.  The  Illinois  and  tributaries  are  said  to  have  been  higher 
than  at  the  breaking  up  of  the  big  snow  in  the  spring  of  1831,  or 
at  any  time  since.  The  rains  commenced  falling  in  the  early  spring 
and  continued  throughout  the  early  summer.  There  have  been, 
perhaps,  other  seasons  just  as  wet,  but  the  streams  were  never  so 
high  at  any  other  time.  During  this  period  there  were  many  hard 
rains.  In  the  early  part  of  July  a  storm  of  rain,  thunder  and  light- 
ning occurred,  which  for  severity  has  scarcely  ever  been  equaled.  It 
spread  throughout  the  West.  The  great  prairies,  then  uncultivated 
and  undrained,  were  a  vast  lake,  and  fish  were  plenty  in  almost 
every  locality.  The  large  ponds  found  here  and  there  over  the 
prairies  in  an  early  day  contained  fish  large  enough  for  domestic 
purposes.  Tliese  ponds  would  dry  up  in  the  summer  but  in  spring- 
time were  well  filled  with  water,  and  how  the  finny  tribe  managed 
to  get  there  is  a  query  the  "old  settler"  cannot  answer  in  a  more 
satisfactory  way  than  "  they  rained  down  when  small."  During  this 
season  but  little  in  the  way  of  crops  was  attempted  to  be  raised. 
Hogs  were  fattened  in  the  fall  upon  the  mast,  and  those  that  were 
not  killed  for  food  had  to  subsist  during  the  winter  upon  acorns ; 
with  them  it  was  literally  "  root  hog  or  die." 

The  years  1842,  1844,  and  1858,  are  also  notable  as  years  of  great 
rain-fall.  During  the  early  history  of  the  county,  when  there  were 
no  bridges,  great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  getting  from  place  to 
place  in  the  spring-time  on  account  of  the  high  waters.  At  such 
times   ferrymen  were  allowed  to  charge  double  fare  for  carrying 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  219 

people  or  goods  across  th'e  streams.  It  is  remarkable  that  so  few 
lives  were  lost  during  these  seasons  of  high  water,  but  the  pioneers 
were  all  expert  swimmers,  and  it  was  very  seldom  one  was  drowned 

• 

LAND  SALES. 

In  regard  to  the  first  land  sales  of  government  land  in  this  part 
of  the  State,  we  cojiy  from  John  W.  Dougherty's  "  History  of 
Washington : " 

"  The  first  land  sales  for  this  district  were  held  in  Springfield  in 
1830  or  1831.  Prior  to  that  date  no  title  could  be  acquired  to  any 
land  in  this  district.  The  settlers,  however,  recognized  the  justice 
of  securing  to  each  of  their  number  the  benefit  of  their  labor,  and 
gave  effect  to  this  idea  by  appointing  one  of  their  number.  Col.  Ben- 
jamin Mitchell,  agent  or  registrar  of  claims.  By  this  arrangement,' 
and  the  paying  of  twenty-five  cents  to  the  registrar,  each  applicant 
secured  the  registration  of  his  claim,  and  the  right  to  buy  the  land 
he  had  improved  when  it  came  into  market.  This  gave  the  lands  a 
commercial  value  in  the  hands  of  the  holder,  and  also  enabled  the 
person  making  the  claim  to  sell  and  transfer  it  if  he  so  desired. 
These  claims  soon  became  an  impoi-ttint  item  in  the  limited  com- 
merce of  these  early  times, —  the  other  items  of  wliich  were  grain, 
beef,  and  pork.  The  principal  purchasers  were  immigrants,  most  of 
whom  had  little  if  any  money,  but  labor  and  good  promises  passed 
current  at  par,  the  latter  being  secured  by  the'  honor  of  the  prom- 
isor. They  were  usually  religiously  observed.  Indeed,  men  usually 
make  much  of  their  honor  when  it  is  their  only  stock  in  trade. 
Still,  we  are  inclined  to  think  thepro  rata  of  honesty  was  greater  in 
those  days  than  now,  and  for  the  following  reasons :  These  men 
were  not  speculators  or  fortune  hunters,  but  earnest  men,  seeking 
homes  in  the  virgin  soil  of  the  Great  West,  and  actuated  by  these 
generous  impulses,  honesty  was  the  natural  consequence." 

MONEY. 

Money  was  an  article  little  known  and  seldom  seen  among  the 
earlier  settlers.  Indeed,  they  had  but  little  use  fi)r  it,  as  all  business 
was  transacted  by  bartering  one  article  for  another.  Great  ingenuity 
was  developed  in  the  barter  of  their  commodities,  and  when  this 
failed  long  credits  contributed  to  their  convenience.  But  for  taxes 
and  postage  neither  the  barter  nor  credit  system  would  answer,  and 


220  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

often  letters  were  suffered  to  remain  a  considerable  time  in  the  post- 
office  for  want  of  twenty-five  cents,  which  was  then  the  postage  on 
all  letters  fVom  any  great  distance ;  nor  Avere  they  carried  on  the 
fast  express  or  mail  trains.  It  was  only  every  week  or  so  that  a 
lone  horseman,  with  mail  bag  thrown  astride,  would  ride  into  a  set- 
tlement or  village.  If,  however,  the  village  was  on  the  line  of  a 
stage  route,  the  old  stage-coach  would  make  its  appearance  as  often. 
It  was  not  common,  then,  for  persons  to  get  many  letters ;  indeed, 
one  or  two  a  month  was  considered  a  large  mail.  Nor  did  three 
cents  pay  the  postage  upon  a  letter  at  that  day.  It  seldom  took  less 
than  twenty-five  cents,  or  two  "  bits,"  as  Kentuckians  would  say. 

THE    BEAUTIFUL    PRAIRIES. 

The  large  prairies  of  the  county  presented  a  most  beautiful  sight 
before  they  were  settled.  The  following  very  descriptive  lines  on 
"  The  Prairies  of  Illinois,"  by  Captain  Basil  Hall,  graphically  por- 
trays their  beauty  in  their  wild  and  native  state : 

"  The  charm  of  prairie  consists  in  its  extension,  its  green,  flowery 
carpet,  its  undulating  surface,  and  the  skirt  of  forest  whereby  it  is 
surrounded ;  the  latter  feature  being  of  all  others  the  most  signifi- 
cant and  expressive,  since  it  characterizes  the  landscape,  and  defines 
the  form  and  boundary  of  the  plain.  If  the  prairie  is  little,  its  great- 
est beauty  consists  in  the  vicinity  of  the  encompassing  edge  of 
forests,  which  may  be  compared  to  the  shores  of  a  lake,  being  inter- 
sected with  many  deep,  inward  bends,  as  so  many  inlets,  and  at 
intervals  projecting  very  far,  not  unlike  a  promontory  or  protruding 
arm  of  land.  These  projections  sometimes  so  closely  approach  each 
other  that  the  traveler  passing  through  between  them,  may  be  said 
to  walk  in  the  midst  of  an  alley  overshadowed  by  the  forest,  before 
he  enters  again  upon  another  broad  prairie.  Where  the  plain  is  ex- 
tensive, the  delineations  of  the  forest  in  the  distant  background 
appear  as  would  a  misty  ocean  beach  afar  off.  The  eye  sometimes 
surveys  the  green  prairie  without  discovering  on  the  illimitable  plain 
a  tree  or  bush,  or  any  other  object  save  the  wilderness  of  flowers 
and  grass,  while  on  other  occasions  the  view  is  enlivened  by  the 
groves  dispersed  like  islands  over  the  plain,  or  by  a  solitary  tree  ris- 
ing above  the  wilderness.  The  resemblance  to  the  sea  which  some 
of  these  prairies  exhibit  is  really  most  striking.  In  the  spring, 
when  the  young  grass  has  just  clothed  the  soil  with  a  soddy  carpet  of 
the  most  delicate  green,  but  especially  when  the  sun,  rising  behind  a 


\ 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  221 

distant  elevation  of  the  ground,  its  rays  are  reflected  by  myriads  of 
dew-drops,  a  more  pleasing  and  more  eye-benefiting  view  cannot  be 
imagined. 

"  The  delightful  aspect  of  the  prairie,  its  amenities,  and  the  ab- 
sence of  that  sombre  awe  inspired  by  forests,  contributes  to  forcing 
away  that  sentiment  of  loneliness  which  usually  steals  upon  the 
mind  of  the  solitary  wanderer  in  the  wilderness ;  for,  although  he 
espies  no  habitation,  and  sees  no  human  being,  and  knows  himself  to 
be  far  off  from  every  settlement  of  man,  he  can  scarcely  defend  him- 
self from  believing  th?^  he  is  traveling  through  a  landscape  embel- 
lished by  human  art.  Tne  flowers  are  so  delicate  and  elegant  as 
apparently  to  be  distributed  for  mere  ornament  over  the  plain ;  the 
groves  and  groups  of  trees  seem  to  be  dispersed  over  the  prairie  to 
enliven  the  landscape,  and  we  can  scarcely  get  rid  of  the  impression 
invading  our  imagination,  of  the  whole  scene  being  flung  out  and 
created  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  sentiment  of  beauty  in  refined 
men. 

"In  the  summer  the  prairie  is  covered  with  tall  grass,  which  is 
coarse  in  appearance,  and  soon  assumes  a  yellow  color,  waving  in  the 
wina'like  a  ripe  crop  of  corn.  In  the  early  stages  of  its  growth  it 
resembles  young  wheat,  and  in  this  state  furnishes  such  rich  and 
succulent  food  for  cattle  that  the  latter  choose  it  often  in  preference 
to  wheat,  it  being  no  doubt  a  very  congenial  fodder  to  them,  since 
it  is  impossible  to  conceive  of  better  butter  than  is  made  while  the 
grass  is  in  this  stage. 

"  In  the  early  stages  of  its  growth  the  grass  is  interspersed  with 
little  flowers, — the  violet,  the  strawberry-blossom,  and  others  of  the 
most  delicate  structure.  When  the  grass  grows  higher  these  disap- 
pear, and  taller  flowers,  displaying  more  lively  colors,  take  their 
place ;  and  still  later  a  series  of  still  higher  but  less  delicately  formed 
flowers  appears  on  the  surface.  While  the  grass  is  green  these  beau- 
tiful plains  are  adorned  with  every  imaginable  variety  of  color.  It 
is  impossible  to  conceive  of  a  greater  diversity,  or  discover  a  pre- 
dominating color,  save  the  green,  which  forms  a  beautiful  dead  color, 
relieving  the  splendor  of  the  others.  In  the  summer  the  plants 
grow  taller,  and  the  colors  more  lively ;  in  the  autumn  another  gen- 
eration of  flowers  arises  which  possesses  less  clearness  and  variety  of 
color  and  less  fragrancy.  In  the  winter  the  prairie  presents  a  mel- 
ancholy aspect.  Often  the  fire,  which  the  hunters  annually  send 
over  the  prairies  in  order  to  dislodge  the  game,  will  destroy  the 
15 


222  HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

entire  vegetation,  giving  to  the  soil  a  uniform  black  appearance,  like 
that  of  a  vast  plain  of  charcoal ;  then  the  wind  sweeping  over  the 
prairie  will  find  nothing  which  it  might  put  in  motion,  no  leaves 
which  it  might  disperse,  no  haulms  which  it  might  shake.  No 
sooner  does  the  snow  commence  to  fall  than  the  animals,  unless 
already  before  frightened  away  by  the  fire,  retire  into  the  forests, 
when  the  most  dreary,  oppressive  solitude  will  reign  on  the  burnt 
prairies,  which  often  occupy  many  square  miles  of  territory." 

PRAIRIE  *FIRES. 

Fires  would  visit  the  grassy  plains  every  autumn.  The  settlers 
who  had  pushed  out  from  the  timber  took  great  precaution  to 
prevent  their  crops,  houses  and  barns  from  being  destroyed,  yet 
not  always  did  they  succeed.  Many  incidents  are  related  of  prairie 
fires.  Kezer  Hancock,  after  assisting  in  cutting  about  twenty  tons 
of  hay  in  1838,  most  of  which  he  mowed  himself  by  hand,  saw,  to 
his  great  sorrow,  one  of  those  devastating  prairie  fires  in  its  onward 
course  toward  it.  On  it  came  with  great  rapidity,  and  before  any- 
thing could  be  done  to  save  his  hay  it  was  converted  into  a  black- 
ened mass. 

The  first  winter  J.  M.  Roberts  came  to  this  county,  he,  with  his 
father  and  brother,  made  9,000  rails  and  laid  them  up  around  their 
fields.  A  hunter  set  fire  to  the  grass  in  November  to  find  a  wounded 
deer.  The  fire  spread  and  swept  off  all  their  fences ;  their  9,000 
rails,  16  acres  of  corn,  their  main  crop,  and  only  by  great  efforts 
were  their  house,  barn  and  hay  saved. 

The  great  conflagrations  were  caused  either  accidentally,  or  design- 
edly from  wantonness,  or  with  a  view  of  bewildering  the  game. 
The  fire  often  spread  further  than  it  was  intended  it  should.  Where- 
ever  were  extensive  prairie  lands,  one-half  was  burned  in  the  spring 
and  the  other  half  in  the  autumn,  in  order  to  produce  a  more  rapid 
growth  of  the  naturally  exuberant  grass,  destroying  at  the  same  time 
the  tall  and  thick  weed  stalks.  Violent  winds  would  often  arise  and 
drive  the  flames  with  such  rapidity  that  riders  on  the  fleetest  steeds 
could  scarcely  escape.  On  the  approach-  of  a  prairie  fire  the  farmer 
would  immediately  set  about  "burning  back," — that  is,  burning  off 
the  grass  close  by  the  fences,  that  the  larger  fire  upon  arriving  would 
become  extinguished  for  want  of  aliment.  In  order  to  be  able,  how- 
ever, to  make  proper  use  of  this  measure  of  safety,  it  was  very  es- 
sential that  every  farmer  should  encompass  with  a  ditch  those  of  his 


HISTORY    OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  223 

fences  adjoining  the  prairie.  AVhen  known  that  the  conflagration 
could  cause  no  danger,  the  settler,  though  accustomed  to  them,  could 
not  refrain  from  gazing  with  admiration  upon  the  magnificent  spec- 
tacle. Language  cannot  convey,  words  cannot  express,  the  faintest 
idea  of  the  splendor  and  grandeur  of  such  a  conflagration  during  the 
night.  It  was  as  if  the  pale  queen  of  night,  disdaining  to  take  her 
accustomed  place  in  the  heavens,  had  despatched  myriads  upon  my- 
riads of  messengers  to  light  their  torches  at  the  altar  of  the  setting 
sun  until  all  had  flashed  into  one  long  and  continuous  blaze. 

"  O,  fly  to  the  prairies  and  in  wonder  gaze, 
As  o'er  the  grass  sweeps  the  magnificent  blaze: 
The  earth  cannot  boast  so  magnificent  a  sight, — 
A  continent  blazing  with  oceans  of  light." 

The  following  graphic  description  of  prairie  fires  was  written  by 
a  traveler  through  this  region  in  1849 : 

"  Soon  the  fires  began  to  kindle  wider  and  rise  higher  from  the 
long  grass ;  the  gentle  breeze  increased  to  stronger  currents,  and 
soon  fanned  the  small,  flickering  blaze  into  fierce  torrent  flames, 
which  curled  up  and  leaped  along  in  resistless  splendor ;  and  like 
quickly  raising  the  dark  curtain  from  the  luminous  stage,  the  scenes 
before  me  were  suddenly  changed,  as  if  by  the  magician's  wand, 
into  one  boundless  amphitheater,  blazing  from  earth  to  heaven  and 
sweeping  the  horizon  round, —  columns  of  lurid  flames  sportively 
mounting  up  to  the  zenith,  and  dark  clouds  of  crimson  smoke  curl- 
ing away  and  aloft  till  they  nearly  obscured  stars  and  moon,  while 
the  rushing,  crashing  sounds,  like  roaring  cataracts  mingled  with 
distant  thunders,  were  almost  deafening;  danger,  death,  glared  all 
around ;  it  screamed  for  victims ;  yet,  notwithstanding  the  imminent 
peril  of  prairie  fires,  one  is  loth,  irresolute,  almost  unable  to  with- 
draw or  seek  refuge." 


CHAPTER    II. 

IMPORTANT  LABORS  OF  THE  COUNTY  COMMISSONERS'  COURT. 

FIRST    MEETINGS. 

THE  FIRST  meeting  of  the  County  Commissioners'  Court  of 
Tazewell  county  was  held  at  the  house  of  William  Orendorif, 
April  10, 1827.  Mr.  OrendoriPs  cabin  stood  in  the  edge  of  the  timber 
just  south  of  the  present  village  of  Hopedale.  Jas.  Lotta,  Benjamin 
Briggs  and  George  Hittle,  the  Commissioners,  were  all  present. 
They  seemed  to  have  had  the  county's  interest  solely  at  heart,  and 
their  proceedings  attest  that  they  were  judicious,  honest  and  upright 
officials.  They  were  sworif  in  on  the  previous  day  by  William  Oren- 
dorff.  Justice  of  the  Peace.  Who  it  was  that  administered  the  oath 
of  office  to  him  we  are  unable  to  learn,  but  all  things  must  have  a 
beginning,  and  we  surmise  that  after  'Squire  Orendorif  had  admin- 
istered the  oath  to  them,  he  in  turn  was  sworn  to  faithfully  perform 
the  duties  of  his  office  by  one  of  the  Commissioners. 

The  records  of  this  Court  open  with  the  simple  statement  that  the 
Court  held  a  "special  term  April  10,  1827."  It  gives  us  no  inform- 
ation whatever  concerning  its  organization  or  previous  history,  but, 
like  the  Holy  Scriptures,  begins  with  unqualified  statements  and 
records  its  acts  with  greatest  simplicity. 

The  first  order  of  the  Court  was,  "that  Mordecai  Mobley  be 
appointed  Clerk."  Bonds  for  the  faithful  perfijrmance  of  the  duties 
of  the  office  were  immediately  demanded,  whereupon  William  Oren- 
dorif and  William  H.  Hodge  stejjped  forward  as  his  surety.  The 
second  order  was  to  the  effect  that  the  Court  be  held  at  the  house  of 
Ephraim  Stout,  in  Stout's  Grove,  until  public  buildings  could  be 
erected.  This  grove  is  located  in  the  northern  part  of  McLean 
county,  but  at  the  time  was  a  portion  of  Tazewell. 

Another  special  term  of  the  Court,  being  the  second  meeting,  was 
held  Wednesday,  April  25,  1827,  with  all  the  above  named  Com- 
missioners present.     John  Benson  was  appointed  Treasurer,  William 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  225 

Orendorif  and  Absalom  Funk  going  on  his  bond.  At  a  meeting 
held  the  following  day,  William  Orendorif  was  allowed  $7  to  replace 
the  money  expended  by  him  for  advertising  for  the  formation  of 
Tazewell  county. 

FIRST    COUNTY-SEAT. 

The  commissioners  appointed  to  locate  the  permanent  seat  of 
justice  made  the  following  report: 

"Be  it  remembered  that  we,  the  undersigned,  Commissioners 
appointed  under  the  authority  of  the  '  act  creating  Tazewell  county,' 
to  locate  the  seat  of  justice  for  the  aforesaid  county  of  Tazewell, 
agreeably  to  the  provisions  of  said  act,  having  satisfactorily  explored 
and  examined  the  county  with  that  view,  do  unanimously  agree  upon 
and  select  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  number  seventeen, 
township  24,  north  of  range  2  west  of  the  Third  Principal  Meridian, 
as  the  seat  of  justice  of  said  county, —  the  court-house  to  be  situated 
at  or  near  the  spot  where  the  said  Commissioners  drove  down  a  stake, 
standing  nine  paces  in  a  northeastern  direction  from  a  large  white 
oak  blazed  on  the  northeastern  side. 

"Given  under  our  hands  and  seals  this  22d  day  of  March,  1827. 

"Job  Fletcher, 
"AViLLiAM  Lee  D.  Ewing, 
"Tom  M.  Neale." 

The  site  selected  was  that  of  the  present  village  of  Mackinaw. 
It  was  christened  with  the  Indian  name  of  the  river  near  which  it  was 
located.  Neale  and  Fletcher  each  received  $13.50  for  their  labor  of 
locating  the  county-seat,  while,  for  sqme  cause  unknown  to  us, 
Ewing  was  paid  more  liberally,  he  receiN^ng  $19.50. 

FIRST   TAX    LEVY. 

Thursday,  April  26,  1827,  the  Commissioners  again  convened  in 
official  capacity.  A  revenue  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  newly 
organized  county  must  be  raised.  Accordingly  a  tax  of  one-half  of 
one  per  cent,  was  "laid  on  the  valuation  of  the  following  description 
of  property,  to-wit :  On  slave  or  indentured  negro  or  mulatto  ser- 
vants; on  pleasure  carriages,  distilleries,  stock  in  trade;  on  all 
horses,  etc.,  etc."  There  was  not  at  that  time  any  levy  made  upon 
real  estate. 


226 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


MACKINAW    LAID   OFF. 

William  H.  Hodge,  County  Surveyor,  was  ordered  "to  survey 
and  lay  off  the  town  of  Mackinaw."  This  was  to  be  completed  by 
May  20th.  The  Clerk  was  ordered  to  have  an  advertisement  inserted 
in  the  Sangamon  Spectator  for  three  weeks,  to  the  effect  that  on  the 
second  Monday  in  June,  1827,  a  public  sale  of  lots  in  Mackinaw 
would  be  had.  He  was  also  ordered  to  have  100  handbills  of  the 
same  nature  printed.  Thus  we  see  the  pioneer  fathers  appreciated 
the  good  results  of  advertising. 


FIRST   SALE   OF   LOTS   AT   COUNTY-SEAT. 

According  to  the  time  specified,  June  11,  the  settlers  gathered 
from  all  parts  of  the  county  upon  the  site  of  their  proposed 
town  and  county-seat.  No  doubt  they  looked  forward  with  fond 
expectation  for  a  bright  and  prosperous  future  for  their  capital. 
This,  however,  they  peacefully  enjoyed  but  for  a  short  season,  for 
soon  the  public  buildings  were  removed  elsewhere,  and  the  flattering 
prospects  of  Mackinaw  were  overshadowed.  Lots  were  sold  on  a 
credit  of  four,  six  and  eight  months,  and  we  should  judge  at  unu- 
sually large  figures. 

Mathew  Robb  was  appointed  "cryer,"  —  for  which  service  he 
received  $1.50 — William  Lee,  clerk,  and  the  great  sale  began.  Abra- 
ham Funk  bid  in  the  first  lot,  being  lot  1  of  block  1,  for  which  he 
gave  the  handsome  sum  of  $51.  The  sale  went  on,  evidently  with 
considerable  animation,  for  good  prices  were  obtained  and  ready  sales 
made.  The  following  is  a  full  and  complete  list  of  lots  sold,  with 
name  of  purchaser  and  amount  paid : 


Name.  Lot.  Block.  Price. 

Abraham  Funk 1 1 $51  00 

Thomas  Dillon 2 1 29  50 

John  Funk 3 1 15  25 

William  Gilston 4 1 9  00 

RobertMcClure 35  00 

Mathew  Robb 4 6 15  25 

Mordecai  Mobley 2 6 45  00 

Richard  Latham 6 6 23  00 

EH  Redman 8 6 20  00 

Abraham  Dillon 1 7 85  00 

Thomas  Dillon 2 7 42  50 

J.  B.  Harbert 3 7 30  00 

Daniel  Dillon 4 9 83  00 


Name.  Lot.  Block.  Price. 

Hugh  L.  Welch 3 9 46  75 

Isaac  Funk 2 9 34  50 

James  Lurley 1 9 35  00 

Joel  Hiatt 4 10 35  00 

William  Council 3 10 23  00 

Abraham  Funk 6 11 44  25 

Martin   Porter 5 11 15  00 

Jonas  H.  Hittle 8 7 25  00 

Jacob  Judv 7 7 20  50 

Thomas   Briggs 5 9 11  00 

Henry  Stillman 1  ....  6 85  00 

Samuel  Judy 6 9 15  00 


The   aggregate   amount   received   for   the   twenty-five   lots   was 

$858.50. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  227 

PETITIONS   FOR   ROADS. 

A  meeting  of  the  Court  was  held  at  Stout's  Grove,  Monday,  June 
4,  1827,  Commissioners  Hittle  and  Lotta  being  present.  William 
H.  Hodge  brought  in  his  bill  for  surveying  93  lots  in  Mackinaw, 
which,  amounting  to  $35.50,  was  ordered  paid,  although  we  are  at  a 
loss  to  know  where  the  funds  came  from,  as  we  have  no  record  of 
any  being  raised  previously. 

For  several  years  the  petitions  for  roads  occupied  a  very  large 
proportion  of  the  Court's  time  and  attention,  and  consumed  more 
space  to  record  than  all  other  proceedings.  They  are  similar  in  con- 
struction and  it  would  be  useless,  and  worse,  to  speak  of  them  as 
often  as  they  occur.  We  give,  however,  as  a  fair  sample,  the  first 
one  presented,  which  was  at  this  session.  It  was  oftefed  by  George 
Hittle,  and  was  "  for  a  road  from  Mackinaw,  the  county  seat,  the 
nearest  and  best  route  to  where  Christopher  Orendorif  is  building  a 
mill  on  Sugar  creek,  thence  as  near  as  practicable  on  a  direct  route 
to  the  bridge  over  Kickapoo  creek.  Which  was  read  and  ordered 
that  said  route  be  viewed,  marked  and  staked,  and  that  Robert 
McClure,  Mathew  Robb  and  Mara  Stout  be  appointed  to  view,  mark 
and  stake  the  same."  These  gentlemen  viewed  the  route  and 
returned  a  favorable  report,  and  were  allowed  for  the  three  days' 
labor  it  took,  $2.25  each.  Rob't  McClure  was  given  75  cts.  extra 
for  "  furnishing  wagon  to  haul  stakes  in  for  three  days." 

<X>UNTY  DIVIDED  INTO  PRECINCTS. 

At  the  regular  term  in  June,  1827,  the  Commissioners  divided 
the  county  into  election  precincts  as  follows :  That  part  of  the 
county  east  of  the  third  principal  meridian  and  north  of  township 
22  composed  Blooming  Grove  precinct ;  all  south  of  township  23, 
east  of  the  third  principal  meridian  and  including  also  one  range 
west  of  the  same  line,  to  the  southern  boundary  of  the  county, 
comprised  Kickapoo  precinct ;  all  lying  west  of  range  1  west  of  the 
third  meridian  and  south  of  township  23,  composed  Sugar  Creek 
precinct ;  all  west  of  the  third  meridian  and  north  of  township  22 
and  east  of  range  3  west,  composed  Mackinaw  precinct ;  all  west  of 
range  2  west  and  south  of  the  center  of  township  25,  and  north  of 
township  22,  composed  Sand  Prairie  precinct ;  all  west  of  range  2 
west  and  north  of  the  center  of  township  25  north,  composed  Ten 
Mile  precinct. 


228  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

PLACES   APPOINTED   FOR    HOLDING   ELECTION. 

Election  was  ordered  to  be  held  in  Blooming  Grove  precinct  at 
the  house  of  John  Benson,  and  William  Orendorif,  Henry  Vamickle 
and  Ebenezer  Rhodes  were  appointed  judges. 

In  Kickapoo  precinct  at  Michael  Dickeson's  house,  with  George 
Hand,  James  Burleson  and  Isaac  Funk,  judges. 

In  Sugar  Creek  precinct  at  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Walters,  with  John 
Judy,  George  Miles  and  Walker  Miller,  judges. 

In  Mackinaw  precinct  at  M.  Mobley's  house  at  the  county-seat, 
with  Eobert  McClure,  Abraham  Stout  and  Paton  Mitchell,  judges. 

In  Sand  Prairie  precinct  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Woodrow; 
judges,  Isaac  Perkins,  Xathan  Dillon  and  William  Eades. 

In  Ten  Milo- ' /u-ecinct  at  the  house  of  Thomas  Camlin.  Austin 
Crocker,  Jacob  Funk  and  Hezekiah  Davis  were  appointed  judges. 

For  many  years  there  was  a  constant  change  going  on  in  regard 
to  election  precincts  and  road  districts.  At  almost  every  meeting  of 
the  Court  some  alteration  was  made. 

FIRST   COURT-HOUSE. 

Tuesday,  June  26,  1827,  H.  Warren,  editor  of  the  Sangamon 
Spectator,  brought  in  his  bill  for  advertising  the  sale  of  lots  at 
Mackinaw,  which,  for  six  insertions,  and  100  blank  notes,  100  blank 
bonds  and  100  handbills,  amounted  to  $16.62J.  This  the  Court 
deemed  just,  and  directed  the  Clerk  to  draw  an  order  on  the  Treas- 
urer in  favor  of  Mr.  Warren  for  said  amount. 

On  the  same  day  the  Court  proceeded  to  let  the  contract  for  build- 
ing the  court-house.  The  following  specifications  of  this  structure 
are  spread  upon  the  court  records : 

"The  body  of  the  house  to  be  of  hewn  logs  24  feet  long  and  18 
feet  wide ;  the  logs  to  face  at  least  one  foot ;  one  story  and  a  half 
high,  nine  feet  to  the  story.  The  roof  to  be  of  joint  shingles  well 
nailed  on ;  two  batten  doors  of  black  walnut  plank,  one  inch  thick, 
to  be  hung  with  three-inch  butts.  The  doors  to  be  well  cased  with 
good  timber.  Two  twelve-light  windows  in  the  first  story,  and  one 
four-light  window  in  the  end  of  the  house  in  the  second  story.  The 
window  lights  to  be  8  by  10  inches ;  the  windows  to  be  well  cased, 
glass  put  in  and  put  in  the  house,  A  lower  floor  of  puncheons  well 
hewed  and  jointed.  A  floor  overhead  of  sawed  plank  one  inch  and 
one-quarter  thick.     Ten  joists  to  be  put  in  the  house,  5  by  7  inches, 


A-% 


A 


County  Clerk. 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL  COUNTY.  231 

to  be  sawed  or  hewed.  The  house  to  be  well  chinked  and  daubed, 
and  the  corners  sawed  down.  The  gable  ends  to  be  weather-boarded 
with  shaved  boards.  Each  window  to  have  a  shutter  made  of  one- 
inch  plank,  and  the  same  to  be  hung  with  two  and  one-half  inch 
butts.  A  chimney  place  to  be  sawed  out  at  one  end  of  the  house, 
say  the  four  lower  logs  seven  feet  wide.  The  whole  to  be  completed 
in  a  workmanlike  manner  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  October  next." 

The  bid  for  the  construction  of  this  building  was  "  cried  off  to 
Amasa  Stout,"  he  being  the  lowest  bidder  and  agreeing  to  erect  the 
house  for  $125.  Evidently  the  contract  was  let  in  the  manner  of 
the  present  mode  of  selling  goods  at  auction,  save  it  was  "  knocked 
down  "  to  the  lowest  instead  of  highest  bidder. 

This  court-house  was  rather  an  imposing  structure  for  the  time, 
being  a  story  and  a  half  in  height,  with  glass  windows.  True,  the 
architecture  was  not  of  ancient  grandeur  or  elegance,  nor  of  our 
more  modern  style ;  but  we  doubt  not,  when  the  building  was  com- 
pleted, it  was  looked  upon  with  as  much  pride  as  the  people  of 
to-day  view  the  showy  structures  built  after  the  latest  and  most 
improved  plan.     The  site  selected  was  lot  1  of  block  11. 

HOSPITABLE   COMMISSIONERS. 

George  Hittle,  one  of  the  Commissioners,  was  allowed  $1.50  for 
helping  lay  off  the  town  of  Mackinaw.  He  was  also  allowed  $1.25 
for  money  expended  for  whisky  on  the  day  of  the  sale'  of  lots, —  thus 
evincing  that  the  Commissioners  were  liberal  and  hospitable.  They 
would  not  invite  the  settlers  to  a  wild,  uninhabited  place  to  attend 
the  sale  without  providing  refreshments.  John  Benson,  County 
Treasurer,  was  given  $24.50  for  taking  a  list  of  the  taxable  property 
and  assessing  the  taxes  for  1827. 

FIRST   GRAND    JURY. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  gentlemen  composing  the  first 
grand  jury.  They  were  appointed  in  June,  1827,  to  serve  at  the 
October  term  of  the  Circuit  Court : 

William  Orendorff,  John  H.  Rhodes,  William  Walker,  Sandy 
Hurst,  Peter  McCullough,  William  Gilston,  Thomas  Rutledge, 
George  Hand,  Robert  Guthrie,  William  Johnson,  Robert  Stubble- 
field,  John  Judy,  Walker  Miller,  INIathew  Robb,  Ephraim  Stout, 
Nathan  Dillon,  James  B.  Thomas,  Thornton  Dillon,  James  Scott, 
Seth  Williams,  Jacob  Funk,  William  Holland,  and  Horace  Crocker. 


232  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


CHANGE  OF  TREASUEER. 


William  H.  Hodge  returned  into  court,  during  the  month  of 
August,  1827,«the  amount  of  taxes  he  had  succeeded  in  collecting, 
which  was  $100.67.  He  was  allowed  for  his  services  seven  and  one- 
half  per  cent,  of  this  sum.  Thus  we  see  the  compensation  for  riding 
over  what  is  now  five  or  six  counties,  and  collecting  the  yearly  tax, 
was  but  a  little  over  $7.50. 

At  the  March  term,  1828,  the  County  Treasurer  came  into  court 
and  settled  his  account  with  the  county,  handing  over  to  the  Com- 
missioners county  orders  to  the  amount  of  $4.81J,  and  $15.00  in 
money  collected  on  fines.  Mr.  Benson  then  retired  from  the  arduous 
duties  of  a  public  official  to  the  humbler  sphere  of  private  life. 

Another  Treasurer  must  be  selected,  and  a  very  singular  method 
was  adopted  for  choosing  Benson's  successor.  The  office  was  let  to 
the  lowest  bidder.  The  man  who  would  agree  to  accept  the  position 
for  the  least  amount  was  the  one  selected.  The  record  puts  it  in  the 
following  terse  language :  "  The  Commissioners  proceeded  to  let  out 
to  the  lowest  bidder  the  office  of  County  Treasurer  for  the  present 
year,  1828,  which  was  purchased  by  Isaac  Waters  at  $21. 87^." 
There  was  evidently  close  figuring  for  the  office,  caused,  perhaps,  by 
competition,  for  we  see  that  Waters  even  divided  a  cent  on  his  bid. 
What  remarkable  changes  half  a  century  has  wrought  in  the  manner 
of  choosing  public  officials  as  well  as  in  every  thing  else. 

FUNK  vs.  BOGARDUS. 

At  this  meeting  Jacob  Funk  petitioned  the  Court  to  revoke  the 
ferry  license  of  John  L.  Bogardus  for  non-attendance  to  his  duties. 
It  appears  that  the  fault-finding  Jacob  looked  with  covetous  eyes 
upon  Bogardus,  and  by  pure  selfishness  was  prompted  to  thus  peti- 
tion the  Court.  Bogardus  was  contentedly  ferrying  the  people  with 
their  goods  and  chattels  across  the  Illinois  opposite  Peoria,  while 
Funk  sat  upon  the  bank  and  sought  to  find  fault  that  would  rob 
Bogardus  of  that  right,  which  he  would  then  himself  seize.  After 
summoning  Bogardus  before  the  Court  and  a  careful  investigation  of 
the  charges  the  petition  was  refused.  Unable  to  gain  his  point  in 
this  way  Funk  applied  for  a  license  at  or  near  the  same  point  where 
Bogardus  was  engaged,  but  the  Court  desired  no  competition  and  so 
refused  the  application. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  233 

CHANGE  OP  CLERK. 

At  a  meeting  March  17,  1828,  J.  C.  Morgan  was  appointed  Clerk 
in  the  place  of  Mordecai  Mobley.  Whether  Mordecai  resigned,  un- 
ceremoniously left,  his  term  expired,  or  was  removed,  the  records  do 
not  say.  We  only  know  the  change  was  made.  We  often  wished, 
as  we  feel  confident  all  who  may  undertake  the  arduous,  difficult 
task  of  reading  these  records  will  also  do,  that  the  change  had  not 
been  made,  for  Morgan's  chirography  is  not  to  be  compared  to 
Mobley's  for  correctness  or  legibility,  nor  is  his  orthography  nearly 
so  good,  and  as  for  punctuation,  that  is  an  art  Morgan  evidently 
was  entirely  unaquainted  with.  We  may  add  that  Mr.  Mobley  has 
not  yet  lost  the  art  of  writing  a  clean  legible  hand  and  of  composing 
well.  After  an  elapse  of  just  52  years,  lacking  three  days,  from  the 
time  he  opened  the  first  records  of  this  county,  he  sends  us  a  speci- 
men of  his  handwriting  in  the  shape  of  a  letter.  Though  over  a 
half  century  of  time — the  destroyer  of  all  things — has  elapsed  since 
he  first  recorded  his  name  in  the  Commissioner's  Court  records,  yet 
he  writes  quite  as  clearly  and  evenly  to  day  as  he  did  then. 

FIRST  SALOON. 

The  first  "tavern"  license  was  granted  at  this  term  of  the  Court. 
A  tavern  in  those  days  was  a  combination  of  an  inn  and  a  saloon. 
The  proprietor,  however,  did  not  expect  to  derive  any  great  revenue 
from  the  hotel,  but  looked  to  his  liquors  for  an  income.  Many  of 
these  "  taverns  "  were  the  smallest  of  log  cabins.  Here  and  there  all 
over  the  country,  sometimes  miles  from  any  other  cabin,  they  might 
be  found.  Some  of  them  were  indicated  to  be  such  by  signs  nailed 
to  a  post,  tree,  or  to  the  side  of  the  cabin.  These  were  of  the 
rudest  make  and  design.  Some  simply  had  the  word  "entertain- 
ment" scrawled  upon  them,  while  others,  more  explicit,  read  "enter- 
tainment for  man  and  beast."  Some  were  still  more  definite,  and 
said  simply,  "whisky  and  oats."  The  storms  of  a  half  century,  the 
advancement  of  civilization,  the  culture  of  the  age,  have  all  combined 
to  transform  these  rudest  of  signs,  scribbled  by  an  uncultured  pioneer 
upon  hewn  boards,  into  gilded  and  glittering  letters  artistically  traced 
upon  French-plate  glass. 

The  name  by  which  the  place  was  known  where  liquor  was  vended 
was  shortly  after  this  changed  from  "tavern"  to  "grocery"  or 
"  groggery  "  and  subsequently  assumed  the  appellation  of  "  saloon," 


234  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

and  finally,  that  coming  into  disrepute,  many  have  adopted  the  more 
modern  title  of  "  sample  room,"  "  halls,"  "gardens,"  etc. 

On  the  3rd  day  of  March,  1828,  Rufus  North,  Jacob  Funk  and 
Jonas  Hittle  applied  for  tavern  licenses,  which,  upon  filing  good  and 
sufficient  bonds,  and  paying  into  the  county  treasury  the  sum  of 
$2.00,  were  granted.  They  were  restricted  by  the  following  rates 
established  by  the  Court  immediately  thereafter  granting  said 
licenses : 

For  each  meal 18f  cents. 

Lodging  each  person 6^ 

For  each  horse  fed  all  night  on  grain  and  forage 25 

For  each  single  feed 12^ 

For  each  half  pint  of  whisky ]2| 

For  each  half  pint  of  brandy 25 

For  each  half  pint  of  rum  and  cordial. 25 

For  each  half  pint  of  wine 25 

For  each  quart  of  cider  or  beer 12^ 

These  as  will  be  seen  were  moderate  charges,  and  evidently  the 
tavern  keepers  thought  the  rate  established  for  lodging  was  too  mod- 
erate, for  we  find  it  was  soon  raised  to  12 J  cents. 

THE    JURISDICTION    OF   THE    COURT. 

It  now  appears  that  while  Funk  was  providing  entertainment  for 
man  and  beast,  his  neighbor  Bogardus  had  his  ferry  license,  which  he 
had  obtained  from  Sangamon  county,  proved  and  spread  upon  the 
records  here.  He  also  secured  the  passage  of  an  act  prohibiting  any 
one  to  establish  a  ferry  within  one  mile  of  his  own. 

Bogardus  was  evidently  an  old  and  extensive  operator  in  the  ferry 
business,  for  we  find  he  held  his  license  granted  while  Tazewell 
county  was  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Sangamon,  and  further,  we  find 
on  Sept.  5,  1828,  he  made  application  to  this  Court  for  another  ferry. 
He  selected,  as  the  most  remunerative  place  for  his  branch  ferrj', 
the  Illinois  at  the  mouth  of  Fox  river.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  Tazewell  county  at  that  time  spread  over  a  vast  extent  of  terri- 
tory. The  entire  northeastern  part  of  this  great  State  was  under 
their  control.  Old  settlers  have  told  us  they  well  remember  when 
Tazewell  county  constables  were  dispatched  to  Chicago  to  summon 
men  to  appear  at  the  courts  of  this  county. 

Yes,  though  unlearned  in  law  and  unacquainted  with  science  and 
literature,  the  Commissioners  held  jurisdiction  over  a  large  district, 
and  that  they  conducted  the  public  affairs  rightly,  and  built  a  firm 
and  solid  foundation  upon  which  the  future  prosperity  and  greatness 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  235 

of  this  portion  of  our  beloved  State  should  rest,  can  not  be  gainsaid. 
This  is  plainly  evident  from  the  unparalleled  strides  made  in  agricul- 
tural and  mechanical  progress ;    from  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
busy  inhabitants  now  dwelling  within  this  territory ;  and  from  the 
vast  stores  of  wealth  accumulated  solely  from  resources  within  it. 
Those  great  and  unconcealed  wonders  reflect  honor  and  credit  each 
day  upon  their  founders ;  and  as  days  and  years  multiply,  when  the 
same  territory  over  which  they  presided  shall  be  teeming  with  mil- 
lions of  earnest  and  energetic  people,  then  will  greater  honors  and 
more  exultant  praise  and  adoration  be  expressed  for  the  brave,  sturdy 
pioneers  who  explored  and  opened  up  a  region  so  prolific,  and  founded 
a  community  that  for  genius,  enterprise  and  wealth  will  in  the  near 
future  out-rank  many  older  settled  countries,  and  indeed  will  vie 
with  many  kingdoms  of  the  earth.     Then  these  vast  prairies  will  be 
cultivated  as  a  garden.     Every  forest  tree  and  woodland  will  be  util- 
ized, and  populous  cities  with  numerous  factories  and  vast  stores  of 
commerce  may  be  numbered  by  the  score.     Then  will  the  modes  of 
travel  be  superior  to  the  remarkable  railroad  facilities  of  to-day,  and 
transport  the  increased  products  with  greater  facility.     Indeed,  every- 
thing shall  then  be  as  different  and  as  superior  to  what  they  are  at 
present  as  the  things  of  to-day  are  as  compared  with  those  of  fifty 
years  ago.     Our  readers  may  regard  this  as  wild  and  unreasonable 
speculation — as  wholly  visionary ;  but  they  are  only  the  conclusions 
deduced  from  a  careful  study  of  history — of  a  comparison  of  what 
has  been  accomplished,  with  certain  advantages,  with  the  results  that 
the  superior  advantages  now  enjoyed  will  as  certainly  accomplish. 

FIRST    COURT-HOUSE    OCCUPIED. 

The  May  term,  1828,  was  convened  in  the  new  court-house. 
Whether  or  not  the  Commissioners  were  pleased  with  the  work  we 
do  not  know.  They  spent  no  time  in  passing  wordy  resolutions 
commending  the  architect's  skill,  or  otherwise  expressing  their  opin- 
ion of  the  work,  but  immediately  proceeded  to  their  official  business. 
We  fear,  however,  that  at  the  present  time,  if  a  court  was  convened 
in  such  a  structure  w^e  might  look  for  resolutions,  emphatic  and 
strong,  condemnatory  of  it.  The  building  rested  upon  piling  a  few 
feet  from  the  ground,  and  beneath  it  many  stray  hogs  found  shelter. 
From  the  continued  wallowing  quite  a  basin  was  formed,  which  was 
often  filled  with  water.  From  the  burning  rays  of  summer's  sun 
hogs  Avould  seek  this  cheerful  spot  and  lazily  roll  around,  enjoying 


236  HISTORY  OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

in  fullest  measure  the  refreshing  bath.  The  floor,  having  been  laid 
of  green  oak,  soon  shrunk,  leaving  large  cracks  between  puncheons. 
Through  these  winter's  chilling  wind  whistled,  while  in  summer  the 
contented  hogs  grunted  a  melodious  accompaniment  to  the  eloquent 
appeals  and  oratory  of  the  pioneer  lawyer. 

FIRST    JAIL. 

Necessarily,  as  faithful  historians,  we  are  compelled  to  mar  the 
pleasant  progress  of  this  chapter  by  reference  to  prison  bars.  It 
seems  as  the  county  advanced  in  wealth  and  population  the  evil 
principle  kept  pace  with  it;  and,  as  immaculate  and  good  as  the 
pioneer  fathers  undoubtedly  were,  even  among  them  there  were 
wicked  and  vicious  characters.  Accordingly,  June  28,  1828,  after 
due  notice,  the  contract  for  building  a  jail  was  "  cried  oif  to  Robert 
McClure,  he  being  the  lowest  bidder."  It  appears  that  Mathew 
Robb  was  a  partner  of  McClure' s  in  this  contract. 

Robb  was  a  native  Kentuckian,  and  came  to  Stout's  Grove, 
McLean  county,  in  1827.  That  place  at  the  time  was  the  county- 
seat  of  this  county,  and  Hon.  Mathew  Robb  was  the  noted  man 
of  the  place.  He  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  many  years.  A 
couple  by  the  name  of  John  Pore  and  a  Miss  Brown  concluded 
to  live  together  for  better  or  for  worse,  and  accordingly  Pore  called 
upon  'Squire  Robb  to  perform  the  marriage  rites.  The  former 
crossed  Sugar  creek  for  the  purj)ose  of  taking  Robb  over ;  but  as 
the  weather  had  been  rainy,  the  creek  was  high  and  inconvenient  to 
cross.  Pore  crossed  it  on  a  log  while  the  'Squire  sat  on  horseback 
on  his  side  of  the  stream.  Mr.  Pore  brought  his  bride  down  to  the 
creek ;  as  it  was  now  about  eight  o'clock  at  night  torches  were  lit. 
It  was  raining  at  the  time,  but  they  paid  no  attention  to  that. 
'Squire  Robb  rode  a  little  distance  into  the  water  in  order  to  distin- 
guish the  bridegroom  and  bride  on  the  opposite  bank,  and  the  inter- 
esting ceremony  was  performed.  McClure  was  born  in  Kentucky 
in  1792  and  came  to  Stout's  Grove  in  1827. 

They  agreed  to  erect  the  building  for  $325.75,  almost  three  times 
the  amount  paid  for  a  court-house.  It  was  to  be  completed  before 
the  first  Monday  in  September,  1829.  It  was  a  two-story  structure, 
16  feet  square,  made  of  solid  hewn  timber,  and  was  one  of  the  strong- 
est and  most  costly  jail  buildings  erected  by  the  pioneers  throughout 
Central  Illinois.  Nevertheless,  the  very  first  prisoner  incarcerated 
within  its  heavy  walls  took  flight  the  same  night.     This  individual, 


HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  237 

whose  name  was  William  Cowhart^  is  also  noted  for  being  the  first 
horse-thief  in  Tazewell  county. 

FIRST  PRISONER. 

It  was  a  horse  that  belonged  to  James  Willis  that  Cowhart  pur- 
loined. Of  all  bad  characters  horse-thieves  were  the  most  hated  by 
the  pioneers,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  noised  around  that  a  horse  had 
been  stolen  the  settlers  set  about  determined  to  bring  speedy  retri- 
bution upon  the  head  of  the  offender.  He  was  soon  found  and 
brought  back  to  the  settlement  and  turned  over  to  the  Sheriff.  This 
was  before  the  completion  of  the  jail.  The  prisoner  was  chained  to 
one  of  the  men  and  sent  into  the  field  to  work.  At  night  he  was 
chained  to  the  bedstead.  In  this  manner  he  was  kept  for  some  two 
weeks.  The  jail  being  completed  he  was  carried  thither  and 
ushered  into  the  new  prison,  no  doubt  with  much  satisfaction  on  the 
part  of  the  injured  settlers.  The  heavy  hewn  door  swung  to  leav- 
ing Cowhart  the  first  and  only  inmate.  What  must  have  been  their 
chagrin  when  on  the  following  morning  they  found  their  prisoner 
had  flown.  With  the  aid  of  a  helper  he  bid  them  adieu  during 
the  night. 

We  subjoin  the  following  interesting  and  detailed  account  of  this 
affair  from  the  pen  of  the  venerable  Nathan  Dillon,  the  first  settler 
of  the  county.  It  also  very  strongly  illustrates  some  of  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  pioneers.  This  reminiscence  first  appeared  in  the 
Bloomington  Pantagraph  in  1853. 

PURSUIT  OF  A  HORSE-THIEF. 

"  James  Willis  and  his  brother  were  the  first  pioneers  on  Sandy, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  where  the  flourishing  village  of  Magnolia, 
in  Marshall  county,  now  stands,  they  having  located  there  as  early 
as  1827  or  '28,  their  nearest  neighbor  at  that  time  being  William 
Holland,  who  had  already  settled  at  Washington,  Tazewell  county, 
where  he  still  lives.  One  cold  Friday  in  the  winter  James  Willis, 
who  had  been  boarding  at  William  Hall's,  in  Dillon  settlement  on 
the  Mackinaw,  started  on  a  trip  with  a  young  man  calling  himself 
by  the  name  of  Cowhart,  whom  he  had  hired  to  go  and  work  for 
him  at  his  new  location.  The  distance  was  fifty  miles  and  Hol- 
land's the  only  family  on  the  road.  Willis  was  mounted  on  a  fine 
horse,  well  equipped.     The  day  was  very  cold  and  when  they  got  to 


238  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Crow  creek,  eighteen  miles  north  of  Holland's,  Willis  dismounted 
and  let  Cowhart  have  his  horse,  overcoat  and  equipage,  and  took  the 
gun  belonging  to  Cowhart,  supposing  it  to  be  loaded. 

"  Cowhart  mounted,  but  instantly  took  the  other  end  of  the  road. 
Willis,  thinking  that  a  shot  from  the  gun  might  bring  the  rogue  to 
a  sense  of  duty,  brought  it  to  bear  upon  him,  but  upon  trial  found 
that  the  touchhole  had  been  plugged  with  a  green  stalk,  and  so  the 
man,  money  and  equipage  disappeared  without  any  hindrance. 

"Willis  was  quite  unwell  eighteen  miles  from  any  house  and  it 
was  snowing,  but  he  beat  his  way  back  to  Holland's.  It  happened 
that  Abraham  Hiner,  a  neighbor  of  mine,  was  there,  and  Willis 
made  out  a  description  of  the  robber  and  sent  it  by  Hiner  to  me, 
with  the  request  that  I  should  do  what  I  could  for  him. 

"  We  immediately  called  our  neighbors  together  and  it  was  agreed 
that  Daniel  Hodson,  my  brothers  Daniel,  AValter  and  Joseph,  and 
myself  Avould  give  him  a  chase,  though  it  still  remained  cold  and  it 
was  thirty-six  hours  after  the  commission  of  the  robbery,  which 
occurred  forty  miles  away. 

"  The  next  morning  (Sunday)  we  started  out  destitute  of  any 
knowledge  which  way  the  rogue  had  taken,  struck  across  the  head 
of  the  Mackinaw  stream  through  a  country  all  wilderness,  and 
stayed  all  night  at  Money  creek.  It  blew  up  colder  in  the  night, 
and  the  next  morning  the  weather  was  as  sharp  as  it  ever  gets.  We 
were  on  the  way  again  by  sunrise ;  went  on  to  the  head  timber  land 
of  the  Mackinaw  where  we  found  a  little  settlement.  The  good 
woman  where  we  stopped  assured  us  that  the  object  of  our  pursuit 
had  eaten  his  dinner  there  just  about  that  hour  two  days  before. 
The  ground  was  bare  in  places  and  covered  with  drifted  snow  in 
others ;  we  were  good  trackers  and  took  the  trail  and  followed  him 
to  Cheney's  Grove,  where  he  had  stayed  over  night.  Remaining 
with  Cheney  till  morning  we  started  early  and  pursued  him  to 
Fielder's  (near  where  Urbana  now  stands).  There  he  had  spent  the 
night  forty-eight  hours  previous.  The  cold  Monday,  however,  al- 
ready spoken  of  he  had  traveled  only  ten  miles,  laid  by  the  remain- 
der of  the  day,  disposed  of  the  horse  and  plunder,  and  resumed  his 
journey  on  foot,  being  one  day  and  ten  miles'  travel  ahead  of  us.  It 
was  in  this  part  of  the  country  that  he  struck  out  upon  the  great  prai- 
rie, without  path  or  track  of  any  kind.  The  snow  was  still  deeper 
and  enabled  us  to  keep  his  track  to  Georgetown,  where  he  had  passed 
the  night  previous.     We  here  procured  a  pilot  and  pursued  him  to 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  239 

Newport  on  the  Wabash.  Arriving  there  at  about  one  o'clock  at 
night  Ave  put  up  our  horses.  We  had  expected  to  take  him  in  bed 
here,  but  he  was  up  and  off.  We  renewed  the  pursuit  on  foot,  it 
snowing  all  the  while ;  we  soon  procured  fresh  men  and  horses,  and 
assisted  by  a  good  tracking  snow,  overtook  him  near  Rockville,  In- 
diana. It  seemed  a  hard  turn  for  the  poor  wretch  to  right  about 
face,  but  with  a  sneaking  smile  on  his  countenance  he  returned  with 
us  to  the  Wabash,  where  a  fine-looking  old  man  approached  us  with 
a  cup  of  whisky  in  his  hand,  and  in  a  bold,  open  manner  said : 
'  You  have  caught  the  villain.'  He  made  some  other  remarks  and 
we  passed  on,  Cowhart  being  betAveen  my  brother  Joseph  and  my- 
self We  observed  to  him  that  such  talk  must  be  very  disagreeable, 
at  which  he  burst  into  a  loud  cry,  and  the  blood  gushed  from  his 
nose  at  a  greater  rate  than  I  had  ever  seen  it  flow  from  the  nose  of 
any  man.  It  seemed  as  if  he  would  bleed  to  death,  but  after  apply- 
ing snow  pretty  freely  he  recovered  and  became  calm ;  but  instead 
of  that  sneaking  smile  his  face  Avore  a  very  solemn  air.  The  first 
AA'ords  he  said  Avere :  '  Had  it  not  been  for  my  old  father  I  should 
not  ha\^e  been  in  this  fix ;  said  he  had  persuaded  him  about  three 
years  before,  and  they  had  agreed  to  undertake  the  business,  but  this 
AA^as  the  first  time  he  had  A^entured  or  been  caught  in  such  a  fix.' 

"  When  issuing  out  of  the  Wabash  bottom  we  ascended  a  steep 
point  Avith  deep  raA'ines  on  each  side.  We  noticed  him  slyly  in- 
specting the  grounds.  His  countenance  lighted  up  as  if  he  Avas 
about  giving  us  the  slip.  We  told  him  that  if  he  made  such  an  at- 
tempt Ave  Avould  surely  shoot  him.  He  pretended  to  regard  as 
strange  Avhat  we  said,  but  afterAvards  confessed  that  he  had  intended 
to  run  doAvn  the  steep,  covered  as  it  Avas  with  thick  vines,  and  es- 
cape by  running  along  the  trackless  ice  in  the  stream. 

"  When  Ave  arriA^ed  at  the  taA'ern  at  NcAvport  it  Avas  some  time  be- 
fore sundown,  and  as  Ave  had  slept  none  the  prcA'^ious  night  we  con- 
cluded to  rest  the  balance  of  the  evening.  The  bar-room  was  full 
of  men  gathered  in  to  Avitness  our  movements.  Brother  Joseph  and 
myself  obtained  leave  of  the  landlady  to  take  the  prisoner  into  her 
room  until  Ave  could  dry  our  feet,  AAdiich  Avere  excessively  Avet  from 
AA'alking  in  the  snoAV.  After  some  time  the  landlord  came  into  the 
room  and  Avhispered  to  the  prisoner,  at  Avhich  the  good  lady  of  the 
house  took  umbrage,  saying  that  he  had  better  speak  aloud  so  that 
we  could  hear.  He  then  said  there  Avas  a  man  in  the  other  room 
that  Avished  to  see  him,  and  I  remained  a  moment  to  inquire  of  the 
16 


240  HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

woman  what  was  the  prisoner's  real  name.  When  I  repaired  to  the 
bar-room  I  found  a  young  man  there  writing.  I  ordered  our  friends 
to  get  our  horses,  beginning  to  mistrust  the  house  was  no,  place  for 
us.  About  the  time  we  were  ready  to  start  the  man  at  the  writing- 
desk  proved  to  be  a  lawyer,  and  presented  a  petition  to  our  prisoner 
to  sign,  praying  for  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus.  I  snatched  the  peti- 
tion from  the  prisoner's  hand,  saw  what  it  was,  gave  it  to  the  lawyer 
and  told  him  to  keep  it  to  himself  or  I  would  give  him  trouble ; 
whereupon  he  grew  saucy,  but  went  back  when  I  walked  towards 
him  until  he  reached  the  end  of  the  room ;  told  me,  I  believe,  that 
I  was  '  out  of  order ;'  not  to  touch  him.  I  told  him  plainly  that  if 
I  heard  another  word  from  him  I  certainly  should  slap  his  jaiv,  then 
left  him  pale  as  death  and  turned  to  the  prisoner  and  took  him  by 
the  collar.  He  attempting  to  get  away,  some  of  the  men  took  hold 
of  me  to  assist  him,  exclaiming  that  there  should  be  no  dragging 
out.  I  gave  him  a  stout  jerk,  at  the  same  time  Hodson  and  my 
brothers  Daniel,  Joseph  and  Walter  assisted  him  with  a  shove,  and 
he  went  out  in  short  order.  AVe  set  him  astride  of  one  of  our 
horses  just  as  the  landlord  and  another  man  approached,  and  said  we 
had  no  business  to  come  there  in  such  a  way.  The  prisoner  begged 
for  help.  We  told  him  that  if  he  attempted  to  get  off  the  horse,  or 
if  any  man  attempted  to  assist  him,  we  would  '  blow  him  through.' 
With  that  we  left  them  and  got  into  our  own  State  the  same  night. 
Next  day  we  started  for  home,  which  we  reached  with  our  prisoner, 
after  being  out  nine  days,  some  of  which  were  as  cold  as  I  ever 
experienced. 

"Willis  recovered  all  that  Cowhart  had  robbed  him  of  except 
two  dollars  and  fifty  cents. 

"It  was  the  same  winter  that  the  jail  at  Mackinaw  was  being 
built ;  and  the  prisoner  was  guarded  by  old  Jimmy  Scott,  Deputy 
Sheriff,  until  it  was  deemed  sufficiently  strong  to  keep  him  safely. 
Soon  after  he  was  put  into  it,  however,  somebody  Mas  friendly 
enough  to  let  him  out,  and  he  escaped  trial  and  the  penitentiary. 

"Now  I  will  just  say  to  my  friends:  I  have  shown  you  in  this 
chapter  the  way  to  bring  in  the  boys  who  steal  your  horses ;  if  they 
are  stolen  imitate  the  grit  of  the  deep-snow  men,  and  never  give 
them  up  until  you  have  them  safe." 

At  the  April  term,  1829,  the  Commissioners  offered  a  reward  "of 
$20  for  the  apprehension  and  delivery  of  William  Cowhart  who  was 
let  out  of  jail,  and  also  the  person  who  let  him  out."      Cowhart 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  241 

proved  to  be  an  expensive  settler  to  the  county,  for,  we  find  the 
Court  gave  James  Scott  $68  for  keeping  him.  For  guarding 
Cowhart,  John  Hodgson,  William  Davis,  John  Ford,  A.  Wright, 
William  Sampson  and  F.  Seward  each  received  $2,  Nathan  Dillon 
$33.68 ;  Daniel  Hodgson  $5,  and  Martin  Porter  $1,  making  a  total 
of  $119.68,  Avithin  $5.32  as  much  as  the  court-house  cost,  and  it 
would  have  paid  the  County  Treasurer's  salary  for  three  years. 

FIRST  FINE, 

At  the  December  term,  1829,  the  first  fine  received  for  a  violation 
of  the  peace  was  recorded.  This  was  a  case  wherein  Isaac  Storms 
assaulted  James  Brown.  For  many  years  the  only  cases  before  the 
justices  of  the  peace  were  for  assault  and  battery.  The  pioneers 
enjoyed  a  "free  fight"  and  entered  into  sport  of  a  pugilistic  nature 
with  great  interest,  seldom  resorting  to  knives  or  pistols.  But  when 
it  came  to  administering  law  from  the  justice's  bench  it  was  con- 
demned and  a  fine  imposed,  however,  simply  because  the  law  read 
thus  and  so. 

ESTRAY    PEN. 

One  of  the  curious  provisions  of  the  law  in  the  times  of  which 
we  are  now  writing  was,  that  stock  was  permitted  to  run  at  large. 
The  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  reversed  the  common  law  idea 
prevailing  almost  universally  in  regard  to  stock  running  at  large. 
In  consequence  of  this  every  man  was  compelled  to  fence  his  entire 
farm  to  protect  his  crops  from  wandering  herds.  The  decision  of 
the  Court  required  stock  to  be  fenced  out  instead  of  in.  It  would 
have  been  much  less  expensive  for  each  man  to  have  protected  him- 
self from  his  own  stock. 

Each  settler  had  recorded  in  a  book  kept  by  the  County  Clerk, 
certain  ear-marks  and  brands  adopted  by  him  for  marking  his  stock, 
and  by  which  he  could  identify  his  cattle  and  hogs.  The  vast  prai- 
ries were  then  in  their  native  condition,  free  from  fences,  cultivation 
or  any  sort  of  improvements.  By  many  they  were  thought  to  be 
worthless  for  all  practical  farming  purposes,  except  to  furnish  graz- 
ing for  stock.  Horses  and  cattle  often  wandered  into  adjoining 
counties.  There  were,  however,  means  by  which  such  stock  might 
be  recovered.  In  each  county  seat  was  an  estray  pen  wherein  all 
unclaimed  and  unknown  stock  was  confined.  Notice  was  quite  often 
made  of  the  number,  kind  and  marks  of  the  stock  taken  up.     In 


242  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

1829  a  contract  for  building  an  estray  pen  at  Mackinaw  was  award- 
ed to  J.  C.  Morgan  and  Jonah  Hittle.  The  pen  was  30  feet  square 
and  cost  the  sum  total  of  $13. 

FEARLESS  BUT   FEARED  COMMISSIONERS. 

During  the  year  1829  the  Commissioners  pursued  the  even  tenor 
of  their  way,  granting  petitions  for  roads,  ferries,  tavern  licenses  and 
election  precincts ;  appointing  and  removing  officers  with  an  inflexi- 
bility of  purpose  that  is  really  amusing.  When  they  investigated  a 
matter  there  were  no  palliating  circumstances  to  screen  the  delinquent. 
But  the  judicial  guillotine  cut  off  official  heads  with  a  refreshing  im- 
partiality. Negligent  officers  feared  the  power  of  the  "  tripple  C " 
more  than  Damocles  feared  the  hair-suspended  sword.  They  simply 
and  plainly  said  "  go,"  and  the  official  hesitated  not  but  went  at  once, 
and  that  was  the  end  of  it. 

The  Commissioners  commenced  the  year's  labor  by  decapitating, 
officially,  all  the  road  supervisors  of  the  various  districts.  Then 
Abraham  Carlock  was  appointed  Treasurer  to  succeed  Isaac  Walters, 
and  at  a  salary  of  $40,  which  shows  an  increase  in  the  emoluments 
of  the  office  of  nearly  100  per  cent. 

FIRST  SALOON   IN  PEKIN. 

In  March,  1830,  George  W.  Hinch  applied  for  a  saloon  license 
to  retail  liquors  in  Pekin.  This  was  the  first  saloon  in  that  city. 
The  petition  requests  that  "  George  W.  Hinch  be  allowed  to  sell  all 
kinds  of  spirituous  liquors  by  the  smaul. " 

BOOT  AND  SHOE  SHOP   ESTABLISHED. 

William  Walter  was  desirous  of  contributing  to  the  comfort  of 
his  fellow  settlers  in  the  way  of  manufacturing  boots  and  shoes.  To 
this  end  he  desired  the  Court  to  give  him  lot  8  in  block  8  in  the 
town  of  Mackinaw.  The  enterprising  Commissioners  granted  the 
request,  providing  he  would  improve  and  occupy  said  lot  for  at  least 
one  year. 

SAND  PRAIRIE  PRECINCT  CHANGED. 

The  citizens  of  Sand  Prairie  election  precinct  petitioned  the  Court 
to  move  the  place  of  holding  elections  to  Pekin,  as  the  "present 
place  of  holding  elections  is  inconvenient  and  oppressive  to  many 
citizens. " 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUXTV.  243 

FIRST  PAUPER. 

Sarah  Stout  has  the  honor  of  being  the  first  pauper  in  Tazewell 
county.  At  the  July  term  the  Court  gave  her  to  the  care  of  Nathan 
Dillon  for  three  months,  after  which  time  the  Court  again  took  her 
in  charge  and  let  her  out  to  the  lowest  bidder. 

clerk's  OFFICE. 

In  July,  according  to  a  previous  notice,  a  clerk's  office  of  the  fol- 
lowing description  was  cried  ofi*  to  the  lowest  bidder :  "  Building 
to  be  frame,  14  feet  square,  one  story  high,  9  feet  between  floors, 
weather-boarded  with  planks  or  boards  well  shaved ;  with  one  door 
and  two  windows ;  a  plank  floor  laid  down  with  green  plank  with- 
out nails.  Covered  with  shingles."  On  the  records,  but  marked 
over,  are  the  words,  "  with  brick  chimney  put  in  it."  The  judi- 
cious Commissioners  evidently  concluded  they  could  not  aiford  such 
a  luxury  as  a  brick  chimney,  and  repealed  that  clause  of  the  speci- 
fications.    The  contract  was  let  to  Jonas  H.  Hittle,  for  $100. 

A  CHANGE  OF  COMMISSIONERS. 

In  August,  1831,  an  election  Avas  held,  when  Nathan  Dillon, 
Timothy  Hoblit  and  Isaac  Blaken  were  chosen  County  Commissioners. 
The  Clerk,  seemingly  endeavoring  to  gain  the  good  will  of  the  newly 
elected  dignitaries,  addressed  them  as  the  Honorable  Nathan  Dillon, 
etc.  They  had  scarcely  received  the  reins  of  government  into  their 
hands  before  they  began  a  system  of  improvement  truly  enterpris- 
ing. The  Clerk  was  immediately  ordered  "  to  contract  for  the  build- 
ing of  a  good  stick-and-clay  chimney  to  the  court-house  on  the  most 
advantageous  terms."  The  next  order  was  to  Isaac  Baker  to  procure 
a  good  table  for  the  use  of  the  Court.  On  reconsidering,  the  whole 
system  of  repair  was  placed  exclusively  in  the  hands  of  Jonas  Hit- 
tie.  Contractor  Hittle  received  the  following  specific  instructions : 
"  On  the  first  floor  a  bench  to  be  erected  in  the  west  end,  for  the  use 
of  the  Judge,  to  be  reached  on  either  side  by  good  steps.  In  front 
of  this  bench  [which  was  simply  a  platform]  a  bar  to  be  raised  con- 
sisting of  good  banisters,  and  plank  arranged  for  the  witnesses' 
seats.  On  either  side  of  the  Judge's  bench  to  be  good  seats  for  the 
jury,  and  two  movable  scats  for  the  Clerk. 

"A  stairway  to  be  built  in  the  northeast  corner  reaching  the  sec- 
ond story.  The  upper  floor  to  be  laid  and  divided  into  two  rooms 
by  a  partition,  these  rooms  to  be  used  as  jury  rooms.     A  good  14- 


244  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

light  window  to  be  placed  in  the  east  end,  and  the  chimney  place  to 
be  closed  up.  A  cheap  cast  stove  to  be  purchased  and  put  up  in  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  room.  All  the  work  to  be  completed  by 
April  10,  1831." 

MOVED  TO  PEKIX. 

The  Court  convened  in  the  court-house  at  Mackinaw  in  March, 
1831,  when  it  transacted  its  usual  routine  business  of  granting 
road  petitions,  liquidating  pauper's  bills,  settling  up  with  public  of- 
ficials and  attending  to  various  matters;  after  which  the  Court 
packed  up  their  bag  and  baggage,  shook  the  dust  of  Mackinaw  from 
their  judicial  feet  and  turned  their  faces  westward.  They  brought 
up  at  Pekin,  June  6,  1831,  in  the  old  school-house  on  the  corner  of 
Elizabeth  and  Second  streets,  subsequently  known  as  "  the  Doolittle 
school."  Just  why  the  Court  left  their  pleasant  quarters  at  Macki- 
naw, especially  after  so  recently  making  such  extensive  improve- 
ments in  and  around  the  court-house,  the  records  do  not  state.  But 
from  other  sources  we  learn  that  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  passed 
Dec.  25,  1830,  the  county  of  Tazewell  was  divided  and  McLean 
county  formed  therefrom.  To  further  carry  out  the  design  of  some 
of  the  leading  spirits  in  procuring  this  division,  a  committee  con- 
sisting of  William  Porter,  John  T.  Stuart  and  Milton  Chilton  was 
appointed  by  the  same  body  to  re-locate  the  county-seat.  By  the 
same  act  appointing  the  committee,  which  was  passed  Feb.  16,  1831, 
the  courts  of  the  county  were  moved  to  Pekin,  where  they  should 
remain  until  the  seat  of  justice  was  permanently  located. 

Thus  in  obedience  to  the  mandate  of  higher  authority  the  Court 
submits  with  becoming  resignation,  and  not  one  word  of  growling 
or  grumbling  does  it  utter  so  far  as  we  glean  from  the  records. 
Considerable  dissatisfaction  was  displayed,  however,  on  the  part  of 
the  citizens  of  I^Iackinaw  at  this  desertion.  They  had  indulged 
themselves  in  the  fond  hopes  of  making  a  great  and  prosperous  city. 
These  hopes  and  expectations  were  based  solely,  almost,  upon  the 
influence  and  advantages  of  being  the  county-seat. 

The  Clerk's  office  in  Pekin  was  located  "  in  the  upper  room  of 
William  Haines'  corner  building,  occupied  by  William  M.  Farns- 
worth."  The  Court  paid  as  rental  for  this  room,  where  it  also  sub- 
sequently convened,  |2  per  month.  These  quarters  were  retained 
until  Oct.  1,  1831,  when  the  office  was  moved  to  Gideon  Hawley's 
room,  where  it  remained  for  a  month ;  after  which  the  Court  was 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  245 

held  for  a  time,  as  far  as  we  can  learn,  in  D.  H.  Holcomb's  tavern. 
Thus  we  have  a  very  striking  and  altogether  significant  contrast  — 
a  court  of  justice  and  a  groggery  in  the  same  cabin. 

THE    IRREPRESSIBLE    FUNK. 

If  the  Court  thought  to  escape  the  importunities  of  their  old 
petitioner,  Jacob  Funk,  on  making  the  move  to  Pekin,  they  soon 
found  they  were  sadly  mistaken.  No  sooner  had  they  found  a  room 
wherein  to  convene  in  official  capacity  than  the  indomitable  Jacob 
appeared  and  again  importuned  the  Court  to  revoke  Bogardus'  ferry 
license,  A  citation  was  immediately  issued  commanding  the  said 
Bogardus  to  appear  and  show  cause  why  his  license  should  not  be 
taken  from  him.  Promptly  at  the  convening  of  the  Court  at  the 
September  term.  Funk  was  on  hand  and  requested  that  attention  be 
given  to  the  citation  issued  against  Bogardus.  The  Court,  however, 
let  other  matters  tak*e  the  precedence  until  Sept.  8,  when  Bogardus 
appears  before  the  Court  and  is  confronted  by  Funk  and  Eads, 
and,  in  the  language  of  the  record,  the  "  trial  is  gon  into."  After 
hearing  the  evidence  pro  and  con  the  Court  gravely  decided  "  that  the 
ferry  license  issued  to  John  Bogardus  by  the  Sangamon  county 
Commissioners  and  confirmed  by  this  Court  is  hereby  revoked." 
Thus  Funk  had  at  last  gained  a  victory  over  his  enemy,  Bogar- 
dus, and  no  doubt  was  content.  Abner  Eads,  however,  was  not 
satisfied  with  having  Bogardus  ousted,  but  applied  for  a  ferry  at  the 
same  place ;  but  this  the  Court  promptly  refused.  Bogardus  again 
petitioned  for  a  ferry  across  the  river  at  Fort  Clark,  but  the  Court 
not  wishing  more  trouble,  refused  to  grant  it. 

FIRST  PEDDLER,  AND  FIRST  SLAVE  EMANCIPATED. 

In  Sept.,  1831,  the  Court  granted  to  Laman  Case  a  license  to  ped- 
dle clocks.  For  this  privilege  for  three  months  they  assessed  him 
$25.00.  To  Case  belongs  the  honor  of  being  the  first  peddler  in 
Tazewell  county. 

At  this  time  the  Court  was  charging  for  yearly  licenses  to  "  vend 
merchandise,"  ^9;  for  liquors,  $3.  The  former  price  of  saloon 
license  was  $2  per  year,  while  for  selling  clocks  the  Court  charged 
$100.  They  evidently  regarded  time-pieces  as  a  luxury  they  could 
easily  do  without,  while  they  looked  upon  liquors  as  a  necessity. 

At  the  June  term,  1832,  one  Morrison,  "a  man  of  coullor,"  pre- 
sented his  certificate  of  freedom  from  his  owner,  William  N.  Burnett, 


246  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


J. 


and  had  it  confirmed  by  the  Court.     Thus  Morrison  was  the  first 
slave  to  be  emancipated  in  Tazewell  county. 


VETERAN  PAUPERS. 


In  June,  1832,  John  Summers  was  allowed  $78  for  keeping  old 
man  Miller.  In  the  June  previous  Summers  came  into  Court  and 
explained  that  a  certain  Nicholas  Miller,  a  pauper,  was  living  at 
county  expense  while  he  had  a  well-to-do  son  named  Joseph,  who 
should,  both  in  equity  of  the  law  and  from  filial  affection,  support 
his  father.  Thereupon  the  Sheriff  was  posted  after  the  undutiful 
Joseph.  It  appears,  however,  that  Joseph  was  not  found  at  the  time, 
nor  until  1834,  if  we  rely  upon  the  records  for  imformation,  for  no 
mention  is  made  of  him  until  that  time.  He  then  appears  and  gives 
as  his  reason  for  not  supporting  his  parent,  "  inability  to  do  so." 

At  the  same  time  appeared  Hosea  Stout  and  Benjamin  Jones,  rel- 
atives of  Sarah  Stout,  the  first  pauper,  and  gave  the  same  reason  for 
not  "taking  charge  of  their  poor  relation," 

Thus  the  veteran  and  venerable  paupers  were  thrown  back  upon 
the  county,  whereupon  the  Court  ordered  "  Nathan  Dillon  and  Wm. 
McClure  to  dispose  of  said  paupers  at  public  sale  or  private  con- 
tract. It  seems  that  they  were  not  regarded  as  valuable  paupers  and 
not  one  bid  was  made  for  them.  But  all  through  the  records  for 
years  are  bills  allowed  for  their  maintenance.  In  1835  the  Court, 
being  worried  with  the  many  claims  for  bills  for  supporting  Miller, 
lifted  up  its  voice  and  peremptorily  commanded  the  Sheriff  to  sell 
him.  The  poor  old  man  had  outlived  his  years  of  usefulness  and 
even  became  a  burden  to  the  indulgent  county. 


ANNUAL  STATEMENT. 


A  statement  of  the  fiscal  concerns  of  the  county  for  the  year  1832 
was  made  as  required  by  law.  We  give  this  in  full,  thus  showing 
the  receipts  and  expenditures  for  the  sixth  year  of  the  county's  ex- 
istence. It  will  be  seen  that  the  expenses  for  all  purposes  were 
scarcely  more  than  half  a  year's  salary  of  the  poorest  paid  official  of 
the  present  day. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


247 


EXPENSES. 

Commissioners'  fees $71.00 

Clerk's  fees 60.00 

Keeping  poor 161.00 

Cost  of  elections 72.00 

Criminal  charges 32.00 

Sheriff's  fees 72.75 

Clerk's  office  rent 24.00 

Viewing  roads 55.00 

Assessor's  fees 40.00 

Sundry  account 31.75 

Keeping  estrays 70.00 

Total  expenses $689.50 


INCOME. 

Revenue  from  tax $463.12 

Treasurer's  receipts 122.62 

State  paper 9.00 

Fines  assessed  in  1831 5.00 

Fines  assessed  in  1832 24.00 

Ferry  tax 10.00 

Tax  on  merchants'  licenses 82.00 

Tax  on  merchants'  permits 5.00 

Town  tax 8.50 

Total  income $729.24 


FIRST  INQUEST. 


The  first  inquest  held  in  the  county,  according  to  these  records, 
was  on  the  body  of  little  Hamilton  Porter,  a  widow's  son,  in  1833. 
The  boy,  who  was  nine  years  old,  was  accidentally  shot.  Andrew 
Tharp,  Coroner,  was  allowed  $18.75  for  performing  this  duty. 


COUNTY-SEAT   RAMBLING. 

We  come  now  to  a  period  wherein  the  county-seat  again  took 
a  move.  The  removal  which  we  are  about  to  refer  to  was  in  com- 
pliance with  the  order  of  three  Commissioners  appointed  by  the  Leg- 
islature "to  select  a  permanent  location  for  the  seat  of  justice  of 
Tazewell  county. "  Before  proceeding  further,  however,  on  this 
particular  move  we  will  give  the  history  of  all  the  county-seat 
ramblings  from  the  beginning,  away  back  in  the  early  part  of  the 
year  1829. 

On  the  22d  day  of  the  first  month  of  that  year  the  Legislature 
passed  an  act  making  and  defining  a  new  boundary  for  Tazewell 
county.  This  act,  no  doubt,  was  procured  by  ambitious  persons 
dwelling  in  other  parts  of  the  county  than  Mackinaw  and  vicinity, 
who  desired  to  secure  the  county-seat.  By  this  act  the  county  was  re- 
duced in  size  very  materially,  yet  it  still  extended  over  a  vast  region, 
containing  79  townships  and  parts  of  townships.  In  1830  the  town 
of  Pekin  was  laid  oif,  and  she  being  anxious  to  supplement  her  many 
advantages  by  adding  thereto  the  county-seat,  which  it  was  alleged 
she  desired  done.  We  have  no  reason  to  doubt  that  such  allegation 
was  true.  Mackinaw,  the  county-seat,  however,  being  so  near  the 
center  of  the  county,  she  had  little  hope  of  success  unless  she  could 
cut  off  a  portion  of  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  thus  throwing 
Mackinaw  near  the  boundary  line. 


248  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

At  the  succeeding  election  for  members  of  the  Legislature, 
William  L.  D.  Ewing,  of  Vandalia,  was  chosen  Senator,  and 
William  Brown,  of  Pekin,  Representative.  Brown  was  easily 
induced  to  consent  to  cut  off  from  Tazewell  county,  for  the  county 
of  McLean,  all  that  portion  of  Tazewell  county  embraced  in  ranges 
1,  2  and  3  east,  and  1  west  of  the  third  principal  meridian,  contain- 
ing over  100,000  acres.  On  the  25th  of  December  of  the  same 
year  (1830)  McLean  county  was  created  by  the  Legislature.  Two 
months  later  John  T.  Stewart,  Matthias  Chilton  and  William 
Porter  were  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly  to  select  a 
permanent  county-seat  for  Tazewell  county.  In  the  meantime 
courts  and  public  offices  should  be  at  Pekin.  These  commissioners 
failed  to  make  any  selection  of  a  location.  Indeed  they  neglected 
to  consider  the  matter  at  all  so  far  as  any  records  of  their  actions 
are  concerned.  Year  after  year  came  and  went  until  July  12, 
1835,  before  anything  further  was  done.  At  that  date  the  Legisla- 
ture appointed  John  C.  Calhoun,  of  Sangamon  county,  James 
Gaylord,  of  Putnam,  and  Isaac  C.  Pugh,  of  Macon,  as  a  commis- 
sion to  permanently  locate  the  county -seat,  in  lieu  of  the  former, 
which  failed  to  act. 

This  able  commission  convened  Sept.  17th,  and  gravitated  toward 
Tremont,  where  they  met  the  generous  and  enterprising  John 
H.  Harris.  This  gentleman,  to  secure  the  county-seat  for 
Tremont,  offered  to  donate  to  the  county  20  acres  of  land.  This 
tract  was  just  south  of  the  town  of  Tremont  on  the  northwest 
quarter  of  section  19,  Tremont  township.  A  further  donation  of 
$2,000  in  money,  to  aid  in  erecting  public  buildings,  was  proffered 
by  the  citizens  of  Tremont.  This  was  placed  in  the  State  bank,  at 
Springfield,  to  await  the  decision  of  the  commission.  They 
were  satisfied  with  the  location  and  looked  no  further.  Two 
thousand  dollars  in  money  and  20  acres  of  rich  prairie  land  were  of 
great  consideration  in  the  eyes  of  the  worthy  gentlemen,  for  at 
the  time  the  annual  revenue  of  the  county  did  not  reach  $1,400. 
As  might  have  been  expected  this  selection  was  very  unsatisfactory 
to  Pekin. 

The  commission  made  an  elaborate  report,  which  for  smooth, 
oily  wording  and  rhetorical  finish  excels  any  other  report,  petition 
or  order  spread  upon  the  records  of  this  Court.  At  the  conclusion 
of  this  well- written  document  the  commissioners  say  :  "The  point 
named  was  selected  with  a  view  to  the  convenience  of  the  present 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  249 

and  future  population  of  Tazewell  county.  It  is  a  position  as 
nearly  central  to  the  present  and  probable  future  population  of  the 
county  as  we  could  select  and  at  the  same  time  secure  the  other 
advantages  for  the  healthy  and  favorable  site  for  the  building 
of  a  town." 

The  Court  records  and  public  offices  were  moved  to  Tremont  in 
1836,  where  the  county-seat  remained  until  1850.     In  the  mean- 
time  the    county  was  greatly  developed;    Pekin  became  the  me- 
tropolis and  the  principal  seat  of  commerce  of  the  county.      The 
State,    during   the  great   internal  improvement   excitement, — from 
1836   to    1840, —  had   began  the  construction  of  a   railroad   from 
Pekin  to   Tremont,  and    the   former  town    had   increased  rapidly. 
About  the  year  1839  complaint  was  raised  by  the  people  at  Pekin 
against  the  county-seat  being  at  Tremont,    and  thereupon  began  a 
bitter  warfare  between  the  two  places.     It  is  alleged  that  in  order 
to  hold  the  county-seat  and  cripple  Pekin,  the  people  of  Tremont 
conspired    with    parties    desiring    new    counties    and    county-seats, 
around  Tazewell  county,  and  in  1841   had  an  act    passed    by    the 
Legislature  cutting  oif  the  south  half  of  township  21,  range  2,  to 
DeWitt  county,  and  all  Tazewell  county  west  of  range  4,  and  south 
of  township  22  and  west  of  range  5,  and  south  of  the  middle  of 
town    23,    to   the   county   of  Mason.      A  month  scarcely   elapsed 
when,  Feb.  27,  another  act   was   passed   taking   all    that   part   of 
Tazewell  county,  being  the  northeast  quarter  of  township  25  north, 
and  of  the  east  half  of  26  north,  range  2  east,  and  all  of  townships 
27  and  28,  westward  to  the  Illinois  river,  and  forming  of  it  the 
county  of  Woodford.     After  having  these  large  slices  taken  off,  for 
the  formation  of  the  counties  named,  it  seems  that  both  the  most 
liberal  and  the  most  selfish  should  have  been  satisfied  ;  but  it  appears 
they  were  not.     Again,  in  February,  1843,  it  was  proposed,  and  an 
act  so  passed  by  the  Legislature,  to  cut  off  for  Woodford  county 
that  part  of  this  county  east  of  section  29,  township  26,  range  4, 
and   all  of    townships  26,  range  2,  and  26,  range  3.      This  was, 
however,    on    the    condition    that   the    people    should    approve  the 
measure  by  ballot.     At  an  election  held  in  May,  1843,  the  proposi- 
tion was  rejected,  and  a  stop  made  to  this  dividing  up  and  cutting 
off  of  Tazewell's  territory.      Had   they  continued  it  much  longer 
there  would  have  been  nothing  left  of  the  county  but  Pekin  and 
Tremont.     Then,  we  doubt  not,  a  division  would  have  been  made 
and  both  towns  have  at  last  gained  a  county-seat. 


250  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

At  the  time  the  Legislature  passed  the  last  mentioned  act  it  also 
authorized  the  people  of  the  county  to  vote  at  their  regular  August 
election  upon  the  proposition  of  the  removal  of  the  county-seat 
from  Tremont  to  Pekin.  This  they  did  and  defeated  the  proposi- 
tion. During  the  following  winter  Pekin  and  the  western  por- 
tion of  the  county  suffered  seriously  from  a  malignant  scarlet  fever, 
which  caused  the  death  of  over  fifty  of  the  inhabitants  of  Pekin. 
This  checked  the  progress  of  that  city  for  a  time  and  nothing 
further  was  done  toward  moving  the  county-seat  until  1849.  On 
the  2d  day  of  February  of  that  year  the  Legislature  again  passed 
an  act  authorizing  the  people  to  vote  upon  the  measure  of  removal 
the  first  Saturday  in  April  of  the  same  year.  At  that  election 
Pekin  at  last  triumphed  and  won  the  long-coveted  county-seat, 
which  she  has  since  retained. 

The  question  having  been  finally  and  definitely  decided  the  court- 
house was  immediately  erected  by  the  citizens  of  Pekin,  in  fulfill- 
ment of  their  promise.  The  last  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors, which  had  come  in  vogue  in  the  mean  time,  that  was  held 
at  Tremont  was  Aug.  26,  1850,  when  it  moved  in  a  body  to  their  new 
and  more  commodious  quarters,  and  on  the  same  day  dedicated 
the  edifice  by  holding  therein  their  first  meeting  at  Pekin. 

During  these  twenty  years  of  local  war,  of  course  the  bitterness 
of  feeling  was  intense,  and  great  injury  was  done  to  all  parts  of  the 
county.  Many  of  the  older  citizens  attribute  very  largely  the 
prosperity  and  commercial  advantages  attained  by  Peoria  over 
Pekin  to  the  bitter  feuds  engendered  during  this  long  and 
eventful  strife. 

DISCONTEXTED. 

We  will  return  to  the  immediate  labors  of  the  Commissioners' 
Court  and  follow  their  proceedings  during  its  last  decade  of  service. 

At  the  January  term,  1836,  the  people,  or  tliat  portion  of  them 
who  were  dissatisfied  with  the  location  selected  for  the  county-seat, 
petitioned  the  Court  in  the  following  language : 

"We,  the  undersigned,  citizens  of  Tazewell  county,  respectfully 
solicit  the  Commissioners  to  suspend  proceedings  in  the  county-seat 
matter  until  better  ground  can  be  obtained,  either  by  re-location  or 
a  legal  removal  of  the  donation ;  and  we  individually  and  collect- 
ively pledge  ourselves  to  support  you  in  this  matter." 

The  petition  was  signed  by  115  persons.  No  action  was  taken 
upon  it. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  251 

Messrs.  Pugh  and  Gaylord,  two  of  the  State  commissioners,  pre- 
sented their  bills  for  locating  the  county-seat,  which  were  as  follows : 
Gaylord,  35  days'  work  at  $3  per  day,  $105 ;  Pugh,  36  days'  work 
at  $3  per  day,  $108,  Owing  to  the  ill  feeling  still  so  manifest  in 
regard  to  the  location  chosen  by  these  gentlemen,  the  Court  refused 
to  take  any  action  on  these  bills  at  that  time.  At  the  March  term, 
however,  they  allowed  the  two  gentlemen, —  the  third  never  having 
sent  in  his  bill, —  the  moderate  sum  of  $27  a  piece,  or  at  the  rate  of 
77|^  cents  per  day.  It  must  have  been  rather  humiliating  to  those 
"  $3-a-day  "  gentlemen  to  have  had  their  services  so  lightly  appre- 
ciated. They  do  not  molest  the  Court  further,  however,  but  are 
resigned  to  its  dictation. 

clerk's  office  AT  TREMONT. 

December  11,  1835,  a  one-story  frame  building,  18  by  24  feet, 
was  ordered  erected  on  a  private  lot  in  Tremont,  for  Clerk's  office. 
The  contract  was  let  to  Theo.  Fisher  for  $285.  To  secure  the  faith- 
ful performance  of  the  work  he  was  compelled  to  give  bonds  in  the 
sum  of  $1,000. 

Thomas  P.  Wilson,  County  Surveyor,  in  1836  laid  off"  into  lots 
the  twenty  acres  of  land  given  by  Harris  at  Tremont.  The  Clerk 
was  then  ordered  to  advertise  the  sale  of  these  lots  in  the  following 
papers :  Sangamon  Journal,  Missouri  Republican,  Louisville  Adver- 
tiser, and  Cincinnati  National  Republican. 

The  sale  occurred  in  May,  1836.  The  aggregate  amount  received 
from  the  sale  of  lots  was  $18,636.  Of  this  $4,271.18  was  paid  in 
cash,  and  $12,440.12  in  notes  secured  by  mortgages  on  the  property. 
The  highest  price  paid  for  any  lot  was  for  lot  1  in  block  5,  bought 
by  James  Wibrav  for  $620. 

THE  COURT  MOVES  TO  TREMONT. 

After  settling  up  all  their  business  and  liquidating  all  their  little 
bills  at  Pekin,  the  Court  bid  farewell  for  once  and  forever  to  the  old 
Methodist  church  edifice  which  had  sheltered  their  judicial  heads  for 
half  a  dozen  years.  They  filed  out,  closed  and  barred  the  door,  and 
turned  their  faces  Tremont-ward,  where,  June  6,  1836,  they  assem- 
bled in  the  Clerk's  office. 

They  must  have  more  imposing  and  commodious  apartments, 
however,  and  accordingly  ordered  the  Clerk  to  advertise  for  bids  for 
building  a  temporary  court-house.     This  was  a  two-story  frame,  20 


252  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

by  40  feet.  The  contract  was  let  to  William  Dillon,  June  25,  for 
$1,150.  Of  course  the  court-house  could  not  entirely  fulfill  its 
purpose  without  a  jail  near.  Being  very  economical,  and  having 
a  jail  at  Mackinaw,  the  Court  ordered  it  removed  to  Tremont.  The 
jail  had  not  followed  the  Court  on  their  travels  but  remained  at  its 
original  site.  The  contract  for  removing  the  prison  was  given  to 
John  T.  Bird,  who  was  to  receive  $138  for  the  same.  It  was  re- 
moved and  veneered  with  brick,  and  a  brick  addition  was  erected 
as  a  residence  for  the  Sheriff's  family. 

CHANGE  OF  CLERKS. 

At  the  August  term,  1836,  John  C.  Morgan  was  ordered  to  con- 
tract for  plastering  and  building  the  chimney  for  the  Clerk's  office. 
This  was  the  last  official  act  of  the  faithful  Morgan.  He  had  been 
Clerk  of  the  Court  for  eight  long  years,  going  with  it  as  it  moved 
from  place  to  place,  and  always  discharging  his  duties  with  greatest 
fidelity.  He  had  seen  Commissioner  after  Commissioner  occupy  the 
Judge's  bench,  yet  he  still  remained.  At  the  September  term  he 
tendered  his  resignation  and  J.  H.  Morrison  succeeded  him.  It 
appears  that  the  newly  elected  Commissioners,  Messrs.  Railsback, 
Hull,  and  Fisher  inclined  to  be  more  favorable  toward  Morrison, 
and  to  prevent  an  unmerited  removal  Morgan  resigned. 

COURT-HOUSE  AT  TREMONT. 

In  December  a  plan  for  a  court-house  was  adopted  and  the  con- 
tract ordered  to  be  let  in  January,  1 837.  It  was  to  be  a  brick  build- 
ing, two  stories  above  basement  in  height;  60  feet  long,  including 
portico  of  10  feet,  by  40  wide.  The  specifications  conclude  with 
the  following  finishing  touches  for  the  structure :  "  The  windows  to 
be  closed  with  good  blinds  and  painted  four  coats,  two  of  French 
green ;  the  outside  doors  to  be  fitted  with  best  locks,  and  the  entire 
building  to  be  fitted  in  full  Grecian  order  of  architecture.  All 
plates  referred  to  are  in  Shaw's  second  edition  of  Architecture,  1832. 
Said  building  is  to  be  surmounted  by  a  cupola,  finished  with  octa- 
gon blinds  and  containing  a  good  bell  deck,  and  the  dome  to  be 
surmounted  with  an  iron  rod  supporting  three  gilt  balls." 

The  contract  for  its  erection  was  let  to  William  F.  Flagg,  Jan. 
13,  1837,  for  $14,450.  The  building  was  first  occupied  in  Septem- 
ber, 1839.  Flagg  was  an  extensive  contractor  and  builder,  and 
withal  a  man  of  great  mechanical  skill  and  genius.     He  built  a 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  253 

court-house  for  Putnam  county,  and  a  court-house  and  jail  for  La- 
Salle,  and  a  court-house  for  this  county  within  a  period  of  four 
years.  In  1848  he  commenced  the  manufacture  of  reapers,  and  was 
sued  for  an  infringement  of  patent  by  C  H.  McCormick,  and  dam- 
ages laid  at  $20,000.  Abraham  Lincoln  was  employed  to  defend 
him.  The  suit  was  carried  on  for  two  years  in  the  United  States 
courts  and  finally  McCormick  was  beaten.  Shortly  after  this  Mr. 
Lincoln  met  Mr.  Flagg  on  the  street  in  Bloomington  and  sauntered 
into  his  shop,  who  inquired  of  him  how  much  his  fee  was  for 
gaining  the  case  for  him.  Mr.  Lincoln  leaned  on  the  counter, 
rested  his  head  upon  his  arms,  and  after  a  little  consideration  said : 
"  I  think  ten  dollars  will  pay  me  for  my  trouble."  Nor  would  he 
accept  more. 

After  the  transaction  of  this  business  the  Court  "adjourned  to 
meet  to-morrow  at  9  o'clock  a.m,"  which  we  see  was  a  more  fash- 
ionable hour  and  in  keeping  with  the  modern  spirit  of  the  age. 
The  early  Commissioners  away  back  in  1827  and  '28  met  at  7 
o'clock  promptly ;  but  the  customs  of  civilization  began  to  make 
themselves  felt,  and  the  honorable  Commissioners  would  fain 
indulge  in  a  second  morning  nap  and  not  don  the  ermine  until  the 
"  third  hour  of  the  day."  A  few  years  later  we  find  10  o'clock  was 
the  stated  time  for  opening  court.  The  Circuit  Court,  when  Stephen 
T.  Logan  was  judge,  "adjourned  to  meet  at  6  o'clock  to-morrow 
morning." 

THE  LAST  OF  POOR  OLD  NIC.  MILLER. 

During  the  years  1840  and  '41  we  find  a  remarkable  increase  in 
the  number  and  amount  of  bills  allowed  for  keeping  paupers. 
Throughout  the  record  during  these  two  years  are  bills  upon  bills  of 
this  nature.  The  increase  seemed  surprising  to  the  Commissioners 
themselves,  and  they  made  particular  inquiry  into  the  status  of 
aifairs  before  granting  the  bills.  It  seems  the  county  was  imposed 
upf)n  in  several  instances  by  the  unnatural  actions  of  those  who 
preferred  that  their  relations  should  be  kept  at  the  county's  expense 
rather  than  their  own.  One  Jane  Morrill  it  was  found  had  a  hus- 
band living  able  to  provide  for  her. 

Poor  old  Nic.  Miller,  the  ancient  pauper,  was  still  on  hand,  but 
his  bill  these  years  was  curtailed  to  nearly  one-half.  Year  after 
year  the  customary  bill  for  his  support  was  handed  in,  until  through 
familiarity  the  name  of   "Nic.  Miller"  became  a  by-Avord.     We 


254  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

doubt  not  that  when  the  old  veteran  died,  and  no  more  bills  for 
his  care  were  presented  to  the  Court,  the  generous,  kind-hearted 
Commissioners  dropped  a  tear,  felt  a  pang  of  sorrow  steal  through 
the  tender  cords  of  their  heart,  and  softly  muttered,  "  Poor  old  Nic. 
Miller  is  no  more !"  Death,  the  poor  man's  best  friend,  called  the 
old  gentleman  away  during  the  year  1845.  The  poor  old  man  who 
had  been  refused  bread  by  his  own  son,  and  who  had  been  buffeted 
about  by  many  adverse  winds,  now  returned  to  trouble  them  no 
more. 

It  appears  that  many  of  the  paupers  duringjth§  two  years  above 
referred  to  rightly  belonged  to  McLean  ci)unty,  for  we  find  the 
Court  held  a  special  session  in  June,  1841,  to  take  some  action  in 
regard  to  the  exodus  of  paupers  from  that  county  into  this. 

CENSUS  OF  1846. 

The  census  of  1846  is  the  first  spread  upon  the  records.  We  find 
every  few  years  census-takers  were  appointed,  but  the  enumeration 
was  never  recorded  in  the  Court  records.  Why  they  were  thus 
omitted  we  know  not.     We  give  the  enumeration  for  1846 : 

Washington  precinct,           _____  1,987 

Tremont  "               _____  1,967 

Pekin  «__--_-  2,354 

Union  "     -         -         -         -         -         -  771 

Delevan  «______  508 

Mackinaw  «_____-  1,136 

Sugar  Creek      «------  384 

Total  population  of  the  county  -         -         9,107 

LAST  LABORS  OF  THE  COURT. 

In  September,  1847,  the  Commissioners  bought  land  for  a  poor- 
farm  for  which  they  gave  $965.25.  The  laud  is  located  near  the 
present  county  farm  in  Elm  Grove  township.  William  Woodrow 
was  given  the  contract  for  erecting  a  house  on  this  farm,  but  the  fol- 
lowing Commissioners  annulled  the  contract  and  re-let  it  to  John 
Brown. 

In  December,  1848,  the  Clerk  was  ordered  to  advertise  for  bids 
for  building  a  jail,  costing  $3,500,  but  in  the  early  part  of  1849  all 
proceedings  looking  toward  a  new  jail  were  postponed.  No  doubt 
this   was    owing  to  the   agitation  of  the   removal  of  the   county- 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  255 

seat  to  Pekin,  for  on  the  records  we  read,  in  speaking  of  the  post- 
ponement, "  Circumstances  having  recently  transpired  rendering  the 
letting  of  said  jail  impolitic. " 

At  the  April  term,  1849,  the  usual  large  number  of  orders  were 
granted, —  among  them  one  to  Abraham  Lincoln  for  $10,  being 
his  fees  as  the  county's  attorney  in  the  case  of  the  County  vs. 
Dehority. 

Wednesday,  Nov.  7,  1849,  the  last  meeting  of  the  County  Com- 
missioners' Court  was  held.  After  transacting  such  business  as 
properly  came  before  them,  the  Commissioners  adjourned  never  to 
re-assemble,  and  so  passed  away  the  time-honored  and  economical 
system  of  county  management  by  a  trio  of  commissioners. 


17 


CHAPTER  III. 

BLACK  HAWK  WAR. 
BLACK  HA"\VK  CROSSES  THE  MISSISSIPPI. 

IN  1831,  Black  Hawk  and  his  band  had  crossed  to  their  old 
homes  on  Eock  river,  but  had  negotiated  a  treaty  and  returned  to 
the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  promising  never  to  return.  But 
on  April  6th,  1832,  he  again  crossed  the  Mississippi  Avith  his  entire 
band.  It  was  not  on  a  war  raid  that  brought  him  over  in  1832^ 
but  as  there  are  diversity  of  opinions  in  regard  to  his  motives  we 
will  briefly  give  a  few  of  those  of  most  credibility.  It  is  claimed 
that  he  was  invited  by  the  Prophet  to  a  tract  of  land  about  forty 
miles  up  Rock  river.  Others  say  he  crossed  with  no  hostile  inten- 
tions but  to  accept  an  invitation  of  a  friendly  chief,  Pit-ta-wak,  to 
spend  the  summer  with  him.  Still  others  who  agree  that  he  did 
not  come  to  fight,  sav  when  he  retired  to  the  west  side  of  the 
Mississippi  the  previous  year  he  received  a  large  quantity  of  corn 
and  other  provision,  but  in  the  spring  his  provisions  were  gone,  his 
followers  were  starving  and  he  came  back  expecting  to  negotiate 
another  treaty  and  get  a  new  supply  of  provisions. 

There  is  still  another  explanation  that  may  enable  the  reader  to 
harmonize  the  preceding  statements  and  to  understand  why  Black 
Hawk  returned  in  1832,  It  is  well  known  that  in  nearly  all  the 
treaties  ever  made  with  the  Indians,  the  Indian  traders  dictated  the 
terms  for  their  allies  and  customers,  and,  of  course,  received  a 
large  share  of  the  annuities,  etc.,  in  payment  for  debts  due  to  them. 
Each  tribe  had  certain  traders  who  supplied  them.  George 
Davenport  had  a  trading  post  at  Fort  Armstrong.  His  customers 
were  largely  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  and  he  was  held  in  high  esteem  by 
them;  in  fact,  his  word  was  hnv.  It  is  said  that  Black  Hawk's 
band  became  indebted  to  him  for  a  large  amount  and  were  unable 
to  pay.  They  did  not  have  good  luck  hunting  during  the  winter 
and  he  was  likely  to  lose  heavily.  If  Black  Hawk,  therefore, 
could  be  induced  to  come  to  this  side  of  the  river  again  and  the 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COrNTY.  257 

people  so  greatly  alarmed  that  a  military  force  would  be  sent  in 
pursuit  of  him  another  treaty  could  be  made ;  he  might  assist  in 
making  terms  and  get  his  pay  out  of  the  payments  the  Govern- 
ment would  make,  and  all  would  be  well.  Mr.  Amos  Farrar,  who 
was  Davenport's  partner  for  some  years,  and  who  died  in  Galena 
during  the  war,  is  said  to  have  declared  while  on  his  death-bed, 
that  the  "  Indians  were  not  to  be  blamed,  that  if  they  had  been  let 
alone  there  would  have  been  no  trouble — that  the  band  was  owing 
Mr.  Davenport  and  he  M'anted  to  get  his  pay  and  would,  if  another 
treaty  had  been  made.  " 

Although  Black  Hawk's  movement  across  the  Mississippi  was  at 
once  construed  as  a  hostile  demonstration,  and  Davenport  skillfully 
cultivated  the  idea,  he  was  accompanied  by  his  old  men,  women  and 
children.  No  Indian  Avarrior  ever  went  on  the  war-path  incum- 
bered in  that  way.  More  than  this,  it  does  not  appear,  from  the 
6th  of  April  until  the  battle  of  Stillman's  Run  on  the  12th  of 
May,  that  a  single  settler  was  murdered,  or  suffered  any  material 
injury  at  the  hands  of  Black  Hawk  or  his  band.  In  truth,  Hon. 
H.  S.  Townsend,  of  Warren,  Jo  Daviess  county,  states  that  in  one 
instance,  at  least,  when  they  took  corn  from  a  settler  they  paid  him 
for  it.  Capt.  W.  B.  Green,  of  Chicago,  writes  :  "  I  never  heard 
of  Black  Hawk's  band,  while  passing  up  Rock  river,  committing 
any  depredations  whatever,  not  even  petty  theft."  Frederick 
Stahl,  Esq.,  of  Galena,  states  that  he  was  informed  by  the  veteran 
John  Dixon  that  "  when  Black  Hawk's  band  passed  his  post,  before 
the  arrival  of  the  troops,  they  were  at  his  house.  Ne-o-pope  had 
the  young  braves  well  in  hand,  and  informed  him  that  they 
intended  to  commit  no  depredations,  and  should  not  fight  unless 
they  were  attacked. "  W.  S.  Rankin,  of  Pekin,  who  was  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  State  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  and  par- 
ticipated in  it,  says  he  has  no  idea  that  Black  Hawk  Avould  have 
molested  the  whites  had  the  military  not  attacked  them ;  that  his 
coming  was  purely  peaceable. 

We  do  not  wish  to  uphold  Black  Hawk  in  the  depredations  he 
committed  upon  the  whites.  We  do,  however,  desire  to  record 
events  impartially.  We  believe  Black  Hawk's  motives  were 
greatly  misunderstood,  and  it  is  due  him  and  due  to  posterity  to 
record  the  facts  of  this  war  as  nearly  impartial  as  it  is  in  our  power 
to  do.  Whatever  his  motives  might  have  been,  it  is  the  unanimous 
testimony  of  the  survivors  now  residing  on  the  old  battle-fields  of 


258  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

that  day,  that  except  the  violation  of  treaty  stipulations  and  an 
arrogance  of  manner  natural  to  the  Indian  who  wanted  to  make  a 
new  trade  with  the  "  Great  Father, "  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  at  first 
committed  no  serious  acts  of  hostility,  and  intended  none,  until  the 
alternative  of  war  or  extermination  was  presented  to  them  by  the 
whites. 

FORTS    BUILT. 

In  the  meantime  the  settlers  all  along  the  frontier  had  been 
making  active  preparations  to  defend  themselves.  Forts  and 
stockades  were  built  in  every  settlement.  At  Pekin,  around  the 
court-house,  or  the  Snell  school-house,  in  June,  a  picket  fort  was 
built.  This  was  called  Fort  Doolittle.  A  singular  oversight  in 
the  construction  of  this  stockade,  and  one  that  caused  a  great  deal 
of  merriment  when  the  danger  was  over  was,  that  Fort  Doolittle 
was  so  constructed  that  in  case  of  a  siege  the  occupants  would 
have  been  entirely  destitute  of  water.  A  fort  or  rather  a  palisade 
was  constructed  around  Perkins'  mill,  near  Circleville.  A  fort  was 
also  constructed  at  Washington.  Happily,  however,  none  of  these 
were  ever  besieged  by  the  Indians.  Often  the  settlers  would 
receive  a  big  scare  and  they  would  all  seek  protection  yet  no 
depredations  were  committed  here. 

TROOPS    RAISED. 

No  sooner  had  volunteers  been  called  for  than  recruiting  began 
in  Tazewell  county.  Capt.  Adams  began  to  muster  his  men 
at  Pekin  and  ere  long  was  oiF  to  the  seat  of  war  with  a  company. 
Capt.  Adams  was  in  command  with  Lieutenants  B.  Briggs  and 
Alexander  McNaughton,  and  J.  M.  Roberts,  musician.  They  were 
accompanied  by  Col.  Daniel  Bailey  and  Major  Isaac  Perkins.  Col. 
Bailey  induced  men  to  go  that  the  full  quota  might  be  raised,  which 
was  75,  by  promising  those  who  had  no  horses  to  press  into  service 
horses  for  them.  One  volunteer  after  being  out  a  few  days  began 
to  grow  timid,  and  soon  became  so  badly  scared  at  the  prospects  of 
meeting  the  Indians  that  he  went  to  Capt.  Adams  and  told  him  he 
must  go  home  as  he  was  so  badly  frightened  that  he  could  do 
nothing  but  run  if  they  got  ii^to  a  battle.  The  Captain  told  him 
he  was  glad  he  had  thus  informed  him,  for  if  they  had  got  into 
a  fight  he  might  have  stampeded  all  his  men.  He  got  permission 
to  go  home.      He  had  a  good  horse  and  there  was  a  volunteer  who 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  259 

had  none,  so  the  soldiers  took  his  horse  from  him  and  gave  it  to  the 
other  man,  and  sent  the  timid  ranger  home  afoot,  and  it  is  said  the 
way  he  come  was  a  caution.  He  came  nearly  running  himself 
to  death,  coming  almost  all  the  way  back  .to  Tazewell  county 
on  the  run. 

They  soon  joined  companies  from  McLean,  Peoria  and  Fulton 
counties.  There  was  a  question  now  who  should  have  command  of 
these  battalions,  Col.  Bailey  or  Major  kStillman.  Col.  Bailey 
claimed  it  on  the  ground  of  seniority,  but  as  they  were  old  friends 
this  contention  did  not  last  long.  It  was  agreed  that  both  should 
command,  take  turn  about.  On  reaching  Dixon  Gen.  Gaines  found 
them  both  jolly  good  fellows,  and  the  men  all  liked  them,  so  decided 
that  they  should  hold  equal  rank  and  both  command. 

Col.  Bailey  lived  at  Pekin  and  died  several  years  ago  in  that 
city.  Major  Isaiah  Stillman,  afterwards  pi'omoted  to  General,  died 
at  Kingston,  Peoria  county,  Monday,  April  15th,  1861,  in  about 
the  67th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the 
State  and  for  a  number  of  years  resided  in  this  county. 

We  have  made  the  greatest  endeavor  to  get  the  names  of 
Tazewell  county  volunteers  but  have  failed.  We  have  made 
inquiries  from  everybody  who  was  supposed  to  know  and  even 
made  a  trip  to  Springfield,  thinking  to  find  them  on  the  records  in 
the  Adjutant-General's  office,  but  all  in  vain. 

stillman's  defeat. 

Dixon  was  the  point  where  the  regular  and  volunteer  troops  were 
to  meet.  Major  Stillman  with  his  men  reached  Dixon,  May  10th. 
The  steady,  careful  movements  of  the  regulars  made  the  volunteers 
very  impatient,  and  the  latter  were  also  exceedingly  anxious  to  ob- 
tain the  laurels  to  be  won.  The  men  under  command  of  Major 
Stillman  were  particularly  anxious  to  "ketch  the  Indians"  before 
the  latter  could  get  away.  They  said  the  regulars  would  come 
crawling  along  stuffing  themselves  with  beef,  and  the  Indians  would 
never  be  "ketched."  The  officers  yielded  to  the  impatience  and 
jealousy  of  the  men  and  requested  Governor  Reynolds  to  let  them 
go  out  and  reconnoitre  the  country  and  find  the  Indians.  Captain 
Eads,  from  Peoria,  insisted  very  strongly  that  they  should  be  allowed 
to  go.  The  other  captains  all  volunteered  for  they  did  not  wish  to 
be  termed  cowards.  The  question  Avith  them  was  not  whether  the 
matter  was  prudent  and  necessary,  but  whether  they  dared  to  go. 


260  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Major  Stillman  consented  to  go  against  his  better  judgment.     He 
asked  Mr.  John  Dixon's  opinion,  and  the  latter  told  him  very  de- 
cidedly that  the  business  of  "  ketching  the  Indians "  would  prove 
very  disastrous   for  a  little  force  of  less  than  three  hundred   men. 
Major  Stillman  then  said  that  as  all  of  his  officers  and  men  were 
determined  to  go,  he  must  lead  them  if  it  cost  him  his  life.     Still- 
man's  force  started,  and  just  before  night  on  the  12th  of  May,  1832, 
they  encamped  at  White  Rock  Grove,  in  the  eastern  part  of  Marion 
township.  Ogle  county,  near  what  is  now  called  Stillman's  creek. 
He  was  in  close  proximity  to  Black  Hawk's  encampment,  but  did 
not  know  it.     Soon  after  becoming  aware  of  the  immediate  presence 
of  an  armed  force  Black  Hawk  sent  a  small  party  of  his  braves  to 
Stillman's  camp  with  a  flag  of  truce.     On  their  approach  they  were 
soon   discovered  by   some   of  the   men,  who,  without  reporting  to 
their  commander,  and  without  orders,  hastily  mounted  and  dashed 
down  upon  the  approaching  Indians.     These  not  understanding  this 
sudden  movement  and  apparently   suspicious,  all,  save  two   who 
claimed  to  be  Pottawatomies,  retreated  toward  the  camp  of  their 
chief.     The  whites  killed  two  as  they  further  pursued  the  retreating 
Indians.     The  two  Indians  who  refused  to  run  were  brought  into 
camp.     They  said  :  "  Me  good  Pottawatomie,"  but  pointed  over  the 
hill  and  said,  "  Heap  of  Sac."     John  W.  Caldwell  claimed  that  they 
were  spies  from  the  Sacs  and  Foxes.     Mr.  Caldwell  and  Joseph 
Landes  of  Groveland  township,  J.  M.  Roberts  of  Morton  and  El- 
more  Shumaker  of  Washington,  are   the  only    Black  Hawk    M^ar 
soldiers  who  went  from  this  county  now  living.     W.  S.  Rankin  of 
Pekin  was  in  the  war  but  he  did  not  enlist  from  this  county,  al- 
though his  home  was  here.     The  two  captured  Indians  proposed  to 
trade  for  a  gun  belonging  to  David  Alexander,  of  Pekin.     While 
they  were  poking  their  fingers  into  the  barrel,  some  of  the  men  who 
chased  the    retreating   foe    returned   and   said:    "Parade,    parade." 
They  declared  the  Indians  were  thick  over  the  hill.     When  Black 
Hawk  and  his  war  chief,  Ne-o-pope,  saw  the   volunteers   dashing 
down  upon  their  camp,  their  flag  of  truce  disregarded,  and  believing 
their  overtures  for  peace  had  been  rejected,  they  raised  the  terri- 
ble war-whoop  and  prepared  for  the  fray. 

At  this  juncture  the  volunteers  formed  and  moved  forward.  Be- 
fore going  far  an  Indian  prisoner  was  brought  into  the  camp  and 
sent  to  the  rear.  The  men  moved  on  and  made  a  halt  near  a  slough. 
Here  the  officers  went  ahead  and  some  kind  of  a  parley  was  held 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL  COUNTY.  261 

with  the  Indians.  The  latter  swung  a  red  flag  in  defiance.  Orders 
were  then  given  to  march  forward,  when  Capt.  Eads  of  Peoria  came 
riding  back,  and  said  he  was  not  easily  fooled,  and  that  there  was 
not  less  than  a  thousand  Indians  coming.  The  men  were  then 
marched  back  in  some  confusion  across  the  slough  to  high  ground. 
There  they  formed,  or  tried  to  form,  but  were  in  bad  order.  The 
Indians  then  poured  out  of  the  timber,  to  the  front,  right  and  left, 
and  both  parties  commenced  firing.  But  the  whites  were  in  such 
bad  order  that  those  in  the  rear  were  in  danger  of  shooting  those  in 
front.  The  Indians  came  on  whooping,  yelling  and  firing,  and  en- 
circled around  on  both  sides.  Major  Stillman  ordered  his  men  to 
mount  and  retreat  and  form  a  line  across  the  creek,  and  also  ordered 
them  to  break  the  line  of  the  Indians  on  the  left.  Here  was  confu- 
sion, and  one  veteran  says  they  did  not  go  to  the  right  or  to  the  left 
but  right  straight  for  home.  When  they  arrived  at  the  creek  great 
effort  was  made  by  the  officers  to  halt  their  men  and  fight.  The 
brave  Capt.  Adams  cried  out  to  his  men  "  Come  back,  you  cowards, 
and  we  will  whip  them."  With  eight  men  he  made  a  stand  and 
repulsed  a  squad  of  Indians  each  time,  who  made  eight  separate  and 
distinct  charges  upon  them.  At  last,  seeing  that  with  that  little 
force  he  could  do  nothing,  he  told  his  men  they  would  have  to  look 
out  for  themselves.  Elmore  Shumaker  and  Jonathan  Haines  were 
with  him  at  this  time  and  soon  saw  him  fall.  He  sold  his  life  dearly 
though.  He  had  his  horse  shot  from  under  him  when  the  re- 
treat began.  He  bore  a  deadly  hatred  towards  the  Indians  as  they 
had  killed  many  of  his  relations.  Major  Perkins  was  overtaken  and 
killed  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  creek,  and  his  body  terribly 
mangled.  The  loss  at  this  disastrous  engagement  fell  most  heavily 
upon  this  county.  Of  thirteen  sturdy  pioneers  who  fell  at  this,  the 
battle  of  the  Sycamore,  nine  were  from  Tazewell  county. 

The  main  force  scampered  off  to  Dixon  as  fast  as  they  could. 
David  Wright,  in  speaking  of  the  hardships  incident  to  this  retreat 
would  often  say,  he  "  was  three  days  and  nights  in  the  howling  wil- 
derness with  nothing  to  eat  and  nothing  to  cook  it  in." 

HORRIBLE    MASSACRE. 

After  the  fatal  engagement  which  has  since  been  known  as 
"  Stillman's  defeat "  or  "  Stillman's  run,"  the  Indians  began  to  com- 
mit great  depredations  upon  the  whites.  Among  other  fiendish  and 
murderous  raids  was  one  made   upon  a  little  settlement  on   Indian 


262  HISTOKY   OF   TAZEWELL.   COUNTY. 

creek.  Three  families  by  the  names  of  Davis,  Hall  and  Pettigrew 
lived  there.  The  Indians  appeared  in  the  day-time  and  massacred 
them  in  cold  blood,  taking  a  savage  delight  in  their  infernal  deeds. 
Some  of  the  inmates  were  immediately  shot  down,  olhers  were  pierced 
through  with  spears  or  dispatched  with  the  tomahawk.  The  Indians 
afterwards  related  with  an  infernal  glee,  how  the  women  had  squeaked 
like  geese  when  they  were  run  through  the  body  with  spears,  or  felt 
the  tomahawk  entering  their  heads.  All  the  victims  were  carefully 
scalped;  the  children  were  chopped  to  pieces  with  axes;  and  the 
women  were  tied  up  by  the  heels  to  the  walls  of  the  house.  There 
were  two  young  ladies,  daughters  of  Mr.  Hall  who  formerly  lived  in 
this  county,  who  tried  to  conceal  themselves  by  crawling  into  bed. 
They  were  discovered  by  two  young  braves  who  determined  to  have 
them  for  wives.  Their  names  were  Rachel  and  Silvia  Hall,  aged 
fifteen  and  seventeen.  They  were  hurried  by  forced  marches  beyond 
pursuit.  After  a  long  and  fatiguing  journey  with  their  captors, 
through  a  wilderness  country,  with  but  little  to  eat,  and  being  sub- 
jected to  a  variety  of  fortune,  they  were  at  last  rescued,  $2,000  being 
given  as  a  ransom.  It  is  said  that  the  Indians  exacted  by  far  the 
largest  ransom  for  the  elder  sister,  as  she  was  more  quiet  and  gave 
less  trouble,  but  they  let  the  younger  sister  go  pretty  cheap,  as  she 
was  so  saucy  and  impudent  that  she  made  her  captors  much  trouble. 
The  women  are  still  living  and  have  relations  in  this  county.  Mrs. 
Ellen  Studyvin,  of  Dillon  township,  whose  husband  was  in  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  tells  us  she  very  distinctly  remembers  this  massacre. 
Many  of  the  troops  as  they  were  passing  stopped  at  her  house  for 
water.  The  Misses  Hall  just  after  their  release  took  dinner  with 
her.  They  related  very  fully  all  the  details  of  the  horrible  murder 
of  their  father,  mother  and  little  sister,  and  their  neighbors.  They 
said  they  could  see  the  scalp  of  their  little  sister  every  day  in  the 
wigwam.  Each  of  these  young  ladies  were  given  a  section  of  land, 
after  their  rescue  from  the  Indians,  by  the  United  States.  W.  S. 
Rankin,  of  Pekin,  who  was  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  two  Indians  that  found  these  girls  and  took  them 
from  their  captors.  They  were  White  Crow  and  Little  Priest,  Win- 
nebagoes ;  both  smart,  well-behaved  Indians.  The  former  had  great 
love  for  Mr.  Rankin,  who  lived  at  the  Galena  lead  mines  before  the 
war.  White  Crow  heard  that  he  had  been  killed  and  mourned 
greatly,  but  when  he  saw  him  unharmed  he  threw  his  arms  around 
him  and  came  near  hugging  him  to  death  for  joy. 


i 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  263 

The  war  went  on  resulting  in  the  defeat  of  the  Indians  and  the 
capture  of  their  leader.  The  rangers  came  home  and  were  dismiss- 
ed from  service.  They  received  therefor  the  remunerative  sura  of 
86  cents  per  day  for  self  and  horse.  Afterwards  the  General  Gov- 
renment  was  kind  enough  to  give  each  participant  80  acres  of  land. 

"old    mike"    and   THE    RACE    FROM    THE    INDIANS. 

Joseph  Landes,  of  Groveland  township,  who  was  in  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  participated  in  the  engagement  at  Old  Man's  Creek,  or 
since  known  as  Stillman's  creek,  and  the  battle  is  known  as  Still- 
man's  defeat.  Mr.  Landes  said  they  made  the  Indians  run  at  this 
battle,  but  the  whites  led  them  in  the  race  towards  Dixon,  most  of 
their  company  making  the  best  time.  The  horse  Mr.  Landes  rode 
never  forgot  this  race  and  the  firing  in  the  rear.  Always  afterward 
when  "hog-killing"  time  came  and  the  first  hog  was  shot,  "Old 
Mike"  would  start  oif  as  though  another  race  with  the  Indians  was 
to  be  had.  Mr.  Landes'  boys  often  joke  their  father  about  making 
the  Indians  run. 

The  war  did  not  .extend  to  this  county,  but  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Johnson  was  greatly  frightened  and  fortified  his  house.  He  was 
easily  scared,  and  one  of  his  neighbors  who  was  fond  of  a  good  joke 
told  him  one  day  that  the  Indians  were  coming.  Johnson  ran  to 
his  cabin,  bolted  the  door  and  stood  ready  with  his  gun  for  any 
emergency,  and  not  a  hostile  Indian  withing  fifty  miles  of  him. 

SHAUBENA. 

We  cannot  close  this  sketch  until  we  speak  of  that  true  and 
generous  hearted  chief,  Shaubena,  and  the  part  he  took  in  the  con- 
flict. At  the  time  the  war  broke  out  he,  with  his  band  of  Pottawat- 
omies,  had  their  wigwams  and  camps  on  the  Illinois  within  the  pres- 
ent limits  of  the  city  of  Pekin.  Shaubena  was  a  friend  of  the  white 
man,  and  living  in  this  county  during  those  perilous  times,  and- 
known  by  so  many  of  the  early  settlers,  that  we  think  he  deserves 
more  than  a  passing  mention.  Although  not  so  conspicuous  as 
Tecumseh  or  Black  Hawk,  yet  in  point  of  merit  he  was  superior  to 
either  of  them.  Shaubena  was  born  at  an  Indian  village  on  the 
Kankakee  river,  now  in  \Yill  county,  about  the  year  1775.  While 
young  he  was  made  chief  of  the  band,  and  went  to  Shaubena  Grove 
(now  in  De  Kalb  county),  where  they  were  found  in  the  early  set- 
tlement of  that  section.     In  the  war  of  1812  Shaubena,  with  his 


264  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

warriors,  joined  Tecuraseh,  was  aid  to  that  great  chief,  and  stood  by 
his  side  when  he  fell  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames.  At  the  time  of 
the  Winnebago  war,  in  1827,  he  visited  almost  everj"  village  among 
the  Pottawatomies,  and  by  his  persuasive  arguments  prevented  them 
from  taking  part  in  the  war.  By  request  of  the  citizens  of  Chicago, 
Shaubcna,  accompanied  by  Billy  Caldwell  (Sauganash),  visited  Big 
Foot's  village  at  Geneva  Lake,  in  order  to  pacify  the  warriors,  as 
fears  were  entertained  that  they  were  about  to  raise  the  tomahawk 
against  the  whites.  Here  Shaubena  was  taken  prisoner  by  Big 
Foot,  and  his  life  threatened,  but  on  the  following  day  was  set  at 
liberty.  From  that  time  the  Indians  (through  reproach)  styled  him 
the  "white  man's  friend,"  and  many  times  his  life  was  endangered. 

Before  the  Black  Hawk  war  Shaubena  met  with  his  men  in  coun- 
cil at  two  different  times,  and  by  his  influence  prevented  his  people 
from  taking  part  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes.  After  the  death  of  Black 
Partridge  and  Senachwine,  no  chief  among  the  Pottawatomies  exert- 
ed so  much  influence  as  Shaubena.  Black  Hawk,  aware  of  this 
influence,  visited  him  at  two  difl^erent  times,  in  order  to  enlist  him 
in  his  cause,  but  was  unsuccessful.  On  one, of  these  occasions 
when  Black  Hawk  was  trying  to  induce  him  and  his  band  to  join 
them  and  together  make  war  upon  the  whites,  when  with  their 
forces  combined  they  would  be  an  army  that  would  outnumber  the 
trees  in  the  forest,  Shaubena  wisely  replied  "  Aye ;  but  the  army  of 
the  palefaces  would  outnumber  the  leaves  upon  the  trees  in  the 
forest,"  While  Black  Hawk  was  a  prisoner  at  Jeiferson  Barracks 
he  said,  had  it  not  been  for  Shaubena  the  whole  Pottawatomie  nation 
would  have  joined  his  standard,  and  he  could  have  continued  the 
war  for  years. 

To  Shaubena  many  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  county  owe  the 
preservation  of  their  lives,  for  he  was  ever  on  the  alert  to  save  the 
whites. 

Shaubena,  by  saving  the  lives  of  the  whites  endangered  his  own, 
for  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  threatened  to  kill  him,  and  made  two 
attempts  to  execute  their  threats.  They  killed  Pypeogee,  his  son, 
and  Pyps,  his  nephew,  and  hunted  him  down  as  though  he  was  a 
wild  beast. 

Shaubena  had  a  reservation  of  two  sections  of  land  at  his  grove, 
but  by  leaving  it  and  going  west  for  a  short  time  the  Government 
declared  the  reservation  forfeited,  and  sold  it  the  same  as  other 
vacant  land.     Shaubena  finding  on  his  return  his  possessions  gone. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  265 

was  very  sad  and  broken  down  in  spirit,  and  left  the  grove  for  ever. 
The  citizens  of  Ottawa  raised  money  and  bought  him  a  tract  of 
land  on  the  Illinois  river  above  Seneca,  in  Grundy  county,  on 
which  they  built  a  house  and  supplied  him  with  means  to  live  on. 
He  lived  here  until  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  17th  of  July, 
1859,  in  the  84th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  buried  with  great  pomp 
in  the  cemetery  at  Morris.  His  squaw  Pokanoka  was  drowned  in 
Mazen  creek,  Grundy  county,  on  the  30th  of  November,  1864, 
and  was  buried  by  his  side.  In  1861  subscriptions  were  taken  up 
in  many  of  the  river  towns  to  erect  a  monument  over  the  remains 
of  Shaubena,  but,  the  war  breaking  out,  the  enterprise  was  aban- 
doned. Only  a  plain  marble  slab  marks  the  resting-place  of  this 
friend  of  the  white  man. 

POTT  AW  ATOMIES. 

The  Pottawatomies  who  lived  here  were  afterwards  given  a  reser- 
vation thirty  miles  square  near  Topeka,  Kansas,  where  many  of  the 
same  families  who  lived  here  are  living  and  tilling  the  soil.  J.  C. 
Thompson  and  his  brother  William,  who  lived  in  Tazewell  county 
and  were  accounted  fine,  bright  young  men,  went  among  these  In- 
dians in  1854,  and  each  of  them  married  a  squaw.  J.  C.  died  there 
three  years  ago,  and  in  1878,  while  Mr.  W.  S.  Rankin  was  in  Kan- 
sas, he  saw  William  who  still  had  his  Indian  wife. 

CHIEF    WALKER    AND    HIS    DAUGHTER. 

Mr.  Joshua  Wagenseller  tells  us  an  amusing  story  connected  with 
the  Indians  who  camped  on  Dillon  creek.  An  Indian,  familiar  to 
many  of  the  early  settlers,  by  name  of  Chief  Walker,  often  came  to 
Pekin.  On  one  occasion  he  offered  a  barrel  full  of  dollars  to  any 
young  white  man  who  would  marry  his  daughter.  Six  young  men, 
from  Pekin,  thought  they  would  go  out  and  see  the  young  Indian 
and  perchance  could  strike  a  bargain  with  Chief  Walker,  A  barrel 
of  Nsilver  dollars  was  an  inducement  to  take  most  anything  in  the 
shape  of  a  woman  for  a  wife.  The  boys  all  posted  off  to  Chief 
Walker's  wigwam.  On  arriving  the  old  chief  met  them  and  led 
them  into  his  cabin  to  see  the  daughter.  The  boys  filed  in,  took 
seats  around  the  room  and  saw  the  object  of  their  visit  sitting 
silently  therein.  The  boys  sat  and  gazed  upon  the  maiden  for  a  few 
moments,  not  a  word  was  spoken,  supreme  silence  reigned.  The 
situation  began  to  grow  more  embarrassing,  the  boys  looked  at  one 


266 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 


another,  at  the  Chief  and  then  at  the  girl.  Soon  one  of  them 
sneaked  out,  another  followed,  and  one  by  one  they  all  slipped  away, 
leaving  the  Chief  and  his  loved  daughter  alone.  Each  one  of  the 
wife  hunters  told  the  others,  "  any  of  you  can  have  her  and  the  dol- 
lars, I  don't  want  her."  So  Chief  Walker  failed  to  marry  oif  his 
daughter,  and  none  of  the  boys  got  the  proffered  barrel  of  dollars. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

GEOLOGY. 

TAZEWELL  county  comprises  an  area  of  about  six  hundred 
and  thirty-five  square  miles,  and  is  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Woodford  county,  on  the  east  by  McLean  and  Woodford,  on  the 
south  by  Logan  and  Mason,  and  on  the  west  by  the  Illinois  river. 

SURFACE  GEOLOGY. 

The  surface  of  the  country,  over  a  large  portion  of  this  county, 
is  a  high,  undulating  prairie,  with  here  and  there  groves  and  belts 
of  timber.  The  soil  is  generally  a  rich  brown  mold,  varying  some- 
what in  different  localities,  in  the  proportion  of  clay,  etc.,  which 
it  contains,  some  portions  being  more  argillaceous  than  others.  In 
the  timber,  however,  which  occupies  not  more  than  one-fifth  of  the 
entire  surface,  and  in  the  broken  country  along  the  Illinois  river, 
the  soil  is  of  a  somewhat  different  character,  the  lighter  colored  and 
more  argillaceous  subsoil  appearing  at  or  near  the  surface. 

The  principal  streams  which  drain  this  county  are  the  Illinois 
and  Mackinaw  rivers.  Along  the  Illinois  river  we  find,  in  some 
places  rather  extensive  sandy  tracts  of  river  formation,  and  the  bald 
bluffs  of  the  Loess,  are  in  some  localities  conspicuous  features  in  the 
general  landscape. 

The  principal  kind  of  timber  found  in  the  upland  wooded  tracts 
of  this  county  are,  the  several  varieties  of  oak  and  hickory,  black 
walnut,  butternut,  maple,  bass-wood,  red-bud,  sassafras,  etc.  On 
the  river  bottoms,  and  in  low  damp  lands  generally,  the  sycamore, 
buckeye,  black  ash,  elm,  etc.,  are  abundant.  The  sandy  ridges  are 
generally  covered  with  a  growth  of  scrubby  oak,  and  black  jack, 
with  a  thin  admixture  of  other  species. 

The  geological  formation  appearing  at  the  surface  in  this  county, 
consists  almost  entirely  of  the  Drift,  and  later  formations,  the  older 
rocks  outcropping  only  at  a  comparitively  few  localities.  The 
underlying  rocks,  however,  as  far  as  can  be  ascertained  from  these 
outcrops,  consists  entirely  of  the  Coal  Measure  series. 


268  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

In  the  western  portion  of  the  county,  in  the  ravines  and  broken 
country  along  the  Illinois  river,  we  observe,  in  a  number  of  places 
at  the  base  of  the  Drift,  a  bed  of  cemented  gravel  or  conglomerate, 
showing  sometimes  an  irregular  stratification,  similar  to  that  of 
beach  deposits.  A  ledge  of  this  material  9  or  10  feet  thick  may  be 
seen  in  the  north-western  quarter  of  section  7,  Groveland  township, 
up  one  of  the  side  ravines  which  comes  down  through  the  Illinois 
river  bluffs,  a  little  south  of  Wesley  City,  and  other  similar  ledges 
appear  in  various  places  in  the  vicinity  of  Fond  du  Lac  and  also  on 
the  Mackinaw  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county.  Another  similar 
bed  of  cemented  gravel,  of,  however,  a  comparatively  insignificant 
thickness,  may  be  seen  about  half  way  up  the  face  of  the  bluff  at 
the  steamboat  landing  in  the  city  of  Pekin,  where  it  does  not  appear 
to  be  more  than  a  few  inches  thick. 

COAL    MEASURES. 

All  the  stratified  rocks  which  outcrop  within  the  limits  of  this 
county,  as  before  stated,  belong  to  the  coal  measures,  and  the  actual 
exposures  are  confined,  for  the  most  part,  to  a  thickness  of  about  60 
or  80  feet  of  the  middle  portion  of  the  formation.  In  the  whole 
county  there  is  but  one  boring  which  affords  an  artificial  section  of 
the  beds  down  to  the  base  of  this  formation.  This  one  is  that  made 
by  Voris  &  Co.  on  the  bottom  lands  of  the  Illinois  river  directly 
opposite  the  city  of  Peoria.  The  first  bed  of  the  coal  measures 
which  is  met  with  in  the  boring  is  about  40  feet  below  the  lower 
coal  seam,  which  is  worked  in  this  section,  No.  4  of  the  Illinois 
river  section  as  given  by  Prof.  Worthcn.  The  following  is  a  sec- 
tion of  the  first  459  feet  of  the  boring.  Below  that  depth  the 
records  kept  by  Messrs.  Voris  &  Co.  were  not  completed  as  to  the 
thickness  and  material  of  all  the  different  beds : 

Feet. 

1.  Alluvial  soil  of  river  bottom,  -         -         -  4 

2.  Sand,         -------  4 

3.  Gravel  (boulder  drift),     -         -         -         -  20 

4.  Clav  shale,          ------  59 

5.  Bituminous  slate,    -----  3 

6.  Fire  clay,           ------  15 

7.  Clay  shale,     -         -         -         -         -         -  15 

120 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  269 


8. 

Coal,         -_---- 

- 

4 

9. 

Clay  shale,     ----- 

- 

34 

10. 

Sandy  and  argill  shale  (very  hard). 

- 

34 

11. 

Sandstone,      _         -         -         -         - 

- 

4 

12. 

Nodular  argill,  limestone,   -         -         - 

- 

6 

13. 

Compact,  fine-grined  sandstone, 

- 

5 

14. 

Hard,  dark  blue,  sandy  shale. 

- 

25 

15. 

Coal,      ------ 

- 

3 

16. 

Sandy  and  argill  shale,         -         -         - 

- 

25 

17. 

Bituminous  shale,  with  bands  of  limestone. 

57 

18. 

"  Cherty  rock,"           _         -         -         - 

- 

44 

19. 

Hard,  silicious  rock,  mainly  chert,   - 

- 

33 

20. 

Fine-grained  sandstone,       -         -         - 

- 

65 

235 


459 

As  nearly  as  the  limits  of  the  formation  can  be  made  out  from 
this  section  it  may  be  referred  to  the  coal  measure.  The  greatest 
depth  reached  in  boring  was  774  feet,  and  the  lowest  rock  was  a 
gray,  porous  limestone,  the  fragments  of  which,  brought  up  by  the 
instruments,  were  exactly  similar  in  appearance  to  some  of  the  upper 
limestones  of  the  Niagara  group,  exposed  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
State,  with  which  formation  this  bed  may  doubtless  be  properly 
identified. 

Passing  up  a  small  branch  which  comes  down  through  the  bluffs 
from  the  southward,  just  back  of  the  village  of  Fond  du  Lac,  we 
observe  a  striking  exposure,  of  about  25  feet  of  verticle  thickness, 
of  concretionary  sandstone,  sandy  shale  and  soft  sand  rock.  The 
more  shaly  beds  contain  numerous  ironstone  concretions,  and  the 
more  massive  portions,  indistinct  vegetable  impressions,  but  no  other 
fossils.  Along  the  Illinois  river  bluffs,  between  Fond  du  Lac  and 
Wesley  City,  there  are  several  points  where  coal  is  now  or  has  been 
worked.  In  the  vicinity  of  Pekin  there  are  but  few  natural  expo- 
sures of  the  underlying  rocks,  but  the  lower  coal  is  mined  at  several 
points  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city.  At  Mr.  Hawley's  place, 
about  5  miles  southeast  of  Pekin,  a  shaft  was  sunk  which  passed 
through  both  the  upper  and  lower  coals,  affording  a  section  of  the 
intermediate  beds,  which,  as  reported  to  us,  was  as  follows : 


270  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWEKL   COUNTY. 

Feet. 

1.  Argillaceous  shale,  _____           4 

2.  Light-colored  limestone,    -         _         _         _         -       2        ' 

3.  Coal,    --------  4 

4.  Fine  clay,  -         -.-         -         -         __8 

5.  Sandstone,     -------50 

6.  Bluish-black  slate,    ------       4 

7.  Coal,    ________  4 

8.  Fire  claj^,  -         -         -.-         -         -         -8 

In  the  central  and  eastern  portions  of  the  county  there  are  a  few 
localities  where  borings,  etc.,  have  been  made,  but  satisfactory 
records,  in  all  cases,  could  not  be  obtained  in  regard  to  the  varia- 
tions in  the  strata.  -  At  Ropp's  mills,  near  the  centre  of  the  north 
line  of  section  20,  Elm  Grove  township,  a  shaft  was  sunk  to  the 
depth  of  85  feet,  and,  as  it  was  reported  to  us,  struck  limestone  at 
that  depth.  The  shaft,  however,  was  abandoned  before  completion, 
on  account  of  keeping  it  free  from  water.  At  Delavan,  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  county,  a  boring  was  made  which  was  re- 
ported to  have  passed  through  60  feet  of  sandstone,  and  below  that, 
75  feet  more  of  arenaceous  and  argillaceous  shales.  No  coal  was 
reported  in  this  boring. 

We  find  by  the  boring  opposite  Peoria,  by  Voris  &  Co.,  two 
seams  of  coal  at  the  depths  of  120  and  230  feet,  and  respectively  4 
and  3  feet  in  thickness,  which  are  most  probably  the  equivalents  of 
Nos.  1  and  3  of  the  general  sections  referred  to.  Although  we  have 
no  positive  data  as  to  the  existence  of  these  or  other  beds  under  the 
coal  No.  4  in  other  portions  of  the  county,  yet,  from  their  existence 
at  this  point,  and  from  our  general  knowledge  of  the  coal  measure 
in  this  portion  of  the  State,  it  seems  quite  probable  that  these  seams 
of  coal  might  be  found  at  the  proper  depth  in  other  portions  of  this 
and  adjoining  counties.  A  boring  of  from  200  to  250  feet  below 
the  known  horizon  of  No.  4,  or  from  500  to  700  feet  below  the  sur- 
face in  different  parts  of  the  State,  would  probably  penetrate  all  the 
coal  measures,  and  settle  all  the  questions  in  regard  to  the  existence 
and  development  of  the  underlying  coal  seams. 

BUILDING  MATERIALS. 

This  county  is  not  abundantly  supplied  with  building  stone; 
Along  the  Illinois  river,  however,  the  sandstones  of  the  Coal 
Measures  have  been  quarried  to  some  extent  to  supply  local  demand. 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  271 

and  in  some  localities  appear  to  afford  a  stone  suitable  for  founda- 
tion, cellar  walls,  etc.  The  limestone  beds  which  also  occur  in  the 
Coal  Measure  strata  in  this  region,  though  generally  of  inconsider- 
able thickness,  may  also  furnish  a  limited  supply  for  the  same 
purpose,  as  well  as  for  the  manufacture  of  lime.  Dimension  stone 
etc.  when  used  in  this  county  are  brought  from  beyond  its  limits,  in 
great  measure  from  the  quarries  at  Joliet. 

Clay  and  loam  suitable  for  the  manufacture  of  a  fair  quality  of  red 
brick,  are  found  here  and  have  been  made  use  of  in  all  the  different 
towns  in  the  limits  of  the  county.  Sand  for  building  purposes  is 
also  sufficiently  abundant. 

MINEEAL  SPRINGS.      . 

We  may  properly  mention  again  under  this  head,  the  artesion 
well  sunk  by  Messrs.  Voris  &  Co.  on  the  edge  of  the  bottom  land 
along  the  Illinois  river  opposite  Peoria,  in  which  a  current  of  water, 
holding  in  solution  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  was  struck  at  a  depth 
of  734  feet.  When  struck  it  was  stated  to  have  had  a  head  of  60 
or  70  feet,  and  the  flow  is  said  to  be  nearly  as  strong  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  This  water  appears  to  be  derived  from  the  upper  portion 
of  the  Niagara  group,  but  before  the  boring  had  reached  its  present 
depth  a  strong  current  of  saline  water  was  met  with,  at  a  distance 
from  the  surface  of  317  feet. 

Copperas  and  saline  springs  occur  in  various  places  in  the  county, 
and  occasionally  give  names  to  some  of  the  minor  streams.  Such 
names  as  Salt  creek,  and  Lick  creek,  occur  here,  as  in  other  por- 
tions of  the  State.  These  springs,  however,  are  few  in  number,  and 
can  hardly  be  considered  of  any  economic  value. 


18 


CHAPTER  Y. 

ZOOLOGY  AND  BOTANY. 
QUADRUPEDS. 

MANY  of  the  various  species  of  animals  that  roamed  the  native 
prairies  of  Tazewell  county,  or  made  their  homes  in  the  wild 
forests  within  its  borders,  and  lived  undisturbed  and  free  from  the 
haunt  of  the  hound  or  the  crack  of  the  hunter's  rifle,  are  gone  from 
this  section  forever.  Not  even  a  specimen  is  preserved  in  taxidermy. 
The  buffalo  which  grazed  upon  the  verdant  prairies  has  been  driven 
westward.  With  or  before  it  went  the  beaver,  elk,  badger,  panther, 
black  wolf  and  black  bear.  Some  animals  that  were  quite  numerous 
have  become  very  rare,  such  as  the  gray  fox,  the  catamount,  otter, 
lynx,  and  the  beautiful  Virginia  deer. 

There  still  remain  many  of  the  different  species,  mostly  inhabiting 
the  country  adjacent  to  the  Illinois  river  and  a  few  of  the  other  larger 
streams.  These  are,  however,  fast  disappearing,  and  ere  long  will  be 
known  only  in  history,  as  are  the  deer,  the  beaver,  and  the  bison. 
Among  those  still  to  be  found  here  are  the  gray  wolf,  which  is 
numerous  in  some  parts,  the  opossum,  raccoon,  mink,  muskrat,  the 
common  weasel,  the  small  brown  weasel,  skunk,  woodchuck,  or 
Maryland  marmot,  prairie  mole,  common  shrew  mole,  meadow  and 
deer  mouse,  and  the  gray  rabbit.  Of  squirrels  there  are  the  gray 
timber  squirrel,  the  fox,  chipmunk,  the  large,  gray  prairie  squirrel, 
the  striped  and  the  spotted  prairie  squirrel,  and  the  beautiful  flying 
squirrel.  The  dark  brown  and  the  reddish  bat  are  common.  Other 
small  animals  have  been  found  here  which  have  strayed  from  other 
localities. 

BIRDS. 

Of  the  5,000  existing  species  of  birds  many  have  sojourned  in  this 
county,  some  temporarily,  and  others  for  a  considerable  time.  Many 
migratory  species  come  only  at  long  intervals,  and  therefore  but  little 
is  known  of  them. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  273 

There  is  not  a  more  fascinating  study  than  that  aiforcled  by  our 
feathered  friends.  Their  free  movements  through  seemingly  bound- 
less space,  the  joyous  songs  of  many,  and  the  characteristic  tones  of 
all,  their  brilliant  colors,  their  lively  manners,  and  their  wonderful 
instincts,  have  from  earliest  ages  made  a  strong  impression  on  the 
minds  of  men,  and  in  the  infancy  of  intellect  gave  rise  to  many  pecu- 
liar and  mysterious  associations.  Hence  the  flight  of  birds  was 
made  the  foundation  of  a  peculiar  art  of  divination.  Religion  bor- 
rowed many  symbols  from  them  and  poetry  many  of  its  ornaments. 
Birds  avail  themselves  of  their  powers  of  wing  to  seek  situations 
adapted  for  them  in  respect  to  temperature  and  supply  of  food. 
The  arrival  of  summer  birds  is  always  a  welcome  sign  of  advancing 
spring,  and  is  associated  with  all  that  is  cheerful  and  delightful. 
Some  birds  come  almost  at  the  same  date  annually ;  others  are  more 
influenced  by  the  character  of  the  season,  as  mild  or  severe. 

The  following  list  is  as  nearly  correct  as  can  be  compiled  from  the 
available  information  upon  the  subject : 

Perchers.  —  This  order  of  birds  is  by  far  the  most  numerous,  and 
includes  nearly  all  those  which  are  attractive  either  in  plumage  or 
in  song.  The  ruby-throated  humming-bird,  with  -its  exquisite 
plumage  and  almost  ethereal  existence,  is  at  the  head  of  the  list. 
This  is  the  humming-bird  which  is  always  the  delight  of  the 
children,  and  is  the  only  one  found  in  Illinois.  The  chimney 
swallow,  easily  known  from  other  swallows  by  its  very  long  wings 
and  forked  tail,  and  which  is  a  true  swift,  is  quite  numerous.  Of 
the  whippoorwill  family  there  are  two  representatives, —  the 
whippoorwill  proper,  whose  note  enlivens  the  forest  at  night,  and 
the  night-hawk.  The  belted  king-fisher,  so  well  known  to  the 
school  boy,  is  the  only  member  of  its  family  in  this  region.  At 
the  head  of  the  fly-catchers  is  the  king-bird,  the  crested  fly-catcher 
and  the  wood  pewee. 

Of  the  sub-order  of  singers  there  are  the  following :  The  robin, 
the  wood  thrush,  Wilson's  thrush,  the  blue-bird,  the  ruby-crowned 
and  the  golden-crested  wren,  tit-lark,  the  black  and  the  white 
creeper,  blue  yellow-backed  warbler,  yellow-breasted  chat,  worm- 
eating  warbler,  blue-winged  yellow  warbler,  Tennessee  warbler, 
and  golden-crowned  thrush.  Shrike  family.  —  This  family  is 
represented  by  the  great  northern  shrike,  red-eyed  fly-catcher, 
white-eyed  fly-catcher,  the  blue-headed  and  the  yellow-throated 
fly-catcher.      Swallow    family.  —  This    family    of    birds   are   very 


274  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   CXDUNTY. 

numerous  in  Tazewell  county.  Among  them  are  the  barn  swallow, 
white-bellied  swallow,  bank  swallow,  clifF  swallow,  and  purple 
martin.  Wax-wing  family. — The  cedar  bird  is  the  representative  of 
the  wax-wing  in  America.  Mocking-bird  family. — The  genera  of 
this  family  are  the  cat-bird,  brown  thrush,  the  house  and  winter 
wren.  Finch  and  Sparrow  family. — The  snow  bunting  and  Smith's 
bunting  appear  only  in  winter.  The  purple  finch,  the  yellow  bird 
and  the  lark  finch  inhabit  this  county.  Of  the  passerine  genus  of 
this  family  are  the  Savannah  sparrow,  the  field  and  the  chipping 
sparrow,  the  black  snow-bird,  the  tree  sparrow,  the  song  sparrow, 
the  swamp  and  the  fox-colored  sparrow,  the  black-throated  bunting, 
the  rose-breasted  gros-beak  and  the  ground  robin.  Titmome  family 
— are  represented  by  the  chickadee  and  the  tufled  titmouse.  Creep- 
er family. — There  are  two  specimens  of  this  family, —  the  white- 
bellied  nut-hatch  and  the  American  creeper.  Skylark  family. — This 
melodious  family  is  represented  here  by  only  the  common  skvlark 
of  the  prairie.  Black-bird  family. — The  rusty  blackbird,  the  crow 
blackbird,  the  cow-bird,  the  red-winged  blackbird,  the  meadow  lark, 
the  orchard  and  the  Baltimore  orioles  of  this  family,  are  the  most 
beautiful  and  brilliant  of  birds  that  inhabit  this  region.  Crow 
family. — The  blue-jay  and  the  common  crow  comprise  the  species 
of  this  family. 

Birds  of  Prey. — This  order  of  birds  comprises  all  those,  with  few 
exceptions,  which  pursue  and  capture  birds  and  other  animals  for 
food.  They  are  mostly  of  large  size,  the  females  are  larger  than  the 
males,  they  live  in  pairs,  and  choose  their  mates  for  life.  Most  rap- 
torial birds  have  disappeared.  Among  them  are  the  golden  eagle, 
which  was  always  rare  but  now  no  longer  seen  here ;  the  bald  eagle, 
or  properly  the  white-headed  eagle,  once  quite  common,  now  scarce. 
Some  well  preserved  specimens  of  this  genus  are  in  the  county. 
This  eagle  enjoys  the  honor  of  standing  as  our  national  emblem. 
Benjamin  Franklin  lamented  the  selection  of  this  bird  as  emblemati- 
cal of  the  Union,  for  its  great  cowardice.  It  has  the  ability  of  ascend- 
ing in  circular  sweeps  without  any  apparent  motion  of  the  wings  or 
the  tail,  and  it  often  rises  in  this  manner  until  it  disappears  from 
view ;  when  at  an  immense  height,  and  as  if  observing  an  object  on 
the  ground,  it  sometimes  closes  its  wings,  and  glides  toward  the 
earth  with  such  velocity  that  the  eye  can  scarcely  follow  it,  causing 
a  loud  rustling  sound  like  a  violent  gust  of  wind  among  the  branches 
of  the  forest.     The  Hawk  family  are  eight  or  nine  species,  some  but 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  275 

seldom  seen,  others  common.  The  turkey-buzzard  has  almost,  if 
not  quite,  disappeared.  Of  the  owl  genera  are  several  species, 
though  all  are  but  seldom  seen  because  of  their  nocturnal  habits. 
Among  them  are  the  barn  owl,  the  screech  owl,  the  long  and  the 
short-eared  owl,  the  barred  owl,  and  the  snowy  owl,  the  latter  being 
the  rarest. 

Climbers. —  But  few  of  this  order  remain  in  the  county,  the  most 
common  of  which  are  the  woodpeckers.  Of  the  various  kinds  are 
the  golden-winged,  the  pileated,  the  hairy,  the  downy,  the  yellow- 
bellied,  red-bellied  and  the  red-headed.  At  an  early  day  the  Car- 
olina parrot  was  often  seen,  but  he  has  now  entirely  deserted  this 
section.     The  yellow  and  black-billed  cuckoos  are  occasionally  seen. 

Scratchers. — This  order  contains  but  few  genera  in  this  county. 
The  wild  turkey,  the  choicest  of  game,  has  almost  entirely  disap- 
peared, and  was  the  only  one  of  its  family  that  ever  sojourned  here. 
In  an  early  day  they  were  in  abundance.  Grouse  family. — The 
chiefest  among  this  family  is  the  prairie  chicken,  which,  if  not  care- 
fully protected,  must  ere  long  follow  the  wild  turkey,  never  to  re- 
turn. The  ruffied  grouse,  wrongfully  called  "  pheasant,"  has  of  late 
made  its  appearance.  It  is  quite  fond  of  cultivated  fields,  and,  if 
properly  protected  and  encouraged  until  it  becomes  fairly  settled, 
will  make  a  fine  addition  to  the  game,  and  fill  the  place  of  the 
prairie  chicken.  Partridge  family. — The  fate  of  that  excellent  bird, 
the  quail,  is  only  a  question  of  a  short  time.  The  Dove  family. — The 
wild  pigeons  continue  to  make  their  semi-annual  visits,  but  not  in 
such  vast  numbers  as  years  ago.  Acres  of  forest  were  so  often  filled 
at  night  with  these  birds  that  the  breaking  of  boughs  and  the  flying 
of  pigeons  made  a  noise  that  could  be  heard  for  miles,  and  the  shot 
of  a  sportsman's  gun  could  not  be  heard  at  a  distance  of  ten  feet. 
Highly  interesting  is  the  description  by  Audubon  of  the  enormous 
flights  which  he  observed  on  the  Ohio  in  the  fall  of  1813;  they 
obscured  the  daylight  and  lasted  three  days  without  interruption. 
According  to  a  very  moderate  estimate  of  his,  each  flight  contained 
the  stupendous  number  of  one  billion,  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
thousand  million,  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  thousand  pigeons. 
These  flights  caused  a  general  commotion  among  the  entire  rural 
population.  Desirous  of  booty  and  anxious  lest  their  crops  should 
be  spoiled,  the  farmers,  arming  themselves  with  rifles,  clubs,  poles, 
torches  and  iron  pots  filled  with  sulphur,  proceed  to  the  resting-places 
of  the  birds.     The  work  of  slaughter  being  accomplished,  every- 


276  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

body  sat  down  among  mountains  of  dead  pigeons,  plucking  and  salt- 
ing the  birds  which  they  selected,  abandoning  the  rest  to  the  foxes, 
wolves,  raccoons,  opossums  and  hogs,  whole  herds  of  which  were 
driven  to  the  battle  field.  The  plaintive  notes  of  the  Carolina  dove, 
commonly  known  as  the  turtle-dove,  are  still  heard. 

Swimmers. — This  order  of  birds,  which  formerly  frequented  this 
county  in  large  numbers,  have  almost  disappeared.  They  are  mi- 
gratory, and  in  their  usual  season  would  appear  coming  from  the 
north  or  south,  as  winter  passes  into  summer  or  summer  into  winter. 

Diver  family. — The  great  northern  diver  or  loon,  sometimes  visits 
this  section,  but  inhabits  the  frigid  zone.  Gull  family. —  Of  this 
family  are  Wilson's  tern  and  the  silvery  gull.  Pelican  family, — The 
rough-billed  pelican  was  the  only  genus  of  this  family  that  ever 
stopped  in  Tazewell  county,  and  it  has  now  altogether  ceased  to 
make  its  visits  here.  Cormorant  family. — The  double-crested  cor- 
morant, or  sea  raven,  has  been  seen  here.  Duck  family. — This 
family  of  migratory  birds  visited  the  ponds  and  streams  of  this  county 
in  large  numbers  before  it  became  so  thickly  settled,  both  on  their 
northern  and  southern  passage,  but  now  mostly  confine  themselves  to 
the  Illinois,  where  large  numbers  are  found.  This  family  furnishes 
most  game  for  sportsmen  and  for  the  table.  There  are  the  wood 
duck,  the  big  black-headed  duck,  the  ring-necked  duck,  the  red- 
head, the  canvas-back,  the  dipper,  the  sheldrake  or  goosander,  the 
fish  duck,  the  red-breasted,  and  the  hooded  merganser,  the  mallard 
and  the  pintail,  the  green-winged  and  the  blue-winged  teal,  the 
spoonbill  and  the  gadwall,  the  baldpate,  the  American  swan,  the 
trumpeter  swan  and  the  white-fronted  goose. 

Waders. —  Probably  less  is  known  of  this  order  of  birds  than  of 
any  other,  because  of  their  slyness  and  solitary  habits.  They  fre- 
quented the  marshes,  but  cultivation  has  drained  their  favorite 
haunts.  Crane  family. — The  whooping  crane,  always  rare,  is  now 
never  seen.  The  sandhill  cranes  stop  on  their  journeys  north  and 
south.  Heron  family. — The  great  blue  heron  or  crane,  least  bittern, 
the  green  heron,  night  heron  and  the  American  bittern,  compose 
those  of  this  family  visiting  this  region.  Ibis  family. — The  glossy 
ibis  has  been  seen  here.  Plover  family. — The  golden  plover,  the 
killdeer  and  the  king  plover  comprise  this  family  known  here. 
Phalarope  family. — The  Wilson's  and  the  red  phalarope  have  fre- 
quented the  swamps  of  this  county.  Snipe  family. — Various  birds 
of  this  family  have  been  common  in  and  around  the  swamps  of  this 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  277 

county.  Among  them  were  Wilson's  snipe,  gray  or  red-breasted 
snipe,  the  least  and  the  semi-palmated  sandpiper,  the  willett,  the 
tell-tale,  the  yellow-leg,  the  solitary  sandpiper,  the  spotted  sand- 
piper, the  field  plover,  long-billed  curlew,  the  common  rail,  the 
clapper  rail  or  mud  hen,  and  the  coot. 

Reptiles. — All  of  the  species  of  this  class  that  ever  inhabited  this 
region  are  still  to  be  found  here  except  the  poisonous  snakes.  The 
rattlesnake,  of  the  genus  crotalus,  is  of  a  yellowish  brown  color,  and 
has  a  series  of  horny  joints  at  the  end  of  the  tail,  which  make  a  rat- 
tling sound.  These  were  the  most  venomous  of  all  snakes  found 
here,  and  were  numerous  in  the  early  settlement.  There  are  two 
kinds,  the  bandy  or  striped  and  the  prairie  rattlesnake,  the  latter  be- 
ing still  occasionally  found.  The  copperhead  was  always  rare. 
Among  the  harmless  snakes  are  the  water-snake,  the  garter-snake, 
the  bull-snake,  the  milk  snake,  the  black-snake,  and  the  blue  racer. 

Many  reptiles  found  here  are  erroneously  called  lizards,  but  are 
salamanders  and  other  like  innocent  creatures.  Lizards  are  never 
found  in  this  county.  Among  the  tortoises  or  turtles  are  found  the 
map  turtle,  the  snapping  and  the  soft-shelled  turtle.  Of  the  batra- . 
chian,  or  naked  reptiles,  there  are  a  few,  and,  though  loathsome  to 
sight  and  touch,  are  harmless.  The  toad,  the  bull-frog,  the  leopard 
frog,  the  tree  toad,  with  some  tailed  batrachia,  comprise  the  most  of 
this  order. 

FISHES. 

Although  fishes  are  the  lowest  class  of  vertebrates,  their  varied 
forms  and  colors,  which  often  rival  those  of  precious  stones  and 
burnished  gold,  the  wonderful  power  and  velocity  of  some,  the 
wholesome  food  furnished  by  many,  and  the  exciting  sport  of  their 
capture,  combine  to  render  fishes  subjects  of  great  interest  to  the 
casual  observer,  as  well  as  to  the  amateur  and  professional  naturalist. 
The  number  of  known  species  of  fishes  is  about  ten  thousand.  The 
waters  of  this  county  are  quite  prolific  of  the  finny  tribe.  The 
commerce  in  fish  has  become  quite  extensive  along  the  Illinois. 
Sickle-backed  family. — This  family  furnishes  the  game  fish,  and  are 
never  caught  larger  than  four  pounds  in  weight.  The  various 
genera  found  here  are  the  black  bass,  goggle-eye,  the  croppy,  or  big 
black  sun-fish,  and  the  two  common  sun-fish.  Pilce  family. — There 
is  but  one  species  of  this  family,  the  pickerel,  which  is  caught 
weighing  from  five  to  twenty-five  pounds.     Sucker  family. — Of  this 


278  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

tribe  are  the  buffalo,  red-horse,  white  sucker,  two  species  of  black- 
suckers,  mullet  ranick.  Fish  of  this  family  are  found  in  all  the 
streams  of  the  county.  They  abound  wherever  there  is  water. 
Cat-fish  family. — Of  this  voracious  family  the  channel  cat-fish,  the 
mud  cat-fish  and  two  species  of  the  small  cat-fish  inhabit  the  waters 
of  this  county,  and  are  caught  ranging  in  weight  from  one  to  thirty 
pounds.  Besides  these  varieties  there  are  the  chub,  silver-sides  and 
fresh-water  herring,  and  large  numbers  of  other  species  denominated 
minnows,  which  are  found  in  the  smallest  spring  branches,  as  well 
as  the  larger  streams. 

BOTANY. 

There  are  probably  over  500  species  of  plants  growing  sponta- 
neously within  the  bounds  of  Tazewell  county,  but  we  will  not 
attempt  to  give  a  complete  list  of  the  herbaceous  plants,  or  indeed 
name  any  of  the  mosses,  mushrooms,  etc. 

TREES  AND  SHRUBS. 

While  Nature  has  not  given  a  great  quantity  of  these,  she  has 
furnished  a  liberal  variety.  In  this  respect  Tazewell  county  is  in 
advance  of  most  of  the  Northern  States.  No  one  or  two  species  of 
tree  monopolizes  the  ground  in  the  forests,  as  they  do  in  many 
sections  of  the  United  States.  Some  of  the  less  hardy  shrubs,  like 
the  wild  prairie  flowers,  are  slowly  disappearing  before  the  encroach- 
ments of  civilization,  yet  we  shall  endeavor  to  enumerate  them  all, 
as  well  as  the  trees. 

Oak  Family. — The  White  Oak  is  king  of  the  forest  trees  in  this 
country  in  respect  to  grandeur,  strength  and  general  utility,  and  in 
early  day  afforded  "mast,"  a  first-class  feed,  for  hogs  running  at 
large.  Those  which  wintered  in  the  wild  woods  were  often  fat 
enough  for  market  in  the  spring,  although  not  fed  a  grain  by 
human  hand.  The  Burr  Oak  is  a  fine  tree,  with  a  rich  and  beauti- 
fully cut  foliage.  The  wood  is  valuable,  and  the  acorns  are  sweet. 
They  are  buried  in  deep,  mossy  cups,  whence  the  tree  is  also  called 
"  overcup  oak."  The  Swamp  White  Oak  is  a  tall  tree  and  grows  in 
low  grounds.  The  Yellow  Chestnut  Oak  is  a  tree  of  medium 
height  and  has  leaves  like  those  of  the  chestnut.  The  Laurel  Oak 
is  a  very  common  tree  on  gentle  slopes  of  ground,  having  the  leaves 
undivided  and  somewhat  like  laural  leaves  in  appearance :  whence 
the  name.     In  the  days  before  the  railroads  brought  pine  so  plenti- 


c^^^"^ 


PROP.    BENilS    HOUSE 


<^ 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COTTNTY.  281 

fully  into  this  prairie  country,  the  people  found  this  one  of  the  best 
trees  for  making  shingles :  whence  it  is  also  called  "  shingle  oak." 
Barren  Oak,  or  "  black  jack,"  is  found  mostly  in  sandy  barrens.  It 
seldom  exceeds  25  feet  in  height.  Leaves,  wedge-shaped  and  three- 
lobed.  Black  Oak,  or  "yellow  oak,"  has  the  inner  bark  yellower 
than  the  other  oaks  have,  and  is  valuable  for  dyeing  and  tanning. 
Externally  the  bark  is  very  rough  and  almost  black.  The  tree  is 
large  and  quite  common.  Red  Oak  is  a  tall,  handsome  tree  on 
northern  hill-sides  and  in  shady  woods.  The  acorn  cup  is  flat  and 
saucer-shaped.  Swamp  Spanish  Oak,  or  "  pin  oak,"  is  found,  but 
is  scarce.  The  tree  is  much  like  red  oak,  but  is  not  so  tall.  All 
the  white-barked  oaks  decay  on  the  outside  first,  and  all  the  black- 
barked  varieties  decay  first  on  the  inside.  Hence  rails  made  of  any 
of  the  black  oaks  have  a  hard  exterior  and  seem  sound  long  after 
all  the  inside  is  rotten,  thus  being  very  deceptive ;  but  white-oak 
rails  last  many  years  longer  in  the  fence.  The  up-land  black  oaks 
make  a  hotter  fire  than  any  other  kind  of  wood.  The  Hazel-nut 
and  two  species  of  Iron-wood  belong  also  to  the  oak  family,  botani- 
cally  speaking.  The  iron-wood,  which  is  also  called  "American 
hornbeam,"  "blue  beech,"  and  "water  beech,"  is  a  beautiful  tree, 
but  is  scarce.  The  more  common  species  have  the  seeds  of  the 
appearance  of  hops. 

Birch  Family. — The  Red  Birch  is  the  only  member  of  this  family 
found  in  Tazewell  county.  The  outer  bark  peels  itself  off  horizon- 
tally around  the  trunk  and  limbs,  like  that  of  the  cherry. 

Willow  Family. — The  Prairie  Willow  is  small,  and  was  very  com- 
mon before  the  white  man's  plow  deprived  it  of  its  native  home. 
The  Glaucous  Willow  grows  8  to  10  feet  high,  and  is  common.  The 
Black  Willow  grows  15  to  25  feet  high,  twigs  brittle  at  the  base, 
bark  of  the  trunk  somewhat  black,  and  the  leaves  pointed  at  each 
end.  Common.  The  Long-leaved  Willow  occurs,  growing  gener- 
ally as  a  small  shrub.  The  Shining  Willow,  and  possibly  one  or 
two  other  species,  can  be  found.  To  the  AVillow  Family  belong  also 
the  Quaking  Asp,  or  Aspen,  the  Cotton-wood,  the  Silverleaf  Poplar, 
Lombardy  Poplar,  and  Balm-of-Gilead,  all  of  which  grow  spontane- 
ously in  this  county,  although  the  last  three  have  been  introduced 
by  the  settlers.  Of  the  Aspen  there  are  two  kinds, — The  American 
and  the  Large-toothed.  The  poplars  and  the  Balm-of-Gilead  have 
a  great  tendency  to  sprout  from  the  roots.  The  Lombardy  poplar 
does  not  prosper  well  in  this  windy  country.     It  grows  too  tall. 


282  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

Walnut  Family. — The  Black  Walnut  is  a  large,  noble  and  most 
valuable  tree,  too  well  known  to  need  description.  It  is  yet  "com- 
mon "  in  this  county.  A  few  Butternuts,  or  "  white  walnut "  are 
also  found.  The  wood  is  of  a  lighter  color  and  more  brittle  than 
that  of  black  walnut.  It  is  now  being  used  for  veneering.  Of  the 
Shellbark  Hickory  there  are  two  kinds, — one  with  a  scaly  bark  and 
furnishing  most  of  our  hickory-nuts  in  the  market,  and  the  other  with 
a  smoother  bark  and  lighter  heart-wood,  and  bearing  the  largest  kind 
of  hickory-nut.     The  Bitter-nut  Hickory  is  very  common. 

Plane-tree  Family.  —  The  only  representative  in  America  is  the 
Button-wood,  or  "  Sycamore, "  a  large,  coarse,  white-barked  tree  com- 
mon in  river  "  bottoms, "  but  is  of  little  value. 

Nettle  Family. — At  the  head  of  this  family  stands  the  American 
or  White  Elm.  Although  so  common  in  the  forest,  it  promises  to 
become  one  of  the  most  popular  ornamental  or  shade  trees.  The  Red 
Elm  ("  slippery-elm  ")  is  scarce.  Called  "  red  "  on  account  of  having 
red  heart-wood,  while  the  white  elm  has  white  heart-wood.  The 
Hackberry  is  a  beautiful  tree  of  full  forest  height,  hardy  and  tough. 
The  Mulberry  is  very  scarce. 

Rose  Family. —  The  Crab-apple,  Wild  Plum,  Wild  Black  Cheery 
and  Red  Haw  (two  species)  are  abundant, — the  cherry  on  high  land 
and  the  rest  along  the  streams.  There  are  also  found  the  Choke- 
cherry,  Nine-bark  (a  shrub),  Black  Raspberry,  Blackberry,  (and  pos- 
sibly the  Dewberry),  Chokeberry,  two  species  of  wild  rose  (Early 
and  Dwarf),  and  a  very  few  June-berry.  The  Blackberry  has  been 
very  abundant,  but  its  ground  the  farmer  finds  more  valuable  for  corn. 
The  other  berries  are  very  scarce.  The  Dwarf  Wild  Rose  used  to 
ornament  the  prairies,  especially  their  margins,  but  there  is  scarcely 
any  room  left  now-a-days  for  the  modest  little  thing  by  the  rough 
hand  of  agriculture. 

Maple  Family. — The  White  Maple,  commonly  called  "soft  maple," 
is  by  far  the  most  abundant,  especially  as  a  shade-tree  in  the  towns 
and  villages ;  but  is  soft  and  brittle  and  the  limbs  are  easily  broken 
off  by  the  wind,  so  that  it  is  now  about  to  be  abandoned  as  a  shade 
or  ornamental  tree.  As  an  example  of  the  adaptability  of  the  prairie 
to  the  growth  of  timber,  we  may  refer  to  the  fact  that  the  first  set- 
tlers here  30  to  40  years  ago  planted  the  common  locust ;  and  after  it 
grew  up  20  to  35  feet  high  the  worms  and  the  winds  made  an  un- 
sightly tree  of  it,  and  the  white  maple  (acer  dasycarpum)  was  next 
resorted  to,  which  has  already  attained  the  height  of  40  and  50  feet, 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL,    COUNTY.  283 

with  top  and  trunk  in  due  proportion.  Box  Elder  and  Sugar  Maple 
(both  members  of  this  family)  and  white  elm  are  now  being  substi- 
tuted, thus  making  the  third  crop  of  good  sized  forest  trees  raised 
on  the  prairies  within  the  short  space  of  civilized  life  here.  The 
Sugar,  or  "hard,"  Maple  makes  the  most  beautiful  and  durable 
shade-tree,  as  well  as  ornamental  tree,  but  it  is  of  slow  growth. 
Indeed  duribility  and  slowness  of  growth  necessarily  go  together. 
Box  Elder  is  of  a  scrubby  form,  and  the  least  esteemed  of  the 
three  most  popular  shade  trees.  As  members  of  this  family  there 
are  also  the  Bladder-nut,  a  beautiful  little  bush,  and  the  Buckeye,  a 
a  tree  of  heavy  foliage,  soft  wood,  and  large,  poisonous  nuts,  and 
growing  only  in  the  river  bottoms.  Like  the  currant,  it  sheds  its 
leaves  in  August, 

Custard-Apple  Family. — The  Pawpaw  is  abundant  along  the  Illi- 
nois river. 

Linden  Familu. — Bass-wood  evervbodv  knows.  It  is  also  called 
"white-wood,"  "  linden,"  and  "  lime-tree,"  and  in  the  Southern  States 
it  is  known  by  the  name  of  "  lin,"  from  its  old  European  name  lind, 
which  gave  the  family  name  to  the  great  Linnaeus,  the  father  of  botan- 
ists. 

Rue  Family. — The  Prickly  Ash  used  to  be  a  common  bush  or 
shrub,  but  is  now  fast  disappearing.  It  is  characterized  by  a  very 
rank  and  pungent  odor  and  taste,  is  covered  with  short  briers  or 
thorns,  and  bears  a  small  brown  berry.  The  Hop-tree,  or  "  wafer 
ash,"  is  a  small  tree  sometimes  met  with. 

Cashew  Family,  or  Sumachs. — The  Smooth  Sumach  is  by  far  the 
most  abundant,  growing  even  as  weeds  upon  prairie  farms.  The 
Fragrant  Sumach  and  the  Poison  Ivy  are  also  to  be  found  in  Taze- 
well county. 

Buck-thorn  Family. — Red-root,  or  New  Jersey  tea,  was  abundant 
in  the  margin  of  the  uncultivated  prairies,  but  is  pretty  well  des- 
troyed at  the  present  day.  A  decoction  of  its  leaves  has  been  em- 
ployed as  a  substitute  for  China  tea.  Possibly  a  species  of  common 
Buck-thorn  may  be  found  in  this  county. 

Staff-tree  Family. — Burning-bush  ("  waahoo  ")  is  a  beautiful  bush, 
sometimes  cultivated  for  the  fine  show  of  odd-shaped  crimson  ber- 
ries it  displays  after  the  leaves  have  fallen  off.  The  Climbing  Bit- 
tersweet is  also  to  be  found  in  this  county ;  but  at  the  most  is  ex- 
ingly  rare. 

Pulse  Family. — Trees  and  plants  of  this  family  are  characterized 


284  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

by  bearing  pods  of  seeds  like  beans.  The  Red-bud  is  a  shrubby 
kind  of  tree,  and,  contrary  to  waahoo,  displays  a  red  top  in  early 
spring,  before  leaves  appear  on  it  or  any  other  tree.  The  color  is  a 
beautiful  crimson,  and  is  made  by  the  buds  and  flowers.  The  Honey 
Locust  is  famous  for  its  large  thorns  and  long  pods,  the  inner  border 
of  the  latter  containing  a  large  quantity  of  a  sweet  substance  which 
tastes  something  like  honey.  A  species  or  variety  is  said  to  occur 
which  has  but  few  thorns,  if  any.  A  few  specimens  of  the  Ken- 
tucky Coffee-tree  grow  in  this  county.  The  seeds  of  this  tree  are 
of  the  size  of  gum-drops,  and  have  a  hard,  glossy,  beautiful  shell. 
A  small  shrub  often  called  "swamp  locust '^  is  probably  False 
Indigo. 

Saxifrage  Family. — The  Gooseberry,  and  Wild  and  Black  Currants 
thrive  in  this  section,  though  the  latter  are  not  abundant. 

Dogwood  Family. — Four  species  of  Dogwood  flourish  here,  the 
most  abundant  of  which  is  the  Panijcled  Cornel,  bearing  white  ber- 
ries about  the  size  of  peas. 

Honeysuckle  Family. —  The  most  "extensive  individual"  of  this 
family  is  the  common  Elder,  growing  like  weeds  in  gardens  and 
farms.  The  Yellow  Honeysuckle  and  Sweet  Viburnum,  or  "  sheep- 
berry,"  are  found  in  this  vicinity,  but  are  exceedingly  rare.  The 
Black  Haw  is  a  common  bush,  averaging  10  feet  in  height,  and  pro- 
ducing very  edible  sweet  fruit. 

Madder  Family. — The  Button-bush  flourishes  on  the  borders  of 
ponds  and  streams. 

Olive  Family. — It  would  sound  more  natural  to  Westerners  to  call 
this  the  Ash  family,  as  the  ash  is  the  principal  representative  here. 
The  White  Ash  is  the  most  prevalent  kind,  and  is  valuable  on  ac- 
count of  its  strength,  hardness,  durability  and  freedom  from  warp- 
ing, as  well  as  its  quality  for  making  a  blazing  fire.  The  Blue  Ash 
is  about  as  good.  Distinguished  from  the  White  by  having  square 
twigs.  Perhaps  two  other  species  of  ash  can  be  found  in  the  county, 
— the  Green  and  the  Swamp. 

Vine  Family. — The  Winter  or  Frost  Grape  is  common,  and  the 
Summer  Grape  rare.     The  Virginia  Creeper  is  also  common. 

HERBACEOUS  PLANTS. 

We  will  name  only  about  200  of  the  most  common,  growing  spon- 
taneously, and  give  them,  as  nearly  as  we  can  conveniently  estimate, 
in  the  order  of  their  abundance,  the  more  common  first : 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  285 

Grmoing  Wild. — Besides  several  species  each  of  grass,  sedge,  ferns, 
aster,  golden-rod,  wild  sunflower,  evening  primrose,  cone-flower, 
fleabane,  cinquefoil,  tick  trefoil,  violet,  crowfoot,  milk-weed,  cress, 
loosestrife,  and  beggar's  lice,  there  are  the  sneeze-weed,  wood  sorrel, 
wild  bergaraot,  strawberry,  wild  cranesbill,  boneset,  spring  beauty, 
clear-weed,  arrow-head,  tick-seed,  blue  cardinal  flower,  May  apple, 
self-heal,  scouring  rush,  spider-wort,  ginseng,  sweet  William  (two 
species),  meadow  parsnip  (two  or  three  species),  cow-bane,  wild 
onion,  louse- wort,  vetchling,  ditch  stone-crop,  cardinal  flower,  milk- 
vetch,  three-seeded  mercury,  pepper  root,  wild-mint,  spotted  touch- 
me-not,  soft  rush  (and  probably  one  or  two  other  species  of  rush), 
rue  anemone,  liver-leaf,  marsh  marigold,  early  meadow  rue,  blood- 
root,  Indian  turnip,  mitre-wort,  white  and  purple  trilliums,  cat-tail 
flag,  cup-plant,  everlasting,  avens,  bell-flower,  ox-eye,  blue-joint 
grass,  white  lettuce,  hawk-weed,  lobelia  (medical),  gentian,  yellow 
adder's  tongue,  harbinger  of  spring,  skull-cap,  hare-bell,  stone-root, 
groundsel,  catch-fly,  false  Solomon's  seal,  Gerardia  (two  species), 
dodder,  wild  senna,  wood  sage,  American  pennyroyal,  wood  nettle, 
black  snake-root,  water  plantain,  rattle-snake  master,  Dutchman's 
breeches,  button  suake-root,  Solomon's  seal,  blue  cohosh,  Seneca 
snake-root,  bastard  toad-flax,  arrow-leaved  tear-thumb,  iron-weed, 
water  star-grass,  peppermint,  Greek  valerian,  trumpet-weed,  hop, 
bell-wort,  rosin-weed,  prairie  dock. 

Growing  in  Cultivated  and  Waste  Places. — Blue-grass,  white  clover, 
dandelion,  water  smart- weed,  hog- weed  ("  rag- weed"),  plantain, 
door-weed  ("goose-grass,"  two  species),  sneeze-weed,  wire-grass, 
panic-grass  (several  species),  fox-tail  grass,  hair-grass  ("tickle- 
grass"),  spear-grass,  shepherd's  purse,  green  pig- weed,  Spanish 
needle  (three  species),  chick-weed,  purslane,  common  smart- weed. 
May -weed,  goose-foot  ("lamb's-quarter"),  ground  ivy,  blue  vervain, 
hedge  mustard,  yarrow,  nightshade,  cinquefoil  (two  species),  mild 
water-pepper,  mallow,  burdock,  white  pig-weed  ("  tumble-weed "), 
wild  sunfloAver  (several  species),  mother-wort,  black  mustard,  cheno- 
podium  urbicum  and  murale,  Euphorbia  maculata,  orchard  grass, 
wood  sorrel,  polygonum  Pennsylvanicum,  clear-weed,  wild  pepper- 
grass,  black  bindweed,  barnyard  grass,  biennial  wormwood,  sow 
thistle  (?)  (two  species),  scurvy  grass,  convolvulus  bindweed  (three 
species?),  catnip,  cockle-bur,  common  thistle,  three-seeded  mercury, 
toad-flax,  false  red-top  (grass),  fescue  (grass),  jimson-weed,  red-top 
(grass),  red   clover,  bouncing  Bet,  curled   dock   ("  yellow  dock "), 


286  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

mullein,  great  rag-weed  ("horse-weed"),  white  vervain,  timothy, 
cirsiiim  altissiraum,  Indian  mallow,  ground  cherry,  hemp,  fetid  mari- 
gold, cut-weed,  bugle-weed,  wire-grass  (two  species),  swamp  milk- 
weed, horse-tail,  green  milk-weed,  morning-glory,  speedwell,  silk- 
weed,  hop,  scrophularia  nodosa,  verbena  Aubletia  hoary  vervain, 
climbing  false  buckwheat,  wild  balsam-apple,  sida,  hedge  nettle, 
fire-wood,  tansy,  chess,  wild  rye,  buckwheat,  white  sweet  clover, 
asparagus,  white  mustard,  poke,  prince's  feather  (polygonum  orien- 
tal e). 

All  plants  growing  in  cultivated  and  waste  grounds,  except  four 
or  five  repeated  in  each  of  the  above  lists,  may  be  considered  as 
introduced  by  Anglo-Saxon  civilization.  While  the  wild  plants  in 
the  woods  are  supposed  to  be  the  same  now  as  originally,  the  prairie 
has  changed  its  grassy  clothing  for  cultivated  crops  and  hundreds  of 
different  weeds.  Before  settlement  by  the  whites  the  prairie  was 
mostly  covered  by  one  kind  of  grass.  Several  other  kinds  could  be 
found,  especially  in  places  here  and  there,  notably  the  blue-joint, 
which  grew  the  tallest  of  any.  Along  the  sloughs  and  in  other  wet 
places  there  was  the  slough  grass  and  several  species  of  golden  rod, 
aster  and  wild  sunflower.  All  other  kinds  of  weeds  were  scarce. 
Here  and  there  were  patches  of  rosin  weed.  But  the  golden-rod, 
aster,  and  sunflower  made  beautiful  yellow  stripes  across  the  prairies 
in  low  places,  which  were  peculiarly  charming.  In  the  earliest 
stages  of  the  growth  of  prairie  grass  it  was  interspersed  with  little 
flowers — the  violet,  strawberry -blossom  and  others  of  the  most  deli- 
cate structure.  Soon  these  disappeared,  and  taller  flowers,  display- 
ing more  lively  colors,  took  their  place,  and  still  later,  a  series  of 
still  higher,  but  less  delicately  formed  flowers  appeared.  While  the 
grass  was  green  the  prairies  were  adorned  with  every  imaginable 
variety  of  color.  In  the  summer  the  plants  grew  taller  and  the 
colors  more  lively ;  in  autumn  another  generation  of  flowers  came. 
A  poetess  beautifully  writes  : 

Where'er  I  turn  my  eyes 

There  springs  a  lily  :  here  the  wild  pink  vies 

With  clustering  roses  and  the  rich  blue-bell, 

The  morning-glories  and  the  daffodil, 

And  countless  others.     How  and  whence  they  came, 

I  leave  for  botanists,  to  tell  and  name. 

The  original  prairie  grass  can  scarcely  be  found  anywhere  now.     It 
cannot  stand  close  pasturage.     The  blue  or  June  grass  bears  pastur- 


HISTOKY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY, 


287 


age  the  best  of  any ;  but  where  live  stock  are  kept  oif  this  grass  it 
will  be  eradicated  by  other  kinds  of  grass.  A  curious  fact  similar 
to  this,  and  of  interest  to  botanists,  is  the  eradication  of  the  May- 
weed along  the  road-sides  by  hog-weed,  smart-weed,  and  Spanish- 
needles.  Possibly  this  has  been  aided  by  the  greater  amount  of  wet 
weather  for  a  few  years  past. 

The  most  troublesome  weeds  which  are  on  the  increase  at  the 
present  time  are  the  common  and  the  tall  thistle,  Indian  mallow, 
toad-flax,  wild  lettuce  or  sow  thistle,  and  jimson-weed.  Clear-weed 
and  mercury  are  becoming  abundant  in  the  gardens  and  door-yards 
where  shade  trees  are  plentiful,  but  they  are  not  troublesome. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CRIMINAL  RECORD. 

John  Wood. 

THE  first  indictment  for  murder  in  this  county  was  against  John 
Wood.  It  was  made  by  the  grand  jury  at  the  April  term  of  the 
Circuit  Court,  1844.  Wood  had  caused  the  death  of  his  own  child 
by  throwing  it  up  against  the  ceiling.  He  was  tried,  found  guilty 
and  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for  four  years. 

Bulger. 

Henry  Berry,  a  young  man,  was  stabbed  at  a  house  of  ill-fame  in 
Pekin,  Sept.  29,  1859,  by  a  man  named  Bulger.  Berry  was  an  im- 
portant witness  against  two  men  who  were  confined  in  jail  for  com- 
mitting larceny. 

MURDER  OF  A  MOTHER  AND  HER  TWO  CHILDREN. 

John  Ott. 

On  Friday  morning,  Oct.  12,  1860,  George  W.  OrendorfP,  who 
lived  about  four  miles  southeast  of  Delavan,  left  his  family,  consist- 
ing of  his  wife  and  two  little  girls,  Emma  aged  nine  and  Ada  seven 
years  old.  On  his  return  in  the  evening  he  found  his  entire  family 
murdered.  This  is  the  most  hellish,  fiendish  murder  ever  commit- 
ted in  the  county  and  after  a  lapse  of  twenty  years  the  feelings  of 
sympathy  and  indignation  has  not  died  out,  nor  will  it  as  long  as 
the  sad,  sickening  affair  remains  pictured  in  language. 

When  Mr.  Orendorff  reached  home  he  found  his  wife  lying  upon 
the  floor  lifeless,  and  by  her  side  lay  her  elder  daughter,  and  near  them 
lay  little  Ada  moaning  piteously  in  the  agonies  of  death,  which  soon 
relieved  her  of  the  pains  of  the  mortal  wound  she  had  received  on 
the  head.  On  the  floor  a  few  feet  from  where  the  mother  was  lying 
was  found  an  old  rusty  axe  stained  with  human  blood.     It  was  with 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTYV  ^'"'  289 

this  weapon  that  this  triple  murder  was  committed.  Mrs.  Orendorft* 
had  been  engaged  in  washing  in  the  back  part  of  the  house,  and  the 
bodies  were  all  found  in  the  front  room  with  the  door  closed.  Mrs. 
Orendorff  had  received  upon  the  head  eight  distinct  strokes  with 
this  axe,  either  of  which  was  sufficient  to  have  produced  death. 
She  was  a  most  estimable  woman,  and  the  little  girls  were  at  such  an 
age  as  to  make  them  peculiarly  interesting  to  the  bereaved  father. 
One  of  them  had  apparently  been  out  getting  flowers,  as  she  had  a 
bunch  of  flowers  in  her  hand  when  the  assassin  struck  her  down.  It 
was  indeed  one  of  the  most  heart-rending  sights  that  could  have  been 
witnessed, —  to  see  a  poor  defenseless  mother  and  her  two  unoffend- 
ing little  children  lying  in  their  own  blood  upon  their  own 
threshold. 

Diligent  search  was  at  once  made  for  the  perpetrators  of  this  terri- 
ble deed,  which  resulted  in  finding  a  young  man  named  John  Ott. 
He  was  concealed  in  a  shock  of  corn  near  Lincoln  and  brought  back 
to  Delavan.  Many  of  the  best  citizens  were  so  infuriated  that 
strong  feelings  of  lynching  him  were  displayed,  but  at  the  urgent 
solicitation  of  Mr.  Orendorff*,  the  bereaved  husband  and  father,  Ott 
was  handed  over  to  the  civil  authorities  to  await  trial.  A  man 
named  Green,  a  cousin  of  Ott's,  was  also  arrested. 

The  Board  of  Supervisors  of  the  county  offered  a  reward  of  $2,000 
for  the  capture  of  the  murderer,  and  requested  the  State  to  offer  an 
additional  reward. 

Wednesday,  Feb.  6,  1861,  John  Ott  was  arraigned  before  the 
Circuit  Court  and  pleaded  guilty  to  the  murder  of  Mrs.  Orendorff 
and  het"  two  daughters.  He  was  then  immediately  sentenced  to  be 
hung  Friday,  Mar.  1,  1861. 

EXECUTION    OF    JOHN    OTT. 

At  eleven  o'clock,  Friday  morning.  Mar.  1,  1861,  John  Ott  was 
publicly  executed  for  the  murder  of  Mrs.  Mary  Orendorff  and  her 
two  little  children.  When  arraigned  Ott  obviated  a  protracted  trial 
by  pleading  guilty.  An  effort  was  immediately  made  to  have  him 
executed  in  public,  by  applying  to  the  Legislature  for  a  special  act, 
but  failed.  Preparations  were  then  made  for  executing  him  in  ac- 
cordance M'ith  the  existing  law.  A  scaffold  was  erected  in  the  yard  on 
the  east  side  of  the  prison  and  enclosed  with  a  wooden  structure  to 
exclude  the  public  gaze.  As  soon  as  this  was  determined  on,  rumors 
began  to  circulate  that  a  portion  of  the  people  of  the  county 
19 


290  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

would  band  together  and  demolish  the  structure.  With  this  rumor 
came  also  some  of  a  more  startling  import,  involving  the  safety  of 
the  other  prisoners  confined  in  the  jail.  These  rumors  assumed  such 
an  alarming  shape  by  the  Wednesday  preceding  that  the  Sheriif  was 
induced  to  apply  for  assistance  from  abroad,  A  request  was  sent 
to  Capt.  Miles,  of  Washington,  to  secure  the  attendance  of  his  rifle 
company.  The  Peoria  National  Blues  were  also  notified  that  their 
services  would  be  needed,  and,  after  receiving  orders  from  the  Gov- 
ernor, they  held  themselves  in  readiness  to  come.  On  Thursday 
evening  the  Washington  Rifles,  accompanied  by  the  Quarter-Mas- 
ter General,  arrived,  and  the  men  marched  to  the  American  house  to 
await  further  orders. 

During  the  early  part  of  Thursday  night,  the  crowds  which  gath- 
ered about  the  jail  and  along  Court  street,  gave  evidence  that  some 
unusual  excitement  was  anticipated.  The  impression  prevailed  that 
a  concerted  attack  would  be  made  before  sunrise  upon  the  enclosure 
at  the  scaffold.  The  arrival  of  the  troops  from  Peoria  was  anxious- 
ly looked  for,  but  they  did  not  reach  Pekin  until  about  three 
o'clock.  They  consisted  of  three  companies,  the  National  Blues, 
Emmett  Guards  and  German  Rifles,  and  were  accompanied  by  the 
Adjutant-General.  They  were  marched  to  the  court-room  to  await 
orders. 

At  that  time  quiet  prevailed  throughout  the  city.  But  between  the 
hours  of  five  and  six  o'clock  a  startling  noise  was  heard  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  jail,  and  upon  investigation  it  was  found  that  the  entire 
structure  surrounding  the  scaffold  was  leveled  to  the  ground. 
The  actors  in  this  affair  had  done  the  work  completely  and  quickly, 
and  quietly  dispersed.  After  the  demolition  of  the  temporary 
structure  the  military  were  posted  in  position  to  protect  the  jail,  but 
no  demonstration  was  attempted  against  the  building. 

At  an  early  hour  Friday  morning,  people  came  pouring  in  from 
all  parts  of.  the  country,  and  by  ten  o'clock  it  was  estimated  that  at 
least  five  thousand  had  assembled  in  the  city. 

About  ten  o'clock  preparations  for  the  execution  were  commenced. 
The  number  of  persons  indicated  by  the  law,  with  a  few  others,  were 
invited  to  witness  the  proceedings  in  the  jail.  The  prisoner,  who 
up  to  that  time  had  been  engaged  in  religious  exercises,  was  brought 
from  his  cell.  Some  time  was  occupied  in  removing  the  manacles 
from  his  ankles.  During  this  operation,  and  while  the  Sheriff"  was 
robing  him  for  the  grave,  Ott  exhibited  considerable  firmness,  but 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  291 

he  looked  subdued  and  resigned.  At  a  quarter  before  eleven  he  was 
led  forth  to  the  place  of  execution.  He  was  passive  in  the  hands  of 
the  Sheriff,  and  it  seemed  as  though 'he  had  determined  to  meet  his 
fate  without  exhibiting  any  evidence  of  fear  or  trepidation.  Besides 
the  officers  the  Revs.  Messrs.  Sawver,  Rvbolt  and  AVindsor,  with  a 
few  others,  ascended  the  scaffold  with  the  prisoner.  A  dense  crowd 
filled  the  streets  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  tops  and  windows  of  many 
neighboring  houses  were  occupied  with  spectators.  The  military 
were  drawn  up  around  the  scaffold  to  prevent  the  crowd  from  pass- 
ing the  fence.  At  the  close  of  the  prayer  offered  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Rybolt,  the  prisoner  stepped  forward  and  addressed  a  few  disjointed 
remarks  to  the  people.  With  much  calmness  he  declared  that  he 
alone  was  guilty  of  the  crime  for  which  he  was  about  to  die ;  that 
Green  was  innocent ;  his  doom  was  just ;  and  he  hoped  to  be  for- 
given in  heaven,  where  he  hoped  to  meet  those  who  were  there  to 
witness  his  death. 

As  he  closed  he  was  placed  upon  the  trap,  the  rope  adjusted  about 
his  neck,  the  cap  drawn  over  his  head,  the  trap  fell,  and  with  a  mut- 
tered prayer  on  his  lips  for  mercy  the  spirit  of  John  Ott  passed  into 
eternity.  His  neck  was  broken  by  the  fall  and  life  was  soon  ex- 
tinct. After  hanging  nineteen  minutes  the  body  was  taken  down, 
placed  in  a  coffin  and  removed  to  the  jail  yard.  Soon  the  crowd 
began  to  disperse  and  all  was  quiet.  Thus  terminated  the  first 
and  only  legal  execution  for  murder  in  Tazewell  county. 

BRIEF  SKETCH  OF  JOHN  OTT. 

John  Ott  was  born  near  Dayton,  O.,  Nov.  6,  1839,  and  conse- 
quently was  not  twenty-one  years  old  when  he  committed  the  fearful 
crime  for  which  he  suffered  death.  While  quite  young  his  parents 
removed  to  Iowa,  and  soon  to  Indiana,  where  they  were  living  when 
their  wayward  son  was  hung,  both  old  and  feeble.  John  remained 
at  home  until  about  sixteen  years  old,  when  he  went  to  live  with  his 
uncle.  At  school  he  learned  to  read,  and  obtained  some  knowledge 
of  arithmetic,  but  never  learned  to  write. 

Not  long  after  he  went  to  live  with  his  uncle  he  began  to  sow  the 
seeds  of  his  future  ruin.  His  first  theft  was  a  three-cent  piece. 
From  this  he  went  on,  from  time  to  time  stealing  money  and  other 
things.  Finally  he  became  enamored  of  a  woman  who  must  have 
had  a  large  amount  of  the  demoniac  in  her  nature,  for  she  urged  him 
to  set  fire  to  barns,  to  rob  and  the  like.     These  things,  however,  he 


292  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

would  not  do.  Still  he  wanted  money  to  enable  him  to  deck  him- 
self out.  The  desire  for  money  grew  to  a  blind  maddening  passion. 
He  stole  some  jewelry  and  fled  to  -Illinois^  where  he  brought  up  at 
Delavan. 

There  he  heard,  as  he  said,  people  talk  about  Orendorif  having 
plenty  of  money,  and  that  Miller,  who  worked  for  Orendorif,  was 
laying  up  money  fast.  Money  he  wanted,  money  he  would  have. 
He  thought  and  cared  for  nothing  else.  So  in  his  own  mind  he 
determined  to  get  it,  and  said  nothing  to  anyone  about  his  intentions. 
When  asked  if  he  went  to  Orendorif 's  intending  murder,  he  replied : 
"  No  ;  I  did  not  expect  to  find  anyone  at  home."  When  asked  if  he 
did  not  think  it  might  be  necessary  to  commit  murder  to  get  the 
money,  he  replied :  "  Yes ;  I  had  taken  that  into  account  on  going 
there." 

When  he  started  out  from  his  cousin's,  where  he  lived,  he  went 
west  till  he  struck  the  road  leading  north.  Down  this  he  walked 
some  distance  and  then  struck  straight  for  Orendorff 's  home.  He 
saw  Mrs.  Orendorif  at  the  stable  and  inquired  after  Mr.  Miller. 
Then  leaving  her  as  if  to  go  out  to  the  east  and  west  road  he  slipped 
around  the  straw  stack  near  the  house,  and  remained  there  about  half 
an  hour  meditating  murder.  Having  determined  to  do  the  deed,  he 
sallied  out ;  but  as  he  approached  the  house  he  saw  the  innocent  ones 
and  his  heart  failed  him.  He  then  requested  Mrs.  Orendorif  to  tell 
Miller  when  he  came  home  to  come  over  to  his  cousin's.  She 
replied,  "  I  will,"  and  these  are  the  last  words  she  is  known  to  have 
spoken. 

But  no  sooner  had  he  left  the  house  than  his  diabolical  intent 
began  to  gather  strength  in  him  once  more.  This  time,  he  hid  him- 
self behind  a  straw  stack,  remaining  there  about  half  an  hour. 
Having  fully  determined  to  do  the  deed,  he  started  toward  the  house, 
picking  up  a  club  on  the  way.  As  he  passed  into  the  kitchen  he 
laid  hold  of  Mrs.  Orendorif  and  told  her  she  must  die.  She  sprang 
away  from  him,  and  ran  screaming  into  the  front  room.  She  was 
not  able  to  open  the  door  before'her  pursuer  was  upon  her  and  felled 
her  with  powerful  blows  with  his  club.  Then  he  struck  down  one  < 
of  the  children,  who  followed  and  clung  to  her  mother.  The 
the  other  little  girl  had  run  out  of  the  house.  He  met  her  at  the 
corner  of  the  house  and  beat  her  down  also.  Having  done  this  he 
next  took  the  axe  and  finished  his  bloody  work.  The  one  he  struck 
out  of  doors,  he  carried  in  and  laid  beside  her  mother.     He  burned 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  293 

the  club  in  the  stove.  He  then  took  what  money  he  could  find 
and  fled. 

Joseph  W.  3IcDowell. 

Joseph  W.  McDowell,  indicted  for  the  murder  of  A.  J.  Finley, 
was  arraigned  before  the  Circuit  Court  Thursday,  Feb.  7,  1861. 
Both  sides  were  represented  by  able  counsel.  For  the  prosecution 
appeared  State's  Attorney  FuUerton,  and  Mr.  Grove,  assisted  by 
C.  A.  Roberts  and  J.  M,  Hanna,  while  the  defendant  was  represented 
by  Messrs.  Puterbaugh  and  James  Roberts,  of  Pekin,  and  Julius 
Manning,  of  Peoria.  The  jury  returned  into  Court  Sunday  morn- 
ing with  the  verdict  of  "  guilty."  A  new  trial  was  granted,  and  in 
June,  1861,  a  change  of  venue  to  McLean  county  was  taken,  and 
the  prisoner  tried  and  sentenced  to  one  year  in  the  penitentiary. 
He  never  entered  within  the  walls  of  that  prison,  however,  as  he 
was  met  at  the  doorway  with  a  pardon.  McDowell  now  resides  in 
this  county  a  respected  citizen. 

Edward  McDoioell, 

a  brother  of  Joseph  W.,  was  indicted  at  the  February  term  of  the 
Circuit  Court  as  a  party  concerned  in  killing  A.  J.  Finley.  He 
was  arraigned  before  the  Court  Feb.  15,  1861,  and  granted  a  change 
of  venue  to  Mason  county.  He  was  tried  at  the  March  term  of  the 
Circuit  Court  and  acquitted. 

Enoch  Green 

"Was  indicted  in  February,  1861,  for  participation  in  the  Orendorff 
murder.     At  the  June  term,  1861,  he  was  discharged. 

Thomas  Hougle. 

Sunday  evening.  May  24,  1863,  Thomas  Hougle  shot  and  killed 
Abner  H.  Underbill.  The  tragedy  was  enacted  upon  the  farm  of 
Underbill,  about  two  miles  east  of  Delavan.  Hougle  had  lived 
with  Underbill  for  sometime,  but  left  his  employer  and  a  quarrel 
ensued  between  them  concerning  a  woman,  when  Hougle  with  a 
shot-gun  committed  the  murder.  Hougle  was' immediately  arrested 
and  had  a  speedy  trial,  which  closed  Saturday,  June  13,  1863.  He 
was  convicted  of  murder,  and  Judge  Harriott  sentenced  him  to  be 
hung  July  9,  1863.  Two  days  before  the  date  of  the  execution, 
Gov.  Yates  commuted  the  death  sentence  to  a  life  sentence  in  the 
penitentiary.  He  was  taken  from  the  Tazewell  county  jail  July  9, 
when  not  a  prisoner  was  left  within  its  heavy  stone  walls. 


294        •  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

George  Dunn. 

Thursday,  Feb.  9,  1865,  the  body  of  David  Townsend  was  found 
on  the  farm  of  Benjamin  O'Brien,  near  Groveland.  A  jury  was 
called  and  a  post-mortem  examination  made  by  Dr.  F.  Shurtleff. 
The  jury  came  to  the  conclusion  that  Townsend  had  been  shot  with 
a  pistol  in  the  back  of  the  head.  He  was  killed  on  or  about  the 
26th  of  December.  The  body  was  concealed  under  some  logs,  where 
it  remained  undiscovered  until  the  above  date.  Townsend  and  an- 
other man  named  George  Dunn,  had  been  chopping  wood  for  Mr. 
O'Brien,  and  from  the  sudden  and  peculiar  manner  in  which  Town- 
send's  companion  left  the  neighborhood,  there  seemed  to  be  little 
doubt  of  his  being  the  murderer,  although  he  was  never  found. 

Unknown. 

On  Thursday,  Oct.  19,  1865,  the  body  of  a  man,  at  the  time  sup- 
posed to  be  that  of  George  Jackson,  was  found  in  the  Illinois  river 
near  Pekin.  The  head  had  been  severed  from  the  body,  and  to  pre- 
vent the  body  from  floating  a  quantity  of  iron  was  fastened  around 
it.  The  body  bore  marks  of  five  or  six  deadly  wounds.  The  corpse 
was  not  identified  positively,  but  was  thought  to  be  that  of  George 
Jackson,  a  well  known  resident  of  the  county  who  had  been  mys- 
teriously absent  for  some  weeks.  The  mayor  of  Pekin  offered  a  re- 
ward of  $500  for  the  apprehension  of  the  murderer. 

Nothing  was  heard  from  Jackson  until  in  1866,  when  his  wife 
went  to  England,  and  on  arriving  in  Liverpool  almost  the  first  per- 
son she  met  was  her  supposed  murdered  husband !  Who  the  mur- 
dered man  really  was  has  never  yet  been  discovered,  or  who  com- 
mitted the  deed. 

Thomas  A.  Williamson 

Was  arrested  Monday,  Aug.  27,  1866,  for  the  murder  of  Charles 
Koch,  of  Delavan  township.  Koch  was  last  seen  in  the  neighbor- 
hood about  July  18,  but  his  body  was  not  found  until  Saturday,  Aug. 
25,  when  it  was  found  in  the  corn-field  near  his  house.  The  fact 
that  Williamson  was  living  with  Koch  at  the  time,  and  the  contra- 
dictory stories  he  told  concerning  the  missing  man,  excited  suspicion, 
and  led  to  an  inquiry  among  the  people  of  the  neighborhood.  Wil- 
liamson left  and  suspicion  became  stronger  then  ever.  A  search  was 
made  and  Koch's  body  found.  The  murdered  man  was  a  German 
and  had  no  relatives  in  this  country. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUIfTY.  295 

At  the  February  term  of  the  Circuit  Court,  Williamson  was  tried 
and  found  guilty  of  murder.  Judge  Harriott  sentenced  him  to  be 
hung  Friday,  March  22,  1867.  Just  previous  to  the  day  of  execu- 
tion, however,  a  postponement  was  obtained  until  June  21.  This 
fact  was  not  known  to  the  Sheriff  until  Thursday  night.  Much  dis- 
satisfaction was  manifested  among  the  people  at  this  delay  of  the  ex- 
ecution. On  the  loth  of  June  Gov.  Oglesby  commuted  the  sentence 
to  twenty-one  years  in  the  penitentiary.  He  was  discharged  from 
prison  about  April  1,  1879,  and  went  to  Kansas,  where  he  says  he 
will  live  a  good  and  peaceable  life. 

Enoch  West. 

A  man  named  West  was  arrested  by  Deputy  Sheriff  Stone  June 
9,  1868,  in  Fulton  county,  for  the  killing  of  a  German  named 
Henry  Winninghaum.  The  Circuit  Court  was  in  session,  but  his 
trial  was  postponed  until  the  September  term,  when  he  was  convict- 
ed and  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  nineteen  years  and  six 
months.  '  A  new  trial  was  granted,  however,  and  at  the  February 
term,  1869,  he  was  again  tried,  and  sentenced  to  twenty  years  in  the 
penitentiary. 

William  Berry  and  others. 

On  Friday  night,  July  30,  1869,  Deputy  Sheriff  Henry  Pratt 
was  murdered  near  Circleville  whilst  endeavoring  to  arrest  a  band 
of  desperadoes,  who  had  long  held  the  community  in  terror. 
Armed  with  the  necessary  legal  papers,  the  Deputy  Sheriff,  accom- 
panied by  the  jailor,  George  Hinman,  assistant  City  Marshall 
Kessler,  and  Constable  W.  F.  Copes,  proceeded  to  Circleville  for 
the  purpose  of  making  the  arrests,  when  he  was  shot  and  killed  by 
Ike  Berry,  one  of  the  parties  named  in  the  warrant.  Jailor 
Hinman  was  wounded,  and  Mr.  Copes  made  a  narrow  escape. 

The  body  of  Sheriff  Pratt  was  brought  to  Pekin  Saturday  morn- 
ing, when  the  most  indescribable  excitement  ensued.  Hundreds  of 
armed  men  started  to  scour  the  country  for  the  murderers,  and  by 
Saturday  afternoon  five  of  the  gang  were  captured  and  lodged  in 
jail.  William  Berry,  who  was  said  to  be  the  leader  of  the  band, 
was  arrested  in  the  city  early  Saturday  morning.  The  other 
members  of  the  gang  were  Emanuel  Berry,  Ike  Berry,  Matthew 
McFarland,  C.  Daily  and  Robert  Britton.  The  latter  was  arrested 
at  San  Jose,  Mason  county,  Saturday  night,  by  Marshal  Stone,  and 
Ike  Berry  was  captured  by  M.  M.  Bassett,  at  Bath,  Mason  county, 
some  weeks  after. 


296  -j-  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELIy   CQUNTY. 

Late  Saturday  night,  July  31,  an  organized  body  of  men,  mostly 
from  Delavan,  where  Berry  had  killed  a  young  man  some  time 
before,  proceeded  to  the  jail,  overpowered  the  police,  battered  down 
the  iron  doors  of  the  prison,  and  after  a  desperate  struggle  took 
William  Berry  from  his  cell  and  hung  him  to  a  tree  in  the  jail  yard. 
During  the  struggle,  Berry,  who  had  by  some  means  secured  a  knife, 
severely  wounded  three  of  the  lynchers. 

The  trial  of  the  remaining  desperadoes  came  off  afterwards  at 
Jacksonville,  Morgan  county,  it  having  been  taken  to  that  Court  on 
a  change  of  venue.  The  jury  found  a  verdict  of  guilty  and  sen- 
tenced the  prisoners  to  the  penitentiary  as  follows :  Ike  Berry,  for 
life;  Robert  Britton,  20  years;  Emanuel  Berry,  15  years;  Matthew 
McFarland,  15  years;  Cornelius  Daily,  15  years.  Simeon  Berry 
was  found  "  not  guilty,"  and  is  now  living  in  Elm  Grove  township  in 
this  county.  McFarland  was  pardoned  some  three  years  ago,  went 
out  West  and  was  killed.  Daily  was  also  pardoned  about  the  same 
time,  and  has  disappeared.  Attorneys  Bassett  and  Rodecker,  and 
Barnes  for  the  defense.  Brown,  State's  Attorney  Morgan  county, 
Whitney,  State's  Attorney  of  this  county,  and  C.  A.  Roberts,  ex- 
State's  Attorney,  for  the  prosecution.  Thus,  with  the  career  of  a 
band  of  bad  men,  ended  the  first  and  only  mob  violence  known  in 
the  history  of  Tazewell  county. 

William  Ashby. 

Saturday,  Aug.  13,  1870,  the  body  of  Alfred  Carl,  a  lad  of  ten 
years  of  age,  was  found  concealed  in  the  brush  near  the  upper  end 
of  Pekin  lake.  About  noon  the  previous  day  he  was  sent  out  by 
his  step-father,  William  Ashby,  a  mulatto,  after  his  horse.  Not 
returning  Ashby  went  after  him  and  returned  without  finding  him. 
The  neighbors  became  suspicious  and  went  in  search  of  the  lad,  and 
found  the  body,  which  to  them  showed  evidences  that  he  had  been 
murdered.  The  skull  was  crushed.  Ashby  was  indicted  for  the 
murder,  tried  and  acquitted. 

William  Costly. 

William  Costly,  alias  Nigger  Bill,  was  indicted  for  the  murder  of 
Patrick  Doyle,  at  Pekin,  tried  and  acquitted. 

Jehiel  Stevens. 

Was  indicted  Sept.   13,  1870  for  the  murder  of  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Crawl,  at  Pekin.     Crawl  was  waylaid. o^e  night  near  the 


v.: 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  297 

Wide-awake  engine  house  on  Court  street,  and  pounded  to  death,  for 
which  crime  Stevens  was  arrested.  A  change  of  venue  was  taken 
and  he  was  tried  at  Lincoln  and  acquitted. 

Samuel  E.  Willard. 

Tuesday  morning,  June  8,  1875,  Samuel  E.  Willard  shot  and 
killed  Charles  Ziegenbien.  Both  of  these  men  were  farmers,  living 
on  adjoining  farms,  on  section  10,  Spring  Lake  township.  Willard 
appeared  before  Esquire  Tinney  at  Pekin,  and  on  his  own  evidence 
was  placed  in  jail  on  the  charge  of  murder.  Willard  was  indicted 
at  the  September  term  of  the  Circuit  Court  for  murder,  and  tried  at 
the  November  term.  The  evidence  showed  that  for  two  years 
there  had  been  trouble  between  Willard  and  Ziegenbien ;  that  each 
had  threatened  to  take  the  life  of  the  other.  The  difficulty  out  of 
which  the  murder  grew  arose  from  the  trespass  of  Ziegenbien's 
stock  on  Willard's  premises  on  the  previous  Sunday.  Willard  took 
up  his  horse  and  tied  it  in  the  brush  not  far  from  his  barn,  sending 
word  to  Ziegenbien  to  come  and  get  it  and  pay  charges.  He  went 
over  after  it,  taking  a  boy  with  him.  The  boy  went  to  see  if 
Willard  was  at  home ;  not  finding  him  he  went  into  the  barn  after 
the  horse.  It  was  not  there.  Ziegenbien  remained  on  his  horse  at 
the  gate.  When  the  boy  came  out  he  heard  the  horse  in  the  brush, 
went  and  got  it  and  proceeded  to  Manito.  There  the  two  men  met 
and  quarreled.  The  next  morning  Ziegenbien  started  his  cows 
down  the  road  by  Willard's  house,  and  as  they  passed  Willard's 
hired  men  set  the  dogs  on  them.  Ziegenbien  came  out  and  went 
down  the  road  to  Willard's  barn-yard  gate,  went  inside  the  yard  and 
was  engaged  in  loud  talk  with  the  men  for  dogging  his  cows.  Wil- 
lard came  out  and  demanded  what  he  wanted,  Ziegenbien  replied, 
"  none  of  your  damned  business."  Willard  ordered  him  off  the 
premises,  and  went  to  his  house  for  his  gun,  procured  it  and  came 
down  to  the  front  gate.  Ziegenbien  was  then  passing  along  the 
road  toward  his  house.  Willard  stopped  him  and  gave  him  a  talk- 
ing; told  him  he  had  invaded  his  premises,  abused  his  family,  and 
,  interfered  with  his  rights  as  a  citizen.  Ziegenbien  went  on  toward 
his  house.  Willard  followed  on  the  inside  of  the  fence  for  some 
distance,  finally  climbing  over.  Ziegenbien  told  him  he  was  a 
coward  to  bring  out  his  gun.  Willard  told  him  he  had  come  loaded 
down  with  arms  to  kill  him.  Ziegenbien  replied  that  he  was. not 
armed.     Willard  then   laid    down    his  gun    and    wanted   to   fight. 


298  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Ziegenbien  would  not  fight.  Willard  then  picked  up  his  gun  when 
Ziegenbien  took  hold  of  the  barrel,  Willard  then  fired  twice,  the 
first  shot  striking  Ziegenbien  just  below  the  ribs,  killing  him 
instantly,  the  second  shot  passed  over  his  head.  Ziegenbien  was  a 
constable  and  had  a  revolver  as  it  was  his  custom  to  carry. 

The  trial  of  Willard  occupied  the  greater  part  of  the  November 
term  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  that  year.  Considerable  interest  was 
felt  in  the  case,  as  both  the  murderer  and  murdered  were  well 
known.  The  trial  lasted  ten  days,  and  is  said  to  have  been  one  of 
the  most  closely  contested  criminal  cases  ever  tried  in  this  county. 
The  attorneys  for  the  prosecution  were,  States  Attorney  Henry,  Ro- 
decker,  Shoup  &  Dearborn;  for  the  defence,  Cohrs,  Roberts  & 
Green,  and  Prettyman. 

The  jury  found  Willard  guilty  of  murder  and  sentenced  him  to 
the  penitentiary  for  fourteen  years. 

George  W.  Johnson,  Stephen  D.  Johnson  and  John  Pruitt. 

The  above  named  persons  were  indicted  for  murder  in  the  county 
of  Mason,  but  they  took  a  change  of  venue  to  this  county.  They 
were  tried  in  May,  1875.  The  case  was  one  of  unusual  importance, 
on  account  of  the  length  of  time  consumed  in  obtaining  a  jury  and 
trying  it ;  the  enormity  and  brutality  of  the  murder,  the  large 
number  of  witnesses  brought  from  Mason  county,  and  the  ability 
and  reputation  of  the  attorneys  engaged  in  the  trial. 

The  scene  was  enacted  at  a  dance,  and  while  some  of  the  parties 
were  under  the  influence  of  liquor.  George  W.  Johnson  and  John 
Pruitt  were  acquitted,  and  Stephen  D.  Johnson  was  sent  to  the 
penitentiary  for  two  years. 

George  Clinton. 

George  Clinton,  a  police  officer,  shot  and  killed  William  Thorpe 
at  Mackinaw,  Friday,  June  28,  1876.  In  the  preliminary  examina- 
tion it  was  found  the  act  was  justifiable  and  no  crime. 

Mrs.  Anna  E.  Weyhrich. 

Peter  Weyhrich,  an  old  resident  of  Sand  Prairie,  died  very  sud- 
denly Wednesday  night,  June  20,  1877.  The  sudden  death  and 
incidents  attending  it  caused  grave  suspicion  of  foul  play.  A  jury 
was  impanelled  and  a  post-mortem  examination  made  of  the  de- 
ceased, and  the  stomach  sent  to  Chicago  for  examination,  where  it 
was  decided  that  he  came  to  his   death  by  poison.     Mrs.  Weyh- 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  299 

rich,  wife  of  the  deceased,  was  arrested  and  tried  for  the  mur- 
der. The  case  was  taken  from  this  to  Logan  county  and  tried 
the  last  week  in  March,  1878.  States  Attorney  Prettyman  and  J. 
B.  Cohrs  prosecuted,  and  Messrs.  Roberts  &  Green  defended. 

The  trial  was  a  long  and  tedious  one,  and  the  prisoner  was  found 
guilty  and  sentenced  to  fourteen  years  in  the  penitentiary.  A  mo- 
tion for  a  new  trial  was  made  and  denied,  when  an  a])peal  to  the 
Supreme  Court  was  taken.  This  tribunal  reversed  the  decision  and 
remanded  the  case  for  a  new  trial,  which  took  place  in  July,  1878, 
and  resulted  in  her  acquittal. 

Jacob  and  David  Hudloic. 

Rudolph  Myers,  of  Sand  Prairie  township,  left  Pekin  on  the  night 
of  Dec.  22,  1877,  for  his  home.  About  10  o'clock  he  returned  to 
the  city  and  went  to  the  Central  House.  There  he  told  of  his 
assault  about  half  a  mile  below  the  city, — how  three  men  apprached 
him  in  a  threatening  manner ;  that  one  had  a  dirk,  another  proceeded 
to  gag  him,  and  the  third  did  the  robbing ;  that  he  told  them  to 
take  everything  if  they  would  not  harm  him ;  that  after  robbing 
him  they  brutally  and  violently  kicked  him  and  fearfully  maltreated 
him ;  that  his  watch  and  chain  and  money  were  stolen,  and  then 
how  he  made  his  way  back  to  Pekin.  Medical  aid  was  summoned, 
and  it  was  discovered  he  was  seriously  injured  internally.  At  one 
o'clock,  P.M.,  Sunday,  he  died. 

Some  time  elapsed  before  any  apprehension  of  the  murderers  was 
made.  On  Wednesday,  April  17,  1878,  at  the  instigation  of  Chris- 
topher Ropp,  of  Elm  Grove,  Jacob  and  David  Hudlow  were  arrested 
as  being  the  offenders.  They  were  clearing  timber  in  Spring  Lake 
township  at  the  time.  They  were  tried  at  the  May  term  of  the 
Circuit  Court,  found  guilty  of  manslaughter,  and  sentenced  to  the 
penitentiary  for  fourteen  years. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

IMPORTANT  LABORS  OF  THE  BOARD  OF  SUPERVISORS. 

COUNTY   COUET. 

IN  1847  a  State  election  was  held  for  members  of  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention,  which  Convention  prepared  and  submitted  to 
the  people  a  new  constitution,  which  was  adopted  by  a  large  majority. 
By  this  constitution,  in  place  of  the  Commissioners'  Court  a  County 
Court  was  organized  in  each  county.  This  Court  consisted  of  a 
County  Judge,  and,  if  the  Legislature  saw  proper  to  so  order  it,  two 
Associate  Justices.  This  the  Legislature  favorably  acted  upon. 
The  last  meeting  of  the  County  Commissioners'  Court  was  held 
Nov.  7,  1849.  After  the  transaction  of  such  business  as  properly 
came  before  them,  they  adjourned  until  court  in  course,  but  never 
re-assembled. 

On  the  3d  of  December  of  the  same  year  the  first  regular  term  of 
the  County  Court  was  held.  The  duties  of  the  Court  in  a  legisla- 
tive capacity  were  precisely  the  same  as  those  of  the  County  Com- 
missioners' Court.  In  addition  to  the  legislative  power  the  members 
of  this  Court  were  permitted  to  exercise  judicial  authority,  having 
all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  justices  of  the  peace,  together  with 
all  probate  business.  This  Court  consisted  of  a  County  Judge  and 
two  Associate  Justices.  The  Judge  and  Associate  Justices  acted 
together  for  the  transaction  of  all  county  business,  but  none  other. 
The  Justices  had  an  equal  vote  with  the  Judge,  and  received  the 
same  salary  while  holding  court,  which  was  §2  per  day.  Two  of 
the  three  constituted  a  quorum. 

Benjamin  F.  James  was  chosen  the  first  County  Judge,  being 
elected  Nov.  6,  1849, — the  first  November  election  held.  The  first 
Associate  Justices  were  Joseph  Stewart  and  Lawson  Holland. 
During  the  existence  of  this  Court  the  people  were  agitating  the 
question  of  township  organization.     Many  counties  of  the   State, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY.  301 

since  the  new  constitution,  had  adopted  that  mode  of  conducting 
county  affairs.  The  constitution  gave  counties  the  privilege  of 
adopting  either  the  County  Court  or  the  Board  of  Supervisors. 
At  the  fall  election  in  1849  a  vote  was  taken  "for"  or  "against 
township  organization,"  which  resulted  in  favor  of  the  new  measure. 

The  County  Court  had  but  a  short  existence.  The  last  meeting 
was  held  Saturday,  April  6,  1850.  In  the  mean  time,  however,  the 
Court  appointed  B.  S.  Pretty  man,  Anson  Gillon  and  J.  M.  Coons  a 
commission  to  divide  the  county  into  townships.  This  duty  they 
performed  in  due  time.  Generally  they  constituted  each  congres- 
sional township  a  separate  town.  Beginning  at  Fond  du  Lac  town- 
ship they  fixed  the  boundary  as  it  now  is,  and  named  it  "  Fond  du 
Lac,"  according  to  the  wish  of  the  people.  The  first  election  under 
the  township  organization  was  held  at  Farm  creek  school-house. 

Washington  township  was  laid  off  six  miles  square  east  and  ad- 
joining Fond  du  Lac.  It  was  called  Washington  because  the  village 
and  post  office  bore  that  name.  The  east  half  of  township  26  north, 
and  range  2  west,  was  attached  to  Washington  at  the  request  of  the 
citizens,  as  there  were  not  sufficient  •  inhabitants  to  form  a  separate 
town.  The  first  election  was  held  in  the  district  school-building  at 
Washington. 

Deer  Creek  had  its  boundaries  fixed  as  they  are  at  present.  The 
first  election  was  held  at  the  Monmouth  school-house.  The  town- 
ship was  named  by  Major  R.  N.  Cullom,  taking  the  name  of  the 
creek  that  flows  through  it. 

Morton  was  laid  off  and  named  as  it  is  at  present.  Harvey  Camp- 
bell proposed  the  name  in  honor  of  Gov.  Morton  of  Massachusetts. 
First  election  was  held  at  W.  W.  Campbell's. 

Groveland  was  constituted  a  township,  and  its  boundaries  fixed  as 
they  now  are.  The  first  election  was  held  at  the  Randolph  house, 
Groveland.     The  township  took  its  name  from  the  village. 

Pekin  township  was  at  first  one  tier  of  sections  less  north  and 
south  than  it  is  at  present.  The  northern  tier  of  sections  of  Cin- 
cinnati was  taken  from  that  township  and  added  to  Pekin.  It  was 
named  after  the  city  of  Pekin. 

Cincinnati  township  was  laid  oflp  by  this  commission  one  tier  of 
sections  larger  than  it  is  at  present.  The  first  election  was  held  at 
the  Cincinnati  hotel,  Pekin. 

Elm  Grove  had  its  boundaries  fixed  as  they  now  are.  First  elec- 
tion held  at  Elm  Grove  school-house.  - 


302  HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Tremont  had  its  boundaries  defined  by  including  a  Congressional 
township.     First  election  was  held  at  the  court-house  at  Tremont. 

Mackinaw  township  had  its  boundaries  permanently  fixed.  First 
election  was  held  at  school-house  in  the  town  of  Mackinaw. 

Little  Mackinaw  has  never  had  its  boundary  lines  changed.  First 
election  held  at  a  school-house  on  Little  Mackinaw  creek. 

Hopedale  at  first  was  christened  Highland.  The  present  bounda- 
ries were  fixed.  A  portion  of  Boynton  township  was  attached  to 
Hopedale,  there  not  being  enough  inhabitants  to  organize  a  town- 
ship. First  election  '\\;as  held  at  Mrs.  Purviance's  residence.  The 
name  Highland  was  changed  because  there  was  another  township 
in  the  State  wearing  that  name. 

Dillon  was  constituted  for  a  Congressional  township.  First  elec- 
tion was  held  at  the  school-house  in  Dillon. 

Sand  Prairie,  formerly  JeiFerson,  had  its  boundaries  described  as 
they  are  at  present.  First  election  held  at  John  Hisle's.  Malone 
township  was  not  organized,  but  the  territory  was  attached  to  Sand 
Prairie. 

Spring  Lake  had  its  boundaries -described  as  they  remain  at  pres- 
ent.    First  election  held  at  Charles  Scewell's. 

Delavan  was  constituted  a  township  as  it  remains  at  present,  and 
had  a  portion  of  Boynton  attached  to  it. 

Hittle  was  first  named  Union,  then  changed  to  Waterford,  and 
finally  to  Hittle.  It  included  its  present  territory  and  a  portion  of 
Boynton.     First  election  held  at  Hittle  Grove  church. 

The  last  meeting  of  the  County  Court  was  held  Saturday,  April 
6,  1850.     It  then  adjourned  sine  die. 

TOWNSHIP    ORGANIZATION. 

This  system  of  county  government  is  so  entirely  different  in  origin 
and  management  from  the  old  mode  by  county  commissioners,  which 
had  such  a  long  and  favorable  run,  that  we  deem  a  brief  synopsis  of 
the  differences  quite  pertinent  in  this  connection. 

Elijah  M.  Haines,  in  his  "  Laws  of  Illinois  Relative  to  Township 
Organization,"  says  the  county  system  "originated  with  Virginia, 
whose  early  settlers  soon  became  large  landed  proprietors,  aristo- 
cratic in  feeling,  living  alone  in  almost  baronial  magnificence  on 
their  own  estates,  and  owning  the  laboring  part  of  the  population. 
Thus  the  materials  for  a  town  were  not  at  hand,  the  voters  being 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  303 

thinly  distributed  over  a  great  area.  The  county  organization,  where 
a  few  influential  men  managed  the  whole  business  of  the  community, 
retaining  their  places  almost  at  their  pleasure,  scarcely  responsible  at 
all  except  in  name,  and  permitted  to  conduct  the  county  concerns  as 
their  ideas  or  wishes  might  direct,  was,  moreover,  consonant  with 
their  recollections  or  traditions  of  the  judicial  and  social  dignities  of 
the  landed  aristocracy  of  England,  in  descent  from  which  the  Virginia 
gentlemen  felt  so  much  pride.  In  1834  eight  counties  were  organ- 
ized in  Virginia,  and  the  system  extending  throughout  the  State, 
spread  into  all  the  Southern  States  and  some  of  the  Northern  States, 
unless  we  except  the  nearly  similar  division  into  'districts'  in  South 
Carolina,  and  that  into  'parishes'  in  Louisana  from  the  French 
laws. 

"  Illinois,  which  with  its  vast  additional  territory  became  a  county 
of  Virginia  on  its  conquest  by  Gen.  George  Rogers  Clarke,  retained 
the  county  organization,  which  was  formerly  extended  over  the  State 
by  the  constitution  of  1818,  and  continued  in  exclusive  use  until 
the  constitution  of  1848.  Under  this  system,  as  in  other  States 
adopting  it,  most  local  business  Avas  transacted  by  three  commission- 
ers in  each  county,  who  constituted  a  county  court,  with  quarterly 
sessions.  During  the  period  ending  with  the  Constitutional  Conven- 
tion of  1847,  a  large  portion  of  the  State  had  become  filled  up  with 
a  population  of  New  England  birth  or  character,  daily  growing 
more  and  more  compact  and  dissatisfied  with  the  comparatively  arbi- 
trary and  inefficient  county  system."  It  was  maintained  by  the 
people  that  the  heavily  populated  districts  would  always  control  the 
election  of  the  commissioners  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  more  thinly 
populated  sections, — in  short,  that  under  the  system,  "equal  and 
exact  justice"  to  all  parts  of  the  county  could  not  be  secured.  The 
township  system  had  its  origin  in  Massachusetts,  and  dates  back  to 
1635. 

De  Tocqueville,  in  his  work  entitled  "  American  Institutions, "  in 
speaking  of  our  political  system,  very  properly  remarks  that  two 
branches  may  be  distinguished  in  the  Anglo-American  familv  which 
have  grown  up  without  entirely  commingling, — the  one  in  the  South, 
the  other  in  the  North.  He  discovers  the  causes  which  led  to  this 
condition  of  things,  which  are  apparent  to  the  most  casual  observer. 
"  They  arise, "  he  says,  "  not  from  design,  but  from  the  force  of  cir- 
cumstances at  the  beginning.  The  planting  of  the  original  colony 
of  Virginia  at  Jamestown  had  for  its  design  the  single  and  naked 


304'"  '^  hist6"ey"  OF  tIzewell  county." 

object  of  pecuniary  profit  to  the  proprietors.  Its  mission  involved 
no  principle  for  the  benefit  of  mankind.  It  recognized  the  crown  of 
Great  Britain,  from  whence  it  derived  the  charter  of  its  existence,  as 
the  source  of  political  power.  There  was  no  recognition  of  the 
principle  of  self-government. 

"But  the  circumstances  attending  the  first  settlement  of  the  Col- 
onies of  New  England,  so  called,  were  of  an  entirely  different  char- 
acter. The  early  colonists  in  this  instance  were  non-conformists,  or 
dissenters  from  the  Church  of  England.  They  came  as  exiles,  flee- 
ing from  the  wrath  of  ecclesiastical  tyranny,  whose  displeasure  they 
had  incurred, — cast  out  as  public  offenders, 'as  profane  out  of  the 
mountain  of  God.'  Whilst  the  colonists  of  Yirgina  came  with  the 
law,  those  of  New  England  came  against  the  law,  or  perhaps,  more 
properly  speaking,  without  law.  Thereupon  arose  on  the  part  of  the 
latter  a  positive  necessity  for  the  establishment  of  law  for  their  mu- 
tual protection.  The  result  was  a  written  compact, — this  being  the 
first  written  constitution  extant,  based  upon  the  general  good.  It 
was  the  first  time  since  the  'morning  stars  sang  together'  that  the 
people  themselves  met  in  council  and  framed  a  government  based 
upon  equal  rights." 

The  supervisor  is  the  chief  officer  and  representative  of  the  town- 
ship, and  it  is  his  duty  to  prosecute  and  defend  all  suits  in  which 
the  township  is  interested.  The  township  clerk  keeps  the  records 
of  the  towsnhip,  and  the  treasurer  takes  charge  of  the  funds.  The 
establishment,  vacation  and  repair  of  the  public  roads  is  committed 
to  the  three  commissioners  of  highways.  The  supervisor,  the  two 
justices  of  the  peace  whose  terms  of  office  soonest  expire,  and  the 
township  clerk  constitute  a  township  board  for  examining  and 
auditing  the  accounts  of  the  town. 

The  Board  of  Supervisors  convened  for  the  first  time  just  one 
month  after  the  adjournment  of  the  County  Court.  It  assembled  at 
the  court-house  in  Tremont  May  6, 1850,  the  following  members  be- 
ing present :  R.  W.  Briggs,  Tremont ;  William  S.  Maus,  Pekin  ;  W. 
J.  Thompson,  Jefferson ;  R.  N.  Cullom,  Deer  Creek ;  B.  F.  Oren- 
dorff.  Little  Mackinaw ;  W.  W.  Grossman,  Delavan  ;  Seth  Talbot, 
Elm  Grove ;  C.  J.  Gibson,  Fond  du  Lac ;  George  L.  Parker,  Grove- 
land  ;  Samuel  P.  Bailey,  Cincinnati ;  Nathan  Dillon,  Dillon  ;  Ly- 
man Porter,  Mackinaw ;  Horace  Clark,  Morton ;  Charles  Holder, 
Highland ;  Hezekiah  Armington,  Union  ;  George  H.  Daniels,  Spring 
Lake.     Hon.  Richard  N.  Cullom  was  chosen  chairman. 


HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  305 

The  last  meeting  of  the  Board  at  Tremont,  was  held  August  26, 
1850,  when  the  Board  moved  in  a  body  to  Pekin  and  held  a  meeting 
on  the  same  day  in  the  new  court-house,  built  by  that  city. 

Since  1850  the  business  affairs  of  the  county  have  been  under 
the  guidance  of  a  Board  of  Supervisors,  at  present  composed  of  24 
members.  It  would  be  unprofitable,  as  unnecessary,  to  present  in 
detail  the  numerous  orders,  reports,  resolutions,  etc.,  of  this  body. 
Their  proceedings  partake  a  great  deal  of  the  nature  of  a  legislature. 
Among  so  many  men  there  are  always  some  cool  business  heads,  as 
well  as  a  good  many  glib  tongues.  Some  of  them  are  practical,  in- 
dustrious workers,  others  are  of  the  buncombe  order,  always  ready 
to  make  a  speech  or  a  voluminous  report.  This  has  always  been  the 
case  with  such  assemblies,  and  we  suppose  always  will  be. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  approved  Feb.  2,  1849,  in  regard  to 
the  disposal  of  the  court-house  at  Tremont,  it  provided  that  in  case 
the  countv-seat  was  moved  to  Pekin,  a  deed  of  trust  of  the  court- 
house,  should  be  made  to  Joseph  L.  ShaAV,  Wells  Andrews,  Lyman 
Porter,  Thomas  P.  Pogers  and  William  A.  Maus.  The  building  was 
to  be  used  and  occupied  exclusively  for  the  purpose  of  education 
and  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  people  of  this  county.  Accord- 
ingly when  the  vote  was  taken  and  it  was  decided  to  make  the  move, 
and  when  the  move  was  made,  the  above  act  was  complied  with,  and 
for  several  years  a  high  school  was  conducted  there. 

THE  FIRE-PROOF  BUILDING. 

This  structure,  which  stands  near  the  south-east  corner  of  the 
public  square,  was  ordered  erected  by  the  Board  in  1857.  The 
contract  for  its  erection  was  awarded  to  J.  P.  Hall,  and  it  was 
completed  in  the  spring  of  1859.  The  building  committee  of  the 
Board  consisted  of  R.  B.  Marley,  David  Hainline,  James  Mitchell, 
G.  H.  Rupert  and  William  S.  Maus.  The  committee  ajipointed 
Dr.  Maus  superintendent.  He  was  also  authorized  to  provide  for 
furnishing  the  office  with  suitable  furniture.  The  idea  of  introduc- 
ing iron  furniture  was  considered  rather  a  novel  one,  but  it  was 
urged  that  while  the  building  might  be  rendered  fire-proof  as  to  the 
exterior,  the  interior  fixtures  being  constructed  of  wood,  there 
would  really  be  no  certainty  that  the  records  would  be  protected 
from  fire.  It  was  believed  that  in  nearly  every  case  where 
court-houses  or  other  buildings  containing  records  had  been   de- 

20 


306  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

stroyed  by  fire,  the  cause  originated  in  the  interior.  In  such  a  case 
fire-proof  walls  alone  would  prove  but  a  slight  protection.  The 
good  sense  of  the  Supervisors  convinced  them  that  iron  cases,  shelv- 
ing and  furniture  would  prove  the  best  kind  of  insurance  they  could 
place  upon  the  records  of  the  county. 

Acting  under  authority  from  the  building  committee.  Dr.  Maus 
visited  several  establishments  in  the  East  where  iron  furniture  was 
manufactured.  On  his  return  he  perfected  a  plan  for  the  furniture 
needed,  the  drawing  of  which  was  executed  by  Thomas  King. 
The  building  was  first  occupied  the  latter  part  of  May,  1859,  and 
ever  since  has  kept  the  public  records,  which  are  invaluable,  in  safe 
custody. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  May  2,  1861,  Supervisor  Pratt  intro- 
duced a  resolution  that,  whereas  our  forts,  arsenals  and  government 
stores  had  been  seized  and,  "whereas  many  of  our  citizens  have 
volunteered  in  defence  of  our  country,  and  have  come  forward  with 
the  same  spirit  that  actuated  our  sires  in  the  days  of  '  76,  leaving 
their  wives  and  children,  homes  and  firesides,  with  their  lives  in 
their  hands,  periling  their  all  at  their  country's  call,  and  many  of 
them  without  money  or  means  to  pay  a  single  day's  board,  and  their 
families  entirely  unprovided  for,  trusting  to  the  God  of  mercies  for 
the  means  of  their  sustenance," — therefore  resolved  that  the  Board 
pay  their  board  and  expenses  while  and  before  being  mustered  into 
service ;  also  maintain  their  families  during  their  absence.  The 
resolution  was  tabled  and  a  substitute  offered  by  Supervisor  Maus, 
and  passed,  to  the  effect  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  examine 
all  accounts  and  expenses  incurred  in  raising  volunteers,  as  well  as 
such  relief  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  support  of  the  families  of 
such  married  men  during  their  absence,  and  report  the  result  to  the 
Board.  Said  committee  was  appointed,  and  at  the  next  meeting 
reported  claims  "  for  the  support  of  women  and  children  where  hus- 
bands and  fathers  have  volunteered,"  to  the  amount  of  $1,100. 
The  whole  matter  was  turned  over  to  the  Board,  when  $132.75  of 
the  amount  was  allowed. 

Again  Supervisor  Pratt  attempted  to  get  aid  for  the  volunteers 
by  making  a  motion  that  $2.50  per  week  be  allowed  on  all  bills  for 
boarding  volunteers  while  being  organized.  This  motion  was  also 
rejected. 

It  seemed  the  majority  of  the  people  were  in  favor  of  the  Board 
contributing  means  for  the  support  of  volunteers.     A  petition  to 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  307 

that  eifect  was  presented  to  the  Board.  The  City  Council  of  Pekin 
also  took  cognizance  of  this  refusal  to  aid  troops.  At  a  special 
meeting  held  Thursday,  May  23,  1861,  seemingly  for  no  other  pur- 
pose. Alderman  Harlow  offered  the  following : 

"Whereas,  the  Supervisors  of  Tazewell  county  have  been  peti- 
tioned to  bear  a  portion  of  the  expense  of  volunteers  and  have 
refused,  therefore,  resolved,  that  we,  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  the 
city  of  Pekin,  do  utterly  disapprove  and  condemn  the  action  of  said 
Board  of  Supervisors,  and,  with  all  good  and  loyal  citizens,  feel  that 
old  Tazewell  has  been  disgraced  by  the  action  of  said  Supervisors." 

While  the  Board  was  not  as  liberal  in  this  respect  as  some  would 
have  had  it,  yet  it  paid  out  considerable  money  for  the  support  of 
families  of  soldiers.  In  September,  1864,  the  Board  decided  to 
give  a  bounty  of  $150.  to  each  volunteer  under  the  first  call  of  that 
year  for  500,000  men.  In  January,  1865,  a  bounty  of  $300.  was 
offered.  The  sum  of  $128,000  was  appropriated  to  pay  said  bounty. 
This  was  based  on  the  quota  of  the  county  being  400;  but  in 
February  it  was  found  to  exceed  that  number  by  144,  and  a  further 
sum  of  $53,000  was  appropriated.  To  raise  this  a  tax  of  three 
cents  on  the  dollar  was  levied.  A  special  assesment  was  made,  and 
the  tax  collected  in  short  order.  The  levy  was  made  upon  the 
property  of  soldiers,  which  was  unavoidable,  but  the  Board  subse- 
quently refunded  such  tax. 

The  Board  have  experienced  much  difficulty  in  regard  to  the 
swamp  lands  of  the  county :  indeed,  we  believe  they  have  been 
the  source  of  the  greatest  trouble  and  expence  to  the  Board.  A 
vast  system  of  drainage  was  undertaken,  which  proved  highly 
beneficial  although  quite  expensive,  and  for  years  more  or  less 
controversy  was  had  in  regard  to  this  matter.  The  present  Board  is 
composed  of  the  following  gentlemen : 

Chairman,  Richard  Holmes,  Delavan ;  John  H.  Anthony,  Wash- 
ington ;  Peter  Fifer,  City  of  Washington ;  John  Eidman,  Cincin- 
nati ;  Daniel  Sapp,  Spring  Lake ;  Matthias  Mount,  Dillon ;  E.  J. 
Orendorff,  Hopedale ;  D.  John  Bennett,  Elm  Grove;  Asa  Hicks, 
Little  Mackinaw;  James  K.  Pugh,  Malone ;  John  Meyers,  Sand 
Prairie ;  William  Smith,  Morton ;  S.  C.  Hobart,  Tremont ;  Jacob 
Brennamann,  Boynton  ;  James  Mitchell,  Deer  Creek ;  C.  S.  Worth- 
ington,  Groveland;  J.  H.  Porter,  Mackinaw;  John  Q.  Darnell, 
Hittle ;  Samuel  R.  Mooberry,  Fond  du  Lac ;  C.  B.  Cummings,  J. 
M.  Gill,  I.  Lederer,  City  of  Pekin ;  Thomas  Skelly,  and  E.  Schur- 
man,  Pekin  township. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

BLOODED  STOCK. 

AX  interest  paramount  to  every  other  in  agricultural  pursiiits 
is  that  of  stock-raising.  Many  of  the  farmers  have  realized 
this  and  have  turned  their  attention  largely  to  this  branch  of  agri- 
culture ;  and  the  result  is  that  Tazewell  county  can  boast  of  as  fine 
stock  as  any  other  county  in  Illinois.  While  this  chapter  is  headed 
as  if  to  treat  on  stock  indiscriminately,  yet  as  cattle  are  receiving, 
and  have  received,  more  attention  than  any  other  class  of  domestic 
animals,  we  shall  devote  most  of  the  space  to  cattle.  As  thorough- 
bred stock  was  introduced  into  Tazewell  county  at  a  very  early  day, 
as  early  indeed  as  in  almost  any  part  of  the  State,  we  will  speak  of 
the  first  introduction  of  such  stock  into  Illinois.  The  first,  perhaps, 
that  were  brought  into  the  State  were  by  James  X.  Brown,  in  1834, 
when  he  arrived  in  Sangamon  county  with  the  progenitors  of  his 
afterwards  famed  herd  of  "Island  Grove."  Some  grades  of  the 
"Patton"  stock  are  said  to  have  been  found  in  Madison  and  in  some 
other  southern  counties'  even  earlier.  G.  W.  Fagg,  of  Perry  county, 
advertised  a  short -horn  bull  in  the  Union  Agriculturist  in  1841. 
The  Prairie  Farmer  notices  the  Devons  of  James  McConnell,  near 
Springfield,  in  1843.  A  letter  of  Gov.  Lincoln,  of  Massachusetts, 
to  Gov.  Reynolds,  of  Illinois,  published  in  the  Union  Agriculturist 
for  1841,  shows  that  the  former  sent  some  crosses  of  Ayrshire  and 
short-horn  cattle  to  a  son  in  Alton  that  year,  which  was,  perhaps, 
the  first  introduction  of  Ayrshire  blood  even  in  a  diluted  state. 
The  Prairie  Farmer,  in  1844,  chronicles  the  arrival  at  Chicago  of 
an  imported  short -horn  for  Bronson  Murray,  of  La  Salle  county. 
By  the  time  of  holding  the  first  State  Fair  at  Springfield,  in  1851, 
the  short-horn  appeared  in  very  respectable  numbers,  and  Devons, 
although  not  much  shown,  were  said  bv  the  Prairie  Farmer  to  be 
already  found  in  quantity  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State.  In 
1857  the  formation  of  the  Illinois  Stock  Importing  Association, 
and  their  importations  and  sales,  among  other  animals,  of  twenty- 
seven  short-horns,  increased  the  interest  in  breeding. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY.  309 

The  first  introduction  of  blooded  stock  into  Tazewell  county, 
together  with  the  history  of  the  progress  made  in  improving  the 
stock  of  the  county,  would  be  an  interesting  article  to  many.  We 
have  not,  however,  been  able  to  gather  sufficient  data  of  a  reliable 
nature  to  warrant  an  article  of  great  lengtli.  The  first  importation 
into  the  county,  and  among  the  very  first  into  the  State,  was  made 
by  Col.  Charles  Oakley.  The  importation  was  made  in  1840  from 
England,  and  consisted  of  horses,  cattle,  hogs  and  sheep,  of  the 
following  stock  and  number:  one  full-blooded  Durham  roan  bull; 
two  roan  cows ;  one  full-blooded  stallion  of  the  celebrated  Campbell 
stock ;  one  full-blooded  mare  of  the  Bertram  stock ;  five  Berkshire 
pigs,  and  a  number  of  long-wooled  Cotswold  sheep.  Three  years 
later  Col.  Oakley  again  brought  with  him  on  his  return  from  England 
stock  of  the  following  kinds :  white  Durham  cow  and  calf;  a  num- 
ber of  pigs  of  the  Woburn  stock,  and  the  stallion  Sampson.  The 
latter  was  not  a  direct  importation  of  Col.  Oakley's,  but  he  was 
brought  from  New  York  here.  This  horse  did  much  in  the  way 
of  improving  the  farm  horses  of  this  section,  and  even  now  many 
of  the  Sampson  breed  of  horses  are  to  be  seen  traveling  the  roads. 

Had  the  people  ap])reciated  at  that  early  day  the  value  of  this 
stock  imported  by  Col.  Oakley,  for  many  years  past  Tazewell 
county  might  have  been,  in  regard  to  fine  stock,  foremost  in  the 
United  States.  The  people,  however,  could  not  see  any  special 
benefit  to  be  derived  from  investing  in  animals  costing  so  much, 
and  but  little  interest  was  taken  in  them.  The  Colonel's  public 
duties  would  not  permit  him  to  give  his  personal  ■  attention  to  his 
stock,  and  the  consequence  was  that  in  a  few  years  they  were  scat- 
tered here  and  there,  and  but  few  persons  ever  derived  any  benefit 
from  them  save  from  the  horses. 

We  deem  it  fitting  in  this  connection  to  speak  personally  of  Col. 
Charles  Oakley,  as  he  not  only  made  the  greatest  effort  ever  made  in 
an  early  day  to  improve  the  domestic  animals  of  Illinois,  but  he  was 
also  prominently  identified  Avith  great  works  of  the  State,  and  an 
honored  and  respected  citizen  of  Tazewell  county.  He  w'as  born  in 
AVest  Chester  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1792 ;  came  to  this  county  with  the 
Tremont  colony  in  1834,  and  erected  the  first  house  in  Tremont. 
He  was  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  in  the  Black  Hawk  war.  In  1839, 
during  the  great  internal  improvement  system,  he  was  appointed 
State  Fund  Commissioner,  and  went  to  Europe  to  negotiate  a  loan. 
It  was  on  his  return  from  this  trip  that  he  brought  the  first  lot  of 


310  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

stock.  In  1843  he,  with  Senator  Michael  Ryan,  was  by  the  Gov- 
ernor appointed  to  negotiate  a  loan  to  carry  on  the  building  of  the 
Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal.  They  went  to  Europe  in  the  early 
part  of  1843,  and  returned  in  November.  In  1844  Col.  Oakley 
again  went  to  Europe,  but  came  home  still  unsuccessful  in  borrow- 
ing funds.  Early  in  the  winter  of  1844-5  he  again  proceeded  to 
Europe,  Ryan  remaining  at  home,  and  finally  succeeded  in  borrow- 
ing $1,600,000.  He  came  home  to  be  appointed  Canal  Commis- 
sioner, which  position  he  held  at  his  death.  He  again  went  to 
England  in  company  with  Charles  L.  Butler  (brother  of  Ben  But- 
ler), to  secure  funds  for  the  completion  of  the  Indiana  and  Wabash 
Canal.  For  this  service  Butler  was  paid,  after  Col.  Oakley's  death, 
the  sum  of  $25,000,  none  of  which,  however,  ever  found  its  way  to 
the  Colonel's  family. 

Col.  Oakley  was  president  of  the  first  bank  ever  established  at 
Pekin.  It  was  a  branch  of  the  Bank  of  Illinois,  and  was  first 
opened  in  that  city  in  1840.  He  was  one  of  the  most  popular  men 
in  Illinois,  during  his  day,  and  was  once  looked  upon  by  his  party 
as  the  proper  person  to  succeed  Gov.  French  as  the  chief  executive 
of  the  State.  In  the  very  prime  of  life,  however,  he  was  stricken 
down.  He  died  at  his  home  in  Tremont  on  the  31st  of  December, 
1848.  His  widow  still  survives  him,  and  at  present  resides  at  Peo- 
ria. She  is  about  eighty  years  old,  and  in  very  feeble  health. 
Oakley  Avenue,  a  prominent  thoroughfare  in  Chicago,  perpetuates 
his  memory. 

It  has  cost  time,  labor  and  money  to  introduce  thoroughbred  stock, 
but  the  result  of  bringing  imported  stock  and  a  scientific  knowledge 
of  breeding  has  placed  Tazewell  in  the  very  front  rank  of  counties 
in  Illinois  in  the  raising  of  fine  cattle. 

Among  the  foremost  breeders  of  blooded  stock  in  the  county  are : 
John  Trout  of  Elm  Grove,  who  owns  Florence,  bred  by  D.  E. 
Davis,  of  Salem,  N.  J.  For  pedigree  see  page  561,  Vol.  15  of  the 
American  Herd  Book.  He  also  has  Breastplate,  bred  by  J.  G. 
Clark,  Champaign  county.  111.;  pedigree  number,  18,236;  Elfrida, 
red  and  white,  bred  by  Clark;  pedigree  number,  11,341;  Pearl, 
also  bred  by  the  same  man;  pedigree  number,  12,578.  Mr.  Trout 
also  has  Elfrida  the  Seventh,  bred  by  himself;  pedigree  number, 
28,853,  American  Herd  Book.  Thomas  Wibray,  section  4,  Tremont 
township,  has  Duke  of  Herndoka;  pedigree  number,  19,485.  Jos. 
Ropp  owns  Red  Duke,  bred  by  J.  G.  Clark  of  Champaign  county. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  311 

This  fine  animal  was  got  by  Royal  Airdrie,  pedigree  number,  18,236. 
Isaac  Miars,  of  Elm  Grove,  has  four  head  of  short-horns, —  one  of 
them  from  AVyburn's  herd,  of  Bloomington,  the  other  three  from 
Waltmire's  herd,  of  Tremont.  Hon.  James  Robison  has  a  fine 
herd  of  short-horns,  consisting  of  nine  head  from  John  Gillett's 
herd,  Elkhart,  Logan  county.  111.  There  are  many  others  in  the 
county  who  are  prominently  identified  with  the  improvement  of  the 
cattle  stock  of  the  county.  William  Birkett,  section  26,  has  a  fine 
herd  of  from  50  to  75  head  of  imported  Jerseys  and  Durhams.  He 
runs  a  large  dairy  farm,  manufacturing  with  horse-power  an  aver- 
age of  200  pounds  of  butter  per  week. 

We  quote  the  following  from  a  letter  published  in  a  recent  num- 
ber of  the  Tazewell  Republican,  Pekin  : 

"  I  find  a  very  marked  improvement  in  cattle  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  breeders  of  short-horns  in  the  early  days  of  Illinois.  The 
average  lots  of  steers  in  Morgan,  Menard,  Cass,  Sangamon  and 
Logan  average  several  hundred  weight  heavier  at  the  same  age  than 
they  do  in  counties  that  more  recently  introduced  short-horns,  and, 
besides,  the  quality  in  a  good  high-grade  steer  will  command  from 
one  to  one  and  one-half  cents  per  pound  more  than  common  stock. 
This  difference  in  price,  at  the  low  price  of  corn  last  winter,  would 
buy  corn  enough  to  fatten  a  steer.  AVith  this  difference  in  size  and 
price  in  favor  of  the  short-horns,  it  is  apparent  to  every  calculat- 
ing farmer  that  they  cannot  afford  to  raise  any  but  the  best  stock,  and 
those  well  cared  for,  on  our  high-priced  land.  Perhaps  no  neigh- 
borhood is  doing  more  to  improve  their  cattle  at  the  present  time 
than  the  farmers  in  the  vicinity  of  Tremont.  They  have  purchased 
and  brought  to  their  farms  within  a  few  months  ten  young  thorough- 
bred short-horn  bulls,  and  quite  a  number  of  heifers  also.  This 
new  introduction  of  short-horns  will,  in  a  few  years,  greatly  im- 
prove the  cattle  of  that  vicinity,  and  there  are  some  lots  of  cattle 
there  now  feeding  that  will  weigh  nearly  two  thousand  pounds. 

Tremont,  April  17,  1879.  Jas.  W.  Robison. 

The  improvement  in  the  hog  stock  of  the  county  is,  perhaps, 
more  noticeable  than  that  of  any  other  class  of  domesticated  ani- 
mals. Since  the  arrival  of  the  first  settlers  with  their  hogs,  bred 
and  raised  entirely  in  the  timber,  and  almost  altogether  upon  the 
roots  and  acorns  of  the  native  forests,  there  has  been  a  most  wonder- 
ful advance  in  securing  better  stock.  For  many  years  at  first  it 
seems  to  have  made  no  difference  with  the  farmers  in  regard  to  the 


312 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


breed  of  hogs.  They  reasoned  that  a  hog  was  a  hog,  and  that  one 
was  as  good  as  another,  and  they  therefore  made  no  effort  to  better 
their  stock.  Several  years  ago,  however,  the  Poland  Chinas,  Berk- 
shires  and  Chester  Whites  were  introduced,  and  as  a  result  the  class 
of  hogs  bred  in  Tazewell  county  are  inferior  to  none.  Among  the 
many  who  breed  the  best  grades,  is  N.  M.  Saltonstall,  who  has  the 
pure  Berkshire.  He  has  about  25  head  which  are  said  to  be  the 
finest  lot  of  hogs  in  the  county. 

In  aggregate  value  the  horses  of  the  county  are  worth  more  than 
the  combined  aggregate  value  of  all  other  domestic  animals.  Much 
interest  is  now  being  taken  to  improve  the  farm-horse  stock  as  mtII 
as  the  roadsters.  Among  those  who  are  especially  interested  in  this 
branch  of  stock  raising,  are  E.  D.  Fuller  &  Bro.,  of  Elm  Grove 
township.  They  have  imported  some  of  the  finest  horses  brought 
to  the  United  States.  They  have  two  fine  horses  which  they  went 
to  France  and  purchased.  The  famous  horse,  Rob  Roy,  which  they 
own,  and  which  has  taken  the  premium  at  the  State  fair,  is  a  perfect 
model  of  a  horse.  Leon,  which  they  also  own,  is  a  fine  animal. 
This  firm  has  made  two  importations,  two  horses  each  time.  They 
have  a  fine  herd  of  about  35  head  of  graded  horses  and  colts.  A.  J. 
Danforth,  of  Washington,  has  a  large  stable  of  fine  roadsters,  some 
of  which  are  among  the  best  and  fastest  horses  in  the  State. 

The  result  of  these  importations,  a  scientific  knowledge  of  breed- 
ing, the  expenditure  of  vast  sums  of  money  and  close  attention  M-ill 
be  of  as  great  benefit  to  the  county  as  any  other  branch  of  com- 
merce. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

UNDERGROUND  RAILROAD. 
BLACK    LAWS. 

THE  early  settlers  of  this  county,  although  mainly  from  the 
Southern  or  slave  States,  entertained  a  deep-seated  prejudice 
against  the  negro,  for  which  it  is  hard  for  us  to  account  at  the  pres- 
ent day.  This  prejudice,  we  may  remark,  was  not  held  altogether 
and  only  in  this  county,  for  by  referring  to  the  Revised  Statutes  of 
this  State,  approved  March  3,  1845,  we  find  the  following  in  chapter 
54,  under  the  head  of  "  Negroes  and  Mulattoes  : " 

Section  8.  Any  person  who  shall  hereafter  bring  into  this  State 
any  black  or  mulatto  person,  in  order  to  free  him  or  her  from  slavery, 
or  shall  directly  or  indirectly  bring  into  this  State,  or  aid  or  assist 
any  person  in  bringing  any  such  black  and  mulatto  person  to  settle 
and  reside  therein,  shall  be  fined  one  hundred  dollars  on  conviction 
and  indictment,  before  any  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  county  where 
such  offense  shall  be  committed. 

Section  9.  If  any  slave  or  servant  shall  be  found  at  a  distance  of 
ten  miles  from  the  tenement  of  his  or  her  master,  or  person  with 
whom  he  or  she  lives,  without  a  pass  or  some  letter  of  token  whereby 
it  may  appear  that  he  or  she  is  proceeding  by.  authority  from  his  or 
her  master,  employer  or  overseer,  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  any 
person  to  apprehend  and  carry  him  or  her  before  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  to  be  by  his  order  punished  with  stripes,  not  exceeding  thirty- 
five,  at  his  discretion. 

Section  10.  If  any  slave  or  servant  shall  presume  to  come  and  be 
upon  the  plantation  or  at  the  dwelling  of  any  person  whatsoever, 
without  leave  from  his  or  her  owner,  not  being  sent  upon  lawful 
business,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  owner  of  such  plantation  or  dwell- 
ing house  to  give  or  order  such  slave  or  servant  ten  lashes  on  his  or 
her  bare  back. 

Section  12.  If  any  person  or  persons  shall  permit  or  suffer  any 


314  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

slave  or  slaves,  servant  or  servants  of  color,  to  the  number  of  three 
or  more,  to  assemble  in  his,  her  or  their  outhouse,  yard  or  shed,  for 
the  purpose  of  dancing  or  revelling,  either  by  night  or  by  day,  the 
person  or  persons  so  offending  shall  forfeit  and  pay  the  sum  of 
twenty  dollars  with  cost  to  any  person  or  persons  who  will  sue  for 
and  recover  the  same  by  action  of  debt  or  indictment,  in  any  court 
of  record  proper  to  try  the  same. 

Section  13.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  all  coroners,  sheriffs,  judges 
and  justices  of  the  peace,  who  shall  see  or  know  of,  or  be  informed 
of  any  such  assemblage  of  slaves  or  servants,  immediately  to  com- 
mit such  slaves  or  servants  to  the  jail  of  the  county,  and  on  view  or 
proof  thereof  to  order  each  and  every  such  slave  or  servant  to  be 
whipped  not  exceeding  thirty-nine  stripes  on  his  or  her  bare  back. 

MODE   OF   RUNNING   THE    U.  G.  R.  R. 

Very  likely  all  of  our  readers  have  heard  of  the  famous  Under- 
ground Railroad,  but  ver^-  few  know  anything  of  its  system  of  work. 
Happily  the  corporation  does  not  now  exist,  the  necessity  for  the 
enterprise  not  being  apparent  at  the  present  time,  as  the  class  of 
freight  or  passengers  transported  over  the  line  are  not  now  pro- 
duced. 

The  question  of  slavery  has  always  been  a  mixed  one,  from  the 
time  the  first  slave  was  imported  into  our  country  until,  by  the 
emancipation  proclamation  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  all  men  were  made 
free  and  equal  in  the  eyes  of  the  law.  A  strong  anti-slavery  party 
has  long  existed  in  the  country.  The  framers  of  our  constitution 
upon  the  organization  of  the  Government  had  to  deal  with  the  ques- 
tion of  slavery ;  the  successive  administrations  from  Washington  to 
Lincoln  had  to  grapple  with  it ;  various  compromises  were  adopted 
which  it  was  thought  would  quiet  its  spirit ;  but  like  Banquo's  ghost, 
it  would  not  down  at  the  bidding  of  any  man  or  party.  The  death 
of  Lovejoy  at  Alton,  in  1837,  a  martyr  to  the  anti-slavery  cause, 
gave  an  impetus  to  the  agitation  of  the  question  which  never  ceased 
until  the  final  act  was  consumated  which  broke  in  pieces  the  shackles 
that  bound  the  slave. 

Growing  out  of  the  agitation  of  this  question,  and  the  formation 
of  a  party  in  sympathy  with  the  slaves,  was  the  organization  of  the 
so-called  Underground  Railroad,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  fugitives 
to  escape  to  a  land  of  freedom.  The  secrecy  of  its  workings  justi- 
fied its  name.     Notwithstanding  the  system  was  an  organized  one. 


d/7?7.^ 


^^.^c^;- 


Cincinnati, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  317 

those  engaged  in  it  had  no  signs  or  passwords  by  which  they  might 
be  known,  save  now  and  then  a  preconcerted  rap  at  the  door  when  a 
cargo  of  freight  was  to  be  delivered.  Each  relied  npon  the  honor 
of  the  other,  and,  as  the  work  was  an  extra-hazardous  one,  few 
cowards  ever  engaged  in  it.  Pro-slavery  men  complained  bitterly 
of  the  violation  of  the  law  by  their  abolition  neighbors,  and  perse- 
cuted them  as  much  as  they  dared :  and  this  was  not  a  little.  But 
the  friends  of  the  slaves  were  not  to  be  deterred  by  persecution. 
"  The  blood  of  martyrs  is  the  seed  of  the  church, "  and  persecution 
onlv  made  them  more  determined  than  ever  to  carrv  out  their  just 
convictions  of  right  and  duty.  No  class  of  people  ever  made  better 
neighbors  than  the  Abolitionists,  or  better  conductors  on  a  railroad. 
It  is  well,  perhaps,  in  this  connection,  to  note  how  the  passengers 
over  this  road  were  received  in  Canada,  the  northern  termination. 
From  mere  goods  and  chatties  in  our  liberty-boasting  nation  they 
were  transformed  into  men  and  women ;  from  being  hunted  with 
fire-arms  and  blood-hounds,  like  wild  beasts,  they  Avere  recognized 
and  respected  as  good  and  loyal  subjects  by  the  Queen  as  soon  as 
their  feet  touched  British  soil.  At  the  same  time  there  stood,  with 
open  arms.  Rev.  Hiram  Wilson,  the  true,  noble-hearted  missionary, 
ready  to  receive  these  refugees  from  "  freedom's  (?)  soil, "  and  ad- 
minister to  their  wants.  In  February,  1841,  there  came  a  day  of 
jubilee  to  the  doubting  ones,  when  Queen  Victoria's  proclamation 
was  read  to  them  :  "  That  every  fugitive  from  United  States  slavery 
should  be  recognized  and  protected  as  a  British  subject  the  moment 
his  or  her  foot  touched  the  soil  of  her  domain." 

A  very  singular  circumstance  in  connection  with  this  road  was  the 
fact  that,  although  people  well  knew  who  were  engaged  in  it,  and 
where  the  depot  was  located,  freight  could  seldom  be  found,  search  as 
carefullv  as  thev  miojht.  A  consignment  would  be  forwarded  over 
the  line,  notice  of  which  would  reach  the  ears  of  slave  hunters,  and 
when  ready  to  ])lace  their  hands  on  the  fugitives,  like  the  Irishman's 
flea,  they  wouldn't  be  there.  The  business  of  this  road  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  was  quite  extensive,  but  to-day  all  its  employes  are  dis- 
charged, and,  strange  to  relate,  none  are  sorry,  but  all  rejoice  in  the 
fact.  As  illustrating  the  peculiarities  of  this  line  we  append  several 
incidents  that  occurred  in  this  countv : 

THE    MATTHEWS    DEPOT. 

The  main  depot  of  the  U.  G.  Road  in  Elm  Grove  township  was 


318  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

at  Josiali  Matthews',  on  section  24.  Mr.  Matthews  was  an  earnest 
anti-slavery  man,  and  helped  to  gain  freedom  for  many  slaves.  He 
prepared  himself  with  a  covered  wagon  especially  to  carry  black 
freight  from  his  station  on  to  the  next.  On  one  occasion  there  were 
three  negroes  to  be  conveyed  from  his  station  to  the  next,  but  they 
were  so  closely  watched  that  some  time  elapsed  before  they  could 
contrive  to  take  them  in  safety.  At  last  a  happy  plan  was  conceived, 
and  one  which  proved  successful.  Their  faces  were  well  whitened 
with  flour,  and  with  a  son  of  Mr.  Matthews'  went  into  the  timber 
coon-hunting.  In  this  way  they  managed  to  throw  their  suspicious 
neighbors  off  their  guard,  and  the  black  freight  was  safely  conducted 
northward. 

One  dav  there  arrived  a  box  of  freio-ht  at  ]Mr.  Matthews',  and 
was  hurriedly  consigned  to  the  cellar.  On  the  freight  contained  in 
this  box  there  was  a  reward  of  $1,500  offered,  and  the  pursuers  were 
but  half  an  hour  behind.  The  wagon  in  which  the  box  containing 
the  negro  was  brought  was  immediately  taken  apart  and  hid  under 
the  barn.  The  horses,  which  had  been  driven  very  hard,  were 
rubbed  off,  and  thus  all  indications  of  a  late  arrival  were  covered 
up.  The  pursuers  came  up  in  hot  haste,  and,  suspecting  that  Mr. 
Matthews'  house  contained  the  fugitive,  gave  the  place  a  very  thor- 
ough search,  but  failed  to  look  into  the  innocent-looking  box  in  the 
cellar.  Thus,  by  such  stratagem,  the  slave-hunters  were  foiled  and 
the  fugitive  saved.  The  house  was  so  closely  watched,  however, 
that  Conductor  Matthews  had  to  keep  the  negro  a  Meek  before  he 
could  carry  him  further.  This  station  was  watched  so  closely  at 
times  that  Mr.  Matthews  came  near  being  caught,  in  which  case,  in 
all  probability,  his  life  would  have  been  very  short. 

THE    CROSBY   DEPOT. 

Mr.  Uriah  H.  Crosby,  of  Morton  township,  was  an  agent  and 
conductor  of  the  U.  G.  E,.  R.,  and  had  a  station  at  his  house.  On 
one  occasion  there  was  landed  at  his  station  by  the  conductor  just 
south  of  him,  a  very  weighty  couple, —  a  Methodist  minister  and 
wife.  They  had  a  Bible  and  hymn  book  that  they  might  conduct 
religious  exercises  where  they  found  an  opportunity  along  the  way. 
On  conducting  them  northward  Mr.  Crosby  was  obliged  to  furnish 
each  of  them  an  entire  seat,  as  either  of  them  were  of  such  size  as 
to  well  fill  a  seat  in  his  wagon.  The  next  station  beyond  was  at 
Mr,  Kern's,  nine  miles.  He  arrived  there  in  safety,  and  his  heavy 
cargo  was  transported  on  to  free  soil  —  Canada. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  319 

The  next  passenger  along  the  route  that  stopped  at  Crosby  station 
arrived  on  election  day.  A  company  had  passed  on  northward  when 
a  young  man  hastily  came  up.  He  had  invented  a  cotton  gin,  and 
was  in  haste  to  overtake  the  others  of  the  party  as  they  had  the 
model  of  his  invention.  He  was  separated  from  them  by  fright. 
J.  M.  Roberts  found  this  young  man  in  the  morning  hid  away  in 
his  hay-stack,  fed  him,  and  sent  his  son,  Junius,  with  him  in  haste 
to  Mr.  Crosby's.  On  his  arrival  Conductor  Crosby  put  him  in  his 
wagon,  covered  him  with  a  buffalo  robe,  and  drove  through  Wash- 
ington and  delivered  him  to  Mr.  Kern,  who  took  him  in  an  open 
buggy  to  the  (Quaker  settlement.     He  overtook  his  companions. 

AN    ACCIDENT    ON    THE    U.  G.  R.  R. 

One  of  the  saddest  accidents  that  ever  occurred  on  the  U.  G. 
Road  in  Tazewell  county  was  the  capture  of  a  train  by  slave  hunt- 
ers. Two  men,  a  woman  and  three  children,  were  traveling  together. 
The  woman  and  children  could  journey  together  only  from  Tremont 
toward  Crosby  station,  as  they  had  only  one  buggy.  The  negro 
men  concluded  to  walk,  but  stopped  on  the  way  to  rest.  Waiting 
as  long  as  they  dared  for  the  men  to  come  up,  Messrs.  Roberts 
started  on  with  the  women  and  children,  but  had  not  gone  far  before 
they  were  stopped  by  some  slave  hunters  and  their  load  taken  from 
them.  The  mother  and  her  three  children,  who  were  seeking  their 
liberty,  were  taken  to  St.  Louis  and  sold,  as  the  slave  hunters  could 
realize  more  by  selling  them  than  by  returning  them  to  the  owner 
and  receiving  the  reward. 

When  the  two  men  came  up  it  was  thought  best  to  take  them  on 
bv  a  different  route,  the  people  determining  they  should  not  be  cap- 
tured. J.  M.  Roberts  arranged  to  take  them  ou  horseback  to  Peoria 
lake.  Several  men  accompanied  them,  riding  out  as  far  into  the 
water  as  they  could,  and  by  a  preconcerted  signal  parties  brought  a 
skiff  to  them,  into  which  the  men  were  taken  and  conveyed  across 
the  river  and  sent  on  the  Farmington  route  in  safety.  All  other 
routes  were  too  closely  watched. 

ANTI-SLAVERY    MEETING. 

In  those  exciting  days  of  the  U.  G.  R.  R.  old  Father  Dickey  and 
Owen  Lovejoy,  strong  anti-slavery  men,  made  an  appointment  to 
speak  at  Washington.  On  the  notice  of  the  meeting  being  an- 
nounced the  pro-slavery  men  took  forcible  and  armed  possession  of 


320 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


the  church  to  be  occupied  by  these  speakers,  and  determined,  at  all 
hazards,  to  prevent  the  meeting  from  being  held  there. 

A  prominent  man  of  conservative  views  on  the  slavery  question 
advised  the  anti-slavery  men  not  to  attempt  to  hold  the  meeting  as 
they  were  determined  to  do,  as  the  mob,  he  said,  were  frenzied  with 
liquor,  and  he  feared  the  consequences.  So  they  concluded  to  go  to 
Pleasant  Grove  church,  Groveland,  where  they  addressed  one  of  the 
most  enthusiastic  anti-slavery  meetings  ever  held  in  this  part  of  the 
State.  Owen  Lovejoy  was  the  orator  of  the  day.  The  mob  were 
determined  to  follow  and  break  up  that  meeting  also,  but  were  de- 
terred by  being  told  that  as  the  anti-slavery  men  were  on  their  own 
ground  they  would  fight,  and  doubtless  blood  would  be  shed. 


CHAPTER  X. 

PIONEER  life". 
LOG   CABINS. 

WE  shall,  in  this  chapter,  give  a  clear  and  exact  description 
of  pioneer  life  in  this  county,  commencing  with  the  time 
the  sturdy  settlers  first  arrived  with  their  scanty  stores.  They  had 
migrated  from  older  States,  where  the  prospects  for  even  a  compe- 
tency were  very  poor,  many  of  them  coming  from  Kentucky,  for,  it 
is  supposed,  they  found  that  a  good  State  to  emigrate  from.  Their 
entire  stock  of  furniture,  implements  and  family  necessities  were 
easily  stored  in  one  wagon,  and  sometimes  a  cart  was  their  only 
vehicle. 

As  the  first  thing  after  they  arrived  and  found  a  suitable  location, 
they  would  set  about  the  building  of  a  log  cabin,  a  description  of 
which  may  be  interesting  to  the  younger  readers,  and  especially 
their  descendants,  who  may  never  see  a  structure  of  the  kind. 
Trees  of  uniform  size  were  selected  and  cut  into  pieces  of  the  de- 
sired length,  each  end  being  saddled  and  notched  so  as  to  bring  the 
logs  as,  near  together  as  possible.  The  cracks  were  "  chinked  and 
daubed"  to  prevent  the  wind  from  whistling  through.  This  had  to 
be  renewed  every  fall  before  cold  weather  set  in.  The  usual  height 
was  one  story  of  about  seven  or  eight  feet.  The  gables  were  made 
of  logs  gradually  shortened  up  to  the  top.  The  roof  was  made  by 
laying  small  logs  or  stout  poles  reaching  from  gable  to  gable,  suit- 
able distances  apart,  on  which  were  laid  the  clapboards  after  the  man- 
nner  of  shingling,  showing  two  feet  or  more  to  the  weather.  The 
clapboards  were  fastened  by  laying  across  them  heavy  poles  called 
"  weight  poles,"  reaching  from  one  gable  to  the  other,  being  kept 
apart  and  in  their  place  by  laying  pieces  of  timber  between  them 
called  "  runs."  A  wide  chimney  place  was  cut  out  of  one  end  of 
the  cabin,  the  chimney  standing  entirely  outside,  and  built  of  rived 
sticks,  laid  up  cob-house  fashion,  and  filled  with  clay,  or  built  of 


322  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

stone,  often  using  two  or  three  cords  of  stone  in  building  one  chimney. 
For  a  window  a  piece  about  two  feet  long  was  cut  out  of  one  of  the 
wall  logs,  and  the  hole  closed,  sometimes  with  glass,  but  oftener 
with  greased  paper  pasted  over  it.  A  doorway  was  also  cut  through 
one  of  the  walls,  and  the  door  was  made  of  spliced  clapboards  and 
hung  with. wooden  hinges.  This  was  opened  by  pulling  a  leather 
latch-string  which  raised  a  wooden  latch  inside  the  door.  For  se- 
curity at  night  this  latch-string  was  pulled  in,  but  for  friends  and 
neighbors,  and  even  strangers,  the  "  latch-string  was  always  hang- 
ing out,"  as  a  welcome. 

In  the  interior,  upon  one  side,  is  the  huge  fire-place,  large  enough 
to  contain  a  back-log  as  big  as  the  strongest  man  could  carry,  and 
holding  enough  wood  to  supply  an  ordinary  stove  a  week ;  on  either 
side  are  huge  poles  and  kettles,  and  over  all  a  mantle  on  which  was 
placed  the  tallow  dip.  In  one  corner  stood  the  larger  bed  for  the 
old  folks,  under  this  the  trundle-bed  for  the  children ;  in  another 
corner  stood  the  old-fashioned  large  spinning  wheel,  with  a  smaller 
one  by  its  side ;  in  another  the  pine  table,  around  which  the  family 
gathered  to  partake  of  their  plain  food ;  over  the  door  hung  the 
ever  trustful  rifle  and  powder-horn ;  while  around  the  room  were 
scattered  a  few  splint-bottomed  chairs  and  three-legged  stools ;  a 
rude  cupboard  holding  the  table  ware,  which  consisted  of  a  few 
cups  and  saucers  and  blue-edged  plates,  standing  singly  on  their 
edges  against  the  back,  to  make  the  display  of  table  furniture  more 
conspicuous. 

These  simple  cabins  were  inhabited  by  a  kind  and  true-hearted 
people.  They  were  strangers  to  mock  modesty,  and  the  traveler, 
seeking  lodgings  for  the  night  or  desirous  of  spending  a  few  days  in 
the  community,  if  willing  to  accept  the  rude  offering,  was  always 
welcome,  although  how  they  were  disposed  of  at  night  the  reader 
may  not  easily  imagine ;  for,  as  described,  a  single  room  was  made  to 
serve  the  purpose  of  kitchen,  dining-room,  sitting-room,  bed-room, 
and  parlor,  and  many  families  consisted  of  six  or  eight  members. 

SELECTION  OF  HOMES. 

For  a  great  many  years  but  few  thought  it  advisable  to  attempt 
farming  in  the  prairie.  To  many  of  them  the  cultivation  of  the 
prairies  was  an  untried  experiment  and  it  was  the  prevailing  opinion 
that  the  timber  would  soon  become  very  scarce,  a  fear  soon  proven 
to  be  without  foundation.     Another  obstacle  that  was  in  the  way  for 


^. 


C-^^-'-'z-' 


DILLON  TP 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  323 

a  great  many  years  was  that  no  plows  suitable  for  breaking  the 
prairie  land  could  be  had.  The  sod  was  very  much  tougher  then 
than  it  was  in  after  years  when  the  stock  had  pastured  the  prairies 
and  killed  out  the  grass  to  some  extent.  It  would  be  astonishing 
to  the  younger  residents  to  see  the  immense  crops  of  prairie  grass 
that  grew  upon  the  fields  which  are  to  day  in  such  a  high  state  of 
cultivation.  It  grew  in  places  six  to  twelve  feet  high.  It  was 
these  immense  crops  of  grass  that  furnished  the  fuel  for  the  terrible 
fires  that  swept  over  the  prairies  during  the  fall.  Then,  again,  there 
was  so  much  of  the  prairie  land  that  was  considered  too  wet  to  be 
ever  suitable  for  cultivation.  Many  of  the  older  settlers  now  liv- 
ing well  remember  when  farms  that  are  now  in  the  highest  state  of 
cultivation  were  a  vast  swamp.  There  was  another  drawback  in  the 
settlement  of  the  prairies,  and  that  was  the  great  labor  and  cost  of 
fencing.  But  the  principal  reasons  for  locating  in  the  timber  was 
that  many  of  their  cabins  were  poor,  half-finished  affairs,  and  pro- 
tection from  the  driving  storms  was  absolutely  required.  The 
timber  also  sheltered  stock  until  such  times  as  sheds  and  out 
buildings  could  be  erected.  That  the  time  should  soon  come  when 
intelligent,  enterprising  farmers  would  see  that  their  interest  lay  in 
improving  prairie  farms,  and  cease  clearing  fields,  when  there  were 
boundless  acres  presenting  no  obstacle  to  the  most  perfect  cultiva- 
tion, argues  nothing  in  the  policy  of  sheltering  for  a  time  in  the 
woods.  In  regard  to  the  pioneers  settling  along  the  timber,  we 
often  hear  remarks  made  as  though  the  selection  of  such  locations 
implied  a  lack  of  judgment.  Those  who  are  disposed  to  treat  it  in 
that  manner  are  asked  to  consider  carefully  the  above  facts,  when 
they  will  conclude  such  selection  argued  in  their  favor. 

Clearing  of  timber  land  was  attended  with  much  hard  labor. 
The  underbrush  was  grubbed  up,  piled  into  heaps  and  burned.  The 
large  trees  were  in  many  cases  left  standing,  and  deadened  by  gird- 
ling. This  was  done  by  cutting  through  the  bark  into  the  wood, 
generally  through  the  "  sap,"  all  around  the  trunk. 

MILLING. 

Not  the  least  of  the  hardships  of  the  pioneers  was  the  procuring 
of  bread.  The  first  settlers  must  be  supplied  at  least  one  year  from 
other  sources  than  their  own  lands.  But  the  first  crops,  however 
abundant,  gave  only  partial  relief,  there  being  no  mills  to  grind  the 
grain.  Hence  the  necessity  of  grinding  by  hand  power,  and  many 
21 


324  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

families  were  poorly  provided  with  means  for  doing  this.  Another 
way  was  to  grate  the  corn.  A  grater  was  made  from  a  piece  of  tin, 
sometimes  taken  from  an  old  worn-out  tin  bucket  or  other  vessel. 
It  was  thickly  perforated,  bent  into  a  semi-circular  form,  and  nailed, 
rough  side  upwards,  on  a  board.  The  corn  was  taken  in  the  ear  and 
grated  before  it  got  dry  and  hard.  Corn,  however,  was  eaten  in. 
various  ways. 

Soon  after  the  country  became  more  generally  settled,  enterprising 
men  were  ready  to  embark  in  the  milling  business.  Sites  along  the 
streams  were  selected  for  water-power.  A  person  looking  for  a  mill- 
site  would  follow  up  and  down  the  stream  for  a  desired  location,  and 
when  found  he  would  go  before  the  County  Commissioners  and  se- 
cure a  writ  of  ad  quod  damnum.  This  would  enable  the  miller  to 
have  the  adjoining  land  officially  examined,  and  the  amount  of  dam- 
age by  making  a  dam  was  named.  Mills  being  such  a  great  public 
necessity,  they  were  permitted  to  be  located  upon  any  person's  land 
if  the  miller  thought  the  site  desirable. 

A  horse-mill  was  built  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  1,  Sand 
Prairie  township,  in  1830-1,  by  Elisha  Perkins.  People  for  many 
miles  away  came  to  this  mill,  but  its  capacity  was  small.  During 
the  Black  Hawk  war  John  Essex  and  others  came  from  the  extreme 
northern  part  of  Knox  county  to  this  mill  to  have  their  grain 
ground.  During  these  perilous  times  a  fort  was  began  at  this  mill. 
It  was  intended  to  enclose  it  with  a  heavy  palisade  so  that  the  set- 
tlers would  not  be  cut  oiF  from  food,  and  also  to  jn-otect  the  people. 
But  the  fort  was  never  fully  completed.  The  puncheons  of  which 
it  was  made  remained  in  position  for  several  years  afterward. 

Mrs.  Parmelia  Brown,  widow  of  Rev.  William  Brown,  the  i^ioneer 
preacher,  tells  us  that  during  the  winter  of  the  deep  snow  they,  as 
well  as  many  others,  had  to  pound  their  corn  in  a  mortar. 

NATIVE   ANIMALS. 

The  wild  animals  infesting  this  county  at  the  time  of  its  settle- 
ment, were  the  deer,  wolf,  bear,  wild-cat,  fox,  otter,  raccoon,  wood- 
chuck  or  ground-hog,  skunk,  mink,  weasel,  muskrat,  opossum,  rab- 
bit, and  squirrel ;  and  the  principal  feathered  game  were  the  quail, 
prairie-chicken,  and  wild  turkey.  Several  of  these  animals  furnished 
meat  for  the  early  settlers ;  but  their  principal  meat  did  not  consist 
long  of  game.  Pork  and  poultry  were  soon  raised  in  abundance. 
The  wolf  was  the  most  troublesome  animal,  it  being  the  common 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  325 

enemy  of  the  sheep.  It  was  quite  difficult  to  protect  the  sheep  from 
their  ravages.  Sometimes  pigs  and  calves  were  also  victims  of  the 
wolf.  Their  howling  in  the  night  would  often  keep  families  awake, 
and  set  all  the  dogs  in  the  neighborhood  to  barking.  Their  yells 
often  were  terrific.  Says  one  old  settler :  "  Suppose  six  boys,  having 
six  dogs  tied,  whipped  them  all  at  the  same  time,  and  you  would 
hear  such  music  as  two  wolves  would  make."  To  effect  the  destruc- 
tion of  these  animals  the  county  authorities  offered  a  bounty  for  their 
scalps  and  besides  big  hunts  were  inaugurated  for  their  destruction, 
and  "  wolf  hunts  "  are  prominent  among  the  memories  of  the  early 
settlers.  Such  events  were  generally  turned  into  a  holiday,  and 
everybody  that  could  ride  a  nag  or  stand  the  tramp  on  foot  joined  in 
the  deadly  pursuit.  A  large  circuit  was  generally  made  by  the 
hunters,  who  then  closed  in  on  every  side,  driving  the  hungry  wolves 
into  the  center  of  the  corral,  where  they  were  despatched.  The 
return  home  with  the  carcasses  was  the  signal  for  a  general  turn-out, 
and  these  "  pleasure  parties  "  are  still  referred  to  by  old  citizens  as 
among  the  pleasantest  memories  of  early  life  in  Tazewell  county. 
Many  a  hungry  wolf  has  been  run  down  on  the  prairies  where  now  is 
located  a  town  or  fine  farm  residence.  This  rare  old  pastime,  like 
much  of  the  early  hunting  and  fishing  the  pioneers  indulged  in  here, 
departed  at  the  appearance  of  the  locomotive. 

Mr.  J.  Mooberry,  his  friend,  Mr,  Hudson,  from  Ohio,  and  a 
number  of  young  men  of  Groveland,  started  on  a  wolf  hunt  one 
day  many  years  ago.  The  young  fellows  were  careful  to  take  the 
best  and  fleetest  horses,  leaving,  as  they  laughingly  said,  "  the  plugs 
for  the  old  men."  A  wolf  was  soon  found  and  chase  given.  After 
running  a  long  distance  it  went  through  a  herd  of  horses.  This 
checked  all  the  dogs  save  two,  Avhich  followed  it.  It  ran  directly 
toward  the  two  "old  men,"  and  plunged  into  the  thick,  tall  grass  of 
a  slough ;  but  soon  the  dogs  came  up  and  jumped  upon  the  fatigued 
animal.  Before  the  dogs  killed  it,  however,  the  men  jumped  from 
their  horses,  muzzled  the  wolf  and  secured  it  alive.  Mr.  Mooberry 
took  it  upon  his  horse  in  front  of  himself.  Soon  the  laugh  was  on 
the  "  boys,"  as  the  old  men  had  captured  the  game. 

Kezer  Hancock,  an  early  settler  and  quite  a  noted  hunter,  was 
out  hunting  in  Groveland  township  in  the  year  1839,  when  he  sent 
his  very  large  bull-dog  after  a  panther.  He  followed  it  until  it 
gave  a  terrible  yawl,  when  the  dog  hastily  retreated  to  his  master, 
and  would  not  leave  him  again  while  in  the  woods.     The  wily  pan- 


326  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

ther  kept  apace  with  them,  and  only  about  fifteen  feet  away  all 
through  the  timber.  It  was  doubtless  the  jiresence  of  the  dog 
that  kept  the  panther  at  bay  and  enabled  Mr.  Hancock  to  escape. 

Mr.  Hancock  has  killed  as  many  as  23  deer  within  three  weeks' 
time.  At  one  time  while  out  hunting  without  a  dog,  he  shot  a  large 
buck  deer,  causing  him  to  fall.  On  attempting  to  rise  Mr.  Han- 
cock siezed  him  by  the  hind  leg,  and  with  his  hunting  knife 
struggled  Avith  him  for  about  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  gashing  his 
body,  until  finally,  he  succeeded  in  thrusting  his  knife  to  the  heart. 
Often  has  Mrs.  Hancock  chased  the  wolves  from  her  door-yard  to 
save  her  chickens.  Once  a  wolf  caught  a  big  sheep  by  his  tail,  and 
pulled  him  back  as  he  attempted  to  jump  the  fence,  but  Mrs.  Han- 
cock frightened  the  wolf  away  and  saved  her  sheep. 

Louis  White,  of  Spring  Lake,  in  relating  to  us  a  number  of  inci- 
dents of  early  times  in  Tazewell,  tells  of  a  scare  he  received  by 
being  lost  on  the  prairie,  and  being  surrounded  by  the  pesky 
wolves.  While  the  wolves  were  not  generally  dangerous  to  persons, 
yet  they  would  occasionally  attack  them,  and  especially  after  night. 
Mr.  White  had  been  at  the  carding-mill  in  Dillonville  to  have  some 
wool  carded  for  home  use.  He  returned  by  way  of  Tremont  and 
Pekin,  and  it  was  well  after  dark  when  he  passed  through  Pekiu. 
He  had  a  very  trusty  pair  of  horses,  and  after  getting  a  good  start 
on  the  road,  as  he  often  did  he  tied  the  lines  around  his  body  and 
lay  down  in  the  wagon  for  a  nap.  He  was  awakened,  after  going 
he  knew  not  how  far,  by  the  yelping  and  howling  of  the  wolves 
which  were  following  him.  It  was  pitch  dark,  and  the  horses  were 
greatly  excited.  He  could  not  induce  them  to  go  as  he  wished. 
They  wanted  to  go  one  way  and  he  another.  He  got  out  of  the 
wagon  and  found  he  was  off  the  road,  and  in  reality  lost  on  the 
prairie  with  packs  of  ravenous  wolves  howling  on  every  side.  Un- 
fortunately he  had  no  fire-arms  to  defend  himself  against  their  attack. 
He  became  alarmed  at  the  unpleasant,  yes,  dangerous,  situation  he 
was  in.  Who  would  not  ?  Finally  he  thought  he  would  let  his 
horses  go  where  they  would  and  trust  to  them  and  Providence  for 
his  safety.  After  going  a  little  ways  they  again  stopped,  and  he 
could  not  possibly  urge  them  further.  Here  was  a  dilemma  worse 
than  the  first, —  in  the  midst  of  the  prairie,  pitch  dark,  with  wolves 
all  around  to  eat  him,  and  his  trusty  animals  unwilling  to  move. 
At  last  he  ventured  to  get  out  of  his  wagon  to  examine  and  dis- 
cover, if  he  could,  what  prevented  his  horses  from  going,  and  to  his 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  327 

utmost  surprise  found  that  they  had  stopped  at  his  own  door-yard 
gate ! 

BEE-HUNTING. 

During  the  early  settlement  of  this  part  of  the  State,  one  of  the 
prevailing  customs  of  the  pioneers  was  "bee-hunting."  Often  a 
small  company  would  travel  many  miles  into  a  wild,  unsettled 
country,  in  search  of  the  sweet-flavored  honey  of  the  wild  bee. 
Large  trees,  containing  many  gallons,  and  often  a  barrel,  were  fre- 
quently found  by  bee-hunters.  The  little,  busy  bees  would  be 
carefully  watched  as  they  flew  heavily  laden  with  the  richest  extract 
of  the  flowers  that  were  purely  native  and  unknown  to  the  present 
generation.  They  always  took  a  "bee  line"  for  their  homes.  This 
was  a  correct  guide  to  the  sturdy  hunter,  who  had  studied  with  care 
the  ways  of  the  bee  and  by  their  knowledge  took  advantage  of  the 
little  insect.  Once  on  the  trail,  good  bee-hunters  were  almost  certain 
to  capture  the  rich  prize.  After  the  bee  tree  was  discovered  it  was 
no  trouble  to  get  possession  of  the  honey.  The  tree  was  felled,  and 
the  hunters  would  rush  for  their  booty  ere  it  was  lost  by  running 
out  upon  the  ground. 

MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 

We  copy  a  very  interesting  and  graphic  article  from  the  "  History 
of  Washington,"  by  John  W.  Dougherty,  upon  the  social  habits 
and  customs  of  the  people  of  this  community.     He  says : 

"  We  know  but  little  of  the  social  habits  of  the  people  in  those 
days,"  referring  to  the  time  the  first  settlers  came  to  the  county. 
"  Their  appreciation  of  education  is  shown  in  their  efforts  to  estab- 
lish schools,  temporary  at  first,  but  finally  perhianent.  Their  reli- 
gious zeal  is  shown  by  their  successful  efforts  in  establishing 
churches,  and  their  Christian  liberality  by  the  number  and  variety  of 
them.  Nor  are  we  informed  in  regard  to  the  amusements  indulged 
in  by  the  young  folks ;  but,  being  young  folks,  we  have  no  doubt 
they  found  many  ways  of  robbing  Old  Time  of  loneliness.  It 
would  be  unfair  to  suppose  them,  especially  the  ladies,  destitute  of 
fashonable  aspirations,  but  the  means  for  gaudy  display  were  very 
much  circumscribed  in  those  days.  The  male  attire  consisted  chiefly 
of  buckskin,  or  homespun  cloth, —  we  might  add  home-woven,  the 
loom  beiu":  far  more  common  in  or  near  their  rude  huts  than  the 
piano  or   organ.     They  were   not,  however,  destitute   of  musical 


328  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

taste,  and  many  of  their  vocal  performances  would  compare  favor- 
ably with  our  present  choirs.  We  may  safely  say  they  sang  with 
the  spirit.  Most  of  the  ladies,  also,  wore  homespun,  which  they 
manufactured  from  wool,  flax,  cotton,  and  the  bark  or  lint  of  the 
nettle,  colored  with  such  ingredients  as  nature  provided,  without  the 
aid  of  art.  A  few  even  adopted  buckskin.  How  many  yards  of 
the  latter  article  were  required  for  a  fashionable  dress  in  those 
times,  or  in  what  particular  style  they  were  cut  and  trimmed  we 
are  not  informed,  and  must  leave  the  ladies  to  draw  their  own  con- 
clusions. These  dresses  certainly  were  durable,  and  shielded  the 
wearer  in  out-door  exercises  incident  to  the  planting,  attending  and 
gathering  of  crops,  in  which  pursuit  the  ladies  in  all  new  countries 
assist. 

"  Another  of  the  prevailing  fashions  was  that  of  carrying  fire- 
arms, made  necessary  by  the  presence  in  the  neighborhood  of  roving 
bands  of  Indians,  most  of  whom  were  ostensibly  friendly,  but  like 
Indians  in  all  times,  treacherous  and  unreliable.  These  tribes  were 
principally  Pottawatomies.  There  were  also  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  State  several  tribes  of  hostile  Indians,  ready  at  any  time  to 
make  a  murderous,  thieving  raid  upon  the  white  settlers ;  and  an 
Indian  war  at  any  time  was  an  accepted  probability ;  and  these  old 
settlers  to-day  have  vivid  recollections  of  the  Black  Hawk  and  other 
Indian  wars.  And,  while  target  practice  was  much  indulged  in  as 
an  amusement,  it  was  also  necessary  for  a  proper  self-defense ;  the 
settlers  finding  it  necessary  at  times  to  carry  their  guns  with  them 
when  they  went  to  hoe  their  corn.  In  some  instances  their  guns 
were  stacked  in  the  field  and  the  laborers  worked  for  a  certain  dis- 
tance around  them,  and  then  moved  the  guns  to  a  certain  position 
and  again  proceeded  with  their  work. 

"  These  were  only  a  few  of  the  hardships  incident  to  pioneer  life, 
which  was  largely  made  up  of  privations,  inconveniences  and  dan- 
gers. They  had  few  labor-saving  machines  and  no  reliable  markets. 
Even  communication  by  letter  with  their  distant  friends  and  relatives 
was  rendered  difficult  for  want  of  proper  mail  facilities,  and  some- 
times for  the  want  of  money  to  pay  the  postage  on  the  letters  sent  to 
them, —  the  postage  then  being  twenty-five  cents  for  a  single  let- 
ter, many  of  which  remained  in  the  office  for  weeks  on  account  of 
the  inability  of  the  persons  addressed  to  pay  the  postage." 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  329 

PREACHING    OF    THE    GOSPEL. 

The  earlv  settlers  were  not  entirely  without  preaching.  Says  an 
old  pioneer  on  this  subject :  "  The  ministers  of  the  Gospel  of  the 
Savior  of  the  world  hunted  us  up  and  preached  to  what  few  there 
were ;  therefore  we  did  not  degenerate  and  turn  heathen,  as  any 
community  will  where  the  sound  of  the  gospel  is  never  heard.  I 
shall  not  give  their  names,  though  sacred  in  memory,  for  they  were 
not  after  the  fleece,  but  after  the  flock,  because  they  had  but  little 
to  say  about  science  and  philosophy,  but  spoke  of  purer  things." 

EDUCATION. 

Though  struggling  under  the  pressure  of  poverty  and  privation, 
the  early  settlers  planted  among  them  the  school-house  at  the  ear- 
liest practicable  period.  So  important  an  object  as  the  education  of 
their  children  they  did  not  defer  until  they  could  build  more  comely 
and  convenient  houses.  They  were  for  a  time  content  with  such  as 
corresponded  with  their  rude  dwellings,  but  soon  better  buildings  and 
accommodations  were  provided.  As  may  readily  be  supposed,  the 
accommodations  of  the  earliest  schools  were  not  good.  Sometimes 
school  was  taught  in  small  log  houses  erected  for  the  purpose.  Stoves 
and  such  heating  apparatus  as  are  now  in  use  were  unknown.  A 
mud-and-stick  chimney  in  one  end  of  the  building,  with  earthen 
hearth  and  fire-place  wide  and  deep  enough  to  take  in  a  four-foot 
back-log,  and  smaller  wood  to  match,  served  for  warming  purposes 
in  winter  and  a  kind  of  conservatory  in  summer.  For  windows, 
part  of  a  log  was  cut  out  in  either  side,  and  may  be  a  few  lights  of 
eight-by-ten  glass  set  in,  or  just  as  likely  as  not  the  aperture  would 
be  covered  over  with  greased  paper.  Writing  benches  were  made  of 
wide  planks,  or  likely  puncheons,  resting  on  pins  or  arms,  clriven 
into  two-inch  auger-holes,  bored  into  the  logs  beneath  the  windows. 
Seats  were  made  out  of  puncheons,  and  flooring  of  the  same  material. 
Everything  was  rude  and  plain;  but  many  of  America's  greatest 
men  have  gone  out  from  just  such  school-houses  to  grapple  with  the 
world  and  make  names  for  themselves,  and  have  come  to  be  an  honor 
to  their  country.  Among  these  we  can  name  Abraham  Lincoln,  our 
martyred  President,  one  of  the  noblest  men  ever  known  to  the  world's 
history.  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  one  of  the  greatest  statesmen  of  the 
age,  began  liis  career  in  Illinois  teaching  in  one  of  these  primitive 
school-houses. 

But  all  these  things  are  changed  now.     We  no  longer  see  the  log 


330  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

school-house.  Their  places  are  filled  with  handsome  frame  or  brick 
structures,  which  for  elegance  and  beauty  of  design,  rival  those  of 
older  settled  countries ;  and  in  place  of  the  "  masters, "  who  were 
"  looked  up  to  "  as  superior  beings,  and  were  consulted  on  all  matters 
of  law,  physic  and  religion,  there  are  teachers  of  liberal  culture,  in- 
telligent and  progressive,  many  of  whom  have  a  broad  and  compre- 
hensive idea  of  education,  and  regard  their  labor  as  something  more 
than  teaching  merely  in  order  to  make  a  living — more  than  a  knowl- 
edge of  a  great  number  of  facts  in  the  universe  of  mind  and  matter. 
It  means  culture,  the  educating,  developing  and  disciplining  of  all 
the  faculties  of  the  human  mind.  It  is  the  comprehension  of  the 
entire  being  of  man ;  and  the  school  or  teacher  who  takes  charge  and 
care  of  the  young  should  provide  the  means  and  methods  for  carry- 
ing forward  the  process  in  all  departments  of  their  complex  natures, ' 
physical,  mental  and  spiritual. 

MARKETS. 

The  earliest  settlers  of  the  county  went  to  St.  Louis  with  what 
little  produce  they  had  to  sell  and  the  merchants  bought  all  their 
goods  in  that  city.  Soon,  however,  Peoria  and  Pekin  became  mar- 
kets, and  produce  was  wagoned  to  those  cities  and  from  there  sent 
south  on  the  river.  There  was  at  that  time  no  sale  for  corn,  or  com- 
paratively none,  and  wheat  would  bring  only  a  small  price ;  so  that 
really  there  was  no  impetus  given  to  the  raising  of  grain  of  any  sort, 
except  for  home  consumption,  until  the  advent  of  the  railroad.  At 
that  time  improvement  began.  The  great  resources  of  the  county 
which  had  scarcely  supplied  more  than  home  demand,  were  then 
turned  to  supply  the  wants  of  thousands.  That  occasion,  the  advent 
of  railroads,  was  the  commencement  of  agricultural  development. 
It  was  the  commencement  of  the  manufacturing  institutions  the 
county  can  now  boast  of;  it  was  the  building  of  her  thriving  cities 
and  towns, —  indeed  it  was  the  beginning  of  progress. 

The  people  of  this  county  experienced  considerable  trouble  getting 
to  Peoria  before  the  construction  of  the  bridge  across  the  Illinois. 
It  consumed  so  much  time  to  cross  on  the  slow-going  ferry,  especially 
when  there  was  a  "  big  day "  at  that  place,  or  when  the  river  was 
high.  To  the  settlers  who  lived  on  this  side  of  the  river  the  Peoria 
merchants  offered  inducements  by  paying  their  toll  across  and  back 
if  they  would  trade  to  the  amount  of  one  dollar.  The  pork-buyers 
would  also  pay  the  ferriage  of  those  who  would  bring  them  pork, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  331 

and  besides  give  them  dinner  and  feed  their  team.  This  induced 
many  to  go  there  in  preference  to  Pekin. 

In  those  early  days  large  crops  of  all  kinds  of  grain  could  be 
raised,  but  the  prices  were  exceedingly  low.  Dressed  hogs  would 
bring  $1.10  per  hundred  pounds,  while  wheat  would  bring  25  cents 
per  bushel.  At  present,  when  hogs  are  considered  very  low,  they 
are  worth  alive  ^3.50  per  hundred,  and  wheat  95  cents  per  bushel. 

C.  R.  Crandall  tells  us  he  sent  a  load  of  grain  to  Chicago  to  ex- 
change for  shingles  to  cover  his  first  house  with.  Indeed,  many  of 
the  early  settlers  hauled  their  produce  to  that  city. 

"  When  the  first  settlers  came  to  the  wilderness, "  says  an  old  set- 
tler, "they  all  supposed  that  their  hard  struggle  would  be  princi- 
pally over  after  the  first  year ;  but  alas !  we  looked  for  '  easier  times 
next  year'  for  about  ten  years,  and  learned  to  bear  hardships,  priva- 
tion and  hard  living  as  good  soldiers  do.  As  the  facilities  for  mak- 
ing money  were  riot  great,  we  lived  pretty  well  satisfied  in  an  atmos- 
phere of  good,  social,  friendly  feeling,  and  thought  ourselves  as  good 
as  those  we  left  behind  when  we  emigrated  West." 

CHILLS  AND  FEVER. 

One  of  the  greatest  obstacles,  and  one  which  wielded  a  very 
potent  influence  in  retarding  the  early  settlement  of  this  county, 
was  the  "chills  and  fever,"  or  the  "ague,"  or  the  "Illinois  shakes," 
as  it  was  variously  styled.  This  disease  was  a  terror  to  new  comers. 
In  the  fall  of  the  year  everybody  was  afflicted  with  it.  It  was  no 
respecter  of  persons ;  everybody  shook  with  it,  and  it  was  in  every 
person's  system.  They  all  looked  pale  and  yellow  as  though  they 
were  frostbitten.  It  was  not  contagious,  but  was  a  kind  of  miasma 
that  floated  around  in  the  atmosphere  and  was  absorbed  into  the 
system.  It  continued  to  be  absorbed  from  day  to  day,  and  week  to 
week,  until  the  whole  body  corporate  became  charged  with  it  as 
with  electricity,  and  then  the  shock  came ;  and  the  shock  ^v  as  a 
regular  shake,  with  a  fixed  beginning  and  an  ending,  coming  on  each 
day,  or  each  alternate  day,  with  a  regularity  that  was  surprising. 
After  the  shake  came  the  fever,  and  this  "  last  estate  was  worse  than 
the  first."  It  was  a  burning  hot  fever  and  lasted  for  hours.  When 
you  had  the  chill  you  couldn't  get  warm,  and  when  you  had  the 
fever  you  couldn't  get  cool.  It  was  exceedingly  awkward  in  this 
respect,  indeed  it  was.  It  would  not  stop,  either,  for  any  sort  of 
contingency.     Not  even  a  wedding  in  the  family  would  stop  it.     It 


332  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

was  imperative  and  tyranincal.  When  the  appointed  time  came 
around  everthing  else  had  to  be  stopped  to  attend  to  its  demands. 
It  didn't  even  have  any  Sundays  or  holidays.  After  the  fever  went 
down  you  still  didn't  feel  much  better.  You  felt  as  though  you 
had  gone  through  some  sort  of  collision  and  came  out  not  killed 
but  badly  demoralized.  You  felt  weak,  as  though  you  had  run  too 
far  after  something,  and  then  didn't  catch  it.  You  felt  languid, 
stupid  and  sore,  and  was  down  in  the  mouth  and  heel  and  partially 
raveled  out,  so  to  speak.  Your  back  was  out  of  fix  and  your 
appetite  was  in  a  worse  condition  than  your  back.  Your  head  ached 
and  your  eyes  had  more  white  in  them  than  usual,  and  altogether 
you  felt  poor,  disconsolate  and  sad.  You  didn't  think  much  of  your- 
self, and  didn't  believe  othfer  people  did  either,  and  you  didn't  care. 
You  didn't  think  much  of  suicide,  but  at  the  same  time  you  almost 
made  up  your  mind  that  under  certain  circumstances  it  was  justifi- 
able. You  imagined  that  even  the  dogs  looked  at  you  with  a  kind 
of  self-complacency.  You  thought  the  sun  had  a  kind  of  sickly 
shine  about  it.  About  this  time  you  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
you  would  not  accept  the  whole  State  of  Illinois  as  a  gift,  and 
if  you  had  the  strength  and  means,  picked  up  Hannah  and  the  baby 
and  your  traps,  and  went  back  "yander"  to  Injianny,  Ohio,  or  old 
Kaintuck. 

"And  to-day  the  swallows  flitting 

Round  my  cabin  see  me  sitting 

Moodily  within  the  sunshine, 
Just  inside  my  silent  door — 

"Waiting  for  the  "ager,"  seeming 

Like  a  man  forever  dreaming; 

And  the  sunlight  on  me  streaming 
Throws  no  shadow  on  the  floor  — 

For  I  am  too  thin  and  sallow 

To  make  shadows  on  the  floor — 
Nary  shadow  any  more!  " 

The  above  is  no  picture  of  the  imagination.  It  is  simply  recount- 
ing what  occurred  in  hundreds  of  instances.  Whole  families  would 
some  time  be  sick  at  one  time,  and  not  one  member  scarcely  able  to 
wait  upon  another.  One  widow  lady  at  Pekin  informs  us  she  lost 
nine  children  from  this  dreaded  disease  ! 

COOKING. 

To  witness  the  various  processes  of  cooking  in  those  days  would 
alike  surprise  and  amuse  those  who  have  grown  n^  since  cooking 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  333 

stoves  and  ranges  came  into  use.  Kettles  were  hung  over  the  large 
fire,  suspended  on  trammels  which  were  held  by  strong  poles.  The 
long-handled  frying-pan  was  used  for  cooking  meat.  It  was  held  on 
the  fire  by  hand  ;  or,  to  save  time,  the  handle  was  laid  across  the  back 
of  a  chair.  This  pan  was  also  used  for  baking  short-cake.  A  better 
article  was  a  cast-iron  spider,  which  was  set  upon  coals  on  the  hearth. 
But  the  best  thing  for  baking  bread  was  the  flat-bottomed  bake- 
kettle  of  greater  depth,  with  closely  fitting  cast-iron  cover,  and 
commonly  known  as  "  Dutch  oven."  With  coals  over  and  under  it 
bread  and  biscuit  would  quickly  and  nicely  bake.  Turkeys  and 
spare-ribs  were  sometimes  roasted  before  the  fire,  suspended  by  a 
string,  a  dish  being  placed  underneath  to  catch  the  drippings. 

IMPLEMENTS. 

The  agricultural  implements  used  by  the  first  farmer  here  would 
in  this  age  of  im})r()vement  be  great  curiosities.  The  plow  used 
was  called  the  bar-share  plow.  The  iron  point  consisted  of  a  bar  of 
iron  about  two  feet  long,  and  a  broad  shear  of  iron  welded  to  it.  At 
the  extreme  point  was  a  coulter  that  passed  through  a  beam  six  or 
seven  feet  long,  to  which  were  attached  handles  of  corresponding 
length.  The  mold-board  was  a  wooden  one  split  out  of  winding 
timber,  or  hewed  into  a  winding  shape  in  order  to  turn  the  soil  over. 
Sown  seed  was  brushed  in  by  a  sapling  with  a  bushy  top  being 
dragged  over  the  ground.  In  harvesting  the  change  is  most  strik- 
ing. Instead  of  the  reapers  and  mowers  of  to-day,  the  sickle  and 
cradle  were  used.  The  grain  was  threshed  with  a  flail,  or  trodden 
out  by  horses  or  oxen. 

women's  work. 

The  men  were  not  called  upon  to  endure  alone  all  the  hardships 
and  labor  of  frontier  life.  The  women  also  had  their  physical  labor 
to  perfi)rm,  and  much  of  it  was  quite  arduous.  Spinning  was  one 
of  the  common  household  duties.  This  exercise  is  one  which  few  of 
the  present  generation  of  girls  have  ever  enjoyed.  The  wheel  used 
for  spinning  flax  was  called  the  "little  wheel,"  to  distinguish  it 
from  the  "big  wheel"  used  for  s])inning  yarn.  These  stringed  in- 
struments furnished  the  principal  music  of  the  family,  and  were 
operated  by  our  mothers  and  grandmothers  with  great  skill,  attained 
without  pecuniary  expense,  and  with  far  less  practice  than  is  neces- 
sary for  the  girls  of  our  period  to  acquire  a  skillful  use  of  their 
costly  and  elegant  instruments. 


334  ErtSTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

The  loom  was  not  less  necessary  than  the  wheel.  Not  every 
house,  however,  in  which  spinning  was  done  had  a  loom ;  but  there 
were  always  some  in  each  settlement  who,  besides  doing  their  own 
weaving,  did  some  for  others.  Settlers,  having  succeeded  in  spite 
of  the  wolves  in  raising  sheep,  commenced  the  manufacture  of 
woolen  cloth ;  wool  was  carded  and  made  into  rolls  by  hand-cords, 
and  the  rolls  were  spun  on  the  "big  wheel."  We  occasionally  find 
now,  in  the  houses  of  the  old  settlers,  one  of  these  big  wheels,  some- 
times used  for  spinning  and  twisting  stocking  yarn.  They  are 
turned  with  the  hand,  and  with  such  velocity  that  it  will  run  itself 
while  the  nimble  worker,  by  her  backward  step,  draws  out  and 
twists  her  thread  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  cabin.  A  common 
article  woven  on  the  loom  was  linsey,  also  called  linsey-woolsey,  the 
chain  being  linen  and  the  filling  woolen.  This  cloth  was  used  for 
dresses  for  the  girls  and  mothers.  Nearly  all  the  clothes  worn  by 
the  men  were  also  home-made.  Rarely  was  a  farmer  or  his  son  seen 
in  a  coat  made  of  any  other.  If,  occasionally,  a  young  man 
appeared  in  a  suit  of  "  boughten  "  clothes,  he  was  suspected  of  hav- 
ing gotten  it  for  a  particular  occasion,  which  occurs  in  the  life  of 
nearly  every  man. 

Not  until  the  settlers  had  supplied  themselves  with  the  more  use- 
ful articles  of  clothing  and  with  edibles  of  various  kinds,  did  wheat 
bread  become  a  common  article  of  food.  It  is  true  they  had  it 
earlier,  but  this  was  only  served  on  extra  occasions,  as  when  visitors 
came,  or  on  Sundays ;  and  with  this  luxury  they  would  have  a  little 
"  store  coffee."  "  The  little  brown  jug"  found  a  place  in  almost  every 
home,  and  was  often  brought  into  use.  No  caller  was  permitted  to 
leave  the  house  without  an  invitation  to  partake  of  its  contents. 

PLEASURES  OF  PIONEER  LIFE. 

The  history  of  pioneer  life  generally  presents  the  dark  side  of  the 
picture ;  but  the  toils  and  privations  of  the  early  settlers  were  not  a 
series  of  unmitigated  sufferings.  No ;  for  while  the  fathers  and 
mothers  toiled  hard,  they  were  not  averse  to  a  little  relaxation,  and 
had  their  seasons  of  fun  and  enjoyment.  They  contrived  to  do 
something  to  break  the  monotony  of  their  daily  life  and  furnish 
them  a  good,  hearty  laugh.  Among  the  more  general  forms  of 
amusements  were  the  " quilting-bee,"  "corn-husking,"  and  the 
"apple-paring,"  and  in  timbered  sections,  " log-rolling"  and  "house- 
raising."     Our   young   readers  will  doubtless    be  interested   in   a 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  335 

description  of  these  forms  of  amusement,  when  kibor  was  made  to 
afibrd  fun  and  enjoyment  to  all  participating.  The  "quilting-bee," 
as  its  name  implies,  was  when  the  industrious  qualities  of  the  busy, 
little  insect  that  "improves  each  shining  hour"  were  exemplified  in 
the  manufacture  of  quilts  for  the  household.  In  the  afternoon 
ladies  for  miles  around  gathered  at  an  appointed  place,  and  while 
their  tongues  would  not  cease  to  play,  their  hands  were  as  busily 
engaged  in  making  the  quilt ;  and  desire  was  always  manifested  to 
get  it  out  as  quickly  as  possible,  for  then  the  fun  would  begin.  In 
the  evening  the  gentlemen  came,  and  the  hours  would  then  pass 
swiftly  by  in  playing  games  or  dancing.  "  Corn-huskings "  were 
when  both  sexes  united  in  the  work.  They  usually  assembled  in  a 
large  barn,  which  was  arranged  for  the  occasion ;  and  when  each 
gentleman  had  selected  a  lady  partner  the  husking  began.  When  a 
lady  found  a  red  ear  she  was  entitled  to  a  kiss  from  every  gentleman 
present ;  when  a  gentleman  found  one  he  was  allowed  to  kiss  every 
lady  present.  After  the  corn  was  all  husked  a  good  supper  was 
served ;  then  the  "  old  folks  "  would  leave,  and  the  remainder  of  the 
evening  was  spent  in  the  dance  and  in  having  a  general  good  time. 
The  recreation  aiforded  to  the  young  people  on  the  annual  recurrence 
of  these  festive  occasions  was  as  highly  enjoyed,  and  quite  as  inno- 
cent, as  the  amusements  of  the  present  boasted  age  of  refinement 
and  culture. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  REBELLION. 
FIRST    INDICATIONS    OF    THE    WAR. 

THE  brightest  pages  of  the  history  of  this  county  are  those 
which  record  the  acts  of  love  and  devotion  to  the  Union  of  her 
people  —  the  sacrifices  made  during  the  dark  and  trying  days  of  the 
Rebellion.  Well  may  the  people  of  Tazewell  county  be  proud  of 
the  record  thev  made  both  at  home  and  in  the  field  during  the  war 
traitors  inaguratcd  against  the  Union.  It  reflects  honor  upon  their 
heads,  and  as  future  generations  look  back  through  history  they  will 
bless  their  names  for  so  strenuously  ujjholding  the  best  government 
ever  instituted  by  man. 

When,  in  1861,  the  war  was  forced  upon  the  country,  the  people 
were  quietly  pursuing  the  even  tenor  of  their  ways,  doing  whatever 
their  hands  found  to  do  —  working  the  mines,  making  farms  or  culti- 
vating those  already  made,  erecting  homes,  founding  cities  and  towns, 
building  shops  and  manufactories  —  in  short,  the  country  was  alive 
with  industry  and  hopes  for  the  future.  The  people  were  just  recov- 
ering from  the  depression  and  losses  incident  to  the  financial  panic 
of  1857.  The  future  looked  bright  and  promising,  and  the  indus- 
trious and  patriotic  sons  and  daughters  of  the  North  were  buoyant 
with  hope,  looking  forward  for  the  perfecting  of  new  plans  for  the 
insurement  of  comfort  and  competence  in  their  declining  years. 
They  little  heeded  the  mutterings  and  threatenings  being  wafted 
from  the  South.  They  never  dreamed  that  there  was  one  so  base  as 
to  attempt  the  destruction  of  the  Union  their  fathers  had  purchased 
for  them  with  their  life-blood.  While  thus  surrounded  with  peace 
and  tranquility  they  paid  but  little  attention  to  the  rumored  plots 
and  plans  of  those  who  lived  and  grew  rich  from  the  sweat  and  toil, 
blood  and  flesh,  of  others. 

The  war  clouds  grew  darker  and  still  darker,  the  thunders  of 
treason  grew  louder  and  louder  until  April  12,  1861,  when  the  fear- 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  337 

fill  storm  burst  upon  the  country  and  convulsed  a  continent  with  its 
attendant  horrors. 

On  that  day,  the  rebels,  who  for  weeks  had  been  erecting  their 
batteries  upon  the  shore,  after  demanding  of  Major  Anderson  a 
surrender,  opened  fire  upon  Fort  Sumter.  For  hours  an  incessant 
cannonading  was  continued ;  the  fort  was  being  injured  severely ; 
provisions  were  almost  gone,  and  Major  Anderson  was  compelled 
to  haul  down  the  stars  and  stripes, — that  dear  old  flag  which  had 
seldom  been  lowered  to  a  foreign  foe :  by  rebel  hands  it  was  now 
trailed  in  the  dust.  How  the  blood  of  patriotic  men  of  the  North 
boiled  when  on  the  following  day  the  news  was  flashed  along 
the  telegraph  wires  that  Major  Anderson  had  been  forced  to  surren- 
der! And  nowhere  was  greater  indignation  manifested  than  in 
Tazewell  county. 

THE    FIRST    CALL    FOR    TROOPS. 

Immediately  upon  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter,  Abraham  Lin- 
coln, America's  martyr  President, — who  but  a  few  short  weeks  before 
had  taken  the  oath  of  office  as  the  nation's  chief  executive, — issued 
a  proclamation  calling  for  75,000  volunteers  for  three  months.  The 
last  word  of  that  proclamation  had  scarcely  been  taken  from  the  elec- 
tric wires  before  the  call  was  filled,  men  and  money  were  counted  out 
by  hundreds  and  thousands :  the  people  who  loved  their  whole  gov- 
ernment could  not  give  enough.  Patriotism  thrilled  and  vibrated 
and  pulsated  through  every  heart.  The  farm,  the  workshop,  the 
office,  the  pulpit,  the  bar,  the  bench,  the  college,  the  school-house, 
— every  calling  offered  its  best  men,  their  lives  and  fortunes,  in  de- 
fense of  the  Government's  honor  and  unity.  Bitter  words  spoken 
in  moments  of  political  heat  were  forgotten  and  forgiven,  and,  join- 
ing hands  in  a  common  cause,  they  repeated  the  oath  of  America's 
soldier  statesman  :  "  By  the  Great  Eternal,  the  Union  must  and  shall 
be  preserved." 

Seventy-five  thousand  men  were  not  enough  to  subdue  the  rebel- 
lion ;  nor  were  ten  times  that  number.  The  war  went  on,  and  call 
followed  call,  until  it  began  to  look  as  if  there  would  not  be  men 
enough  in  all  the  Free  States  to  crush  out  and  subdue  the  monstrous 
war  traitors  had  inaugurated.  But  to  every  call  for  either  men  or 
money  there  was  a  willing  and  ready  response.  And  it  is  a  boast  of 
the  people  that,  had  the  supply  of  men  fallen  short,  there  were 
women   brave   enough,  daring  enough,  patriotic   enough,  to  have 


338  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

offered  themselves  as  sacrifices  on  their  country's  altar.  Such  were 
the  impulses,  motives  and  actions  of  the  patriotic  men  of  the  North, 
among  whom  the  sons  of  Tazewell  made  a  conspicuous  and  praise- 
worthy record. 

The  readiness  with  which  the  first  call  was  filled,  together  with 
the  embarassments  that  surrounded  President  Lincoln  in  the  absence 
of  sufficient  law  to  authorize  him  to  meet  the  unexpected  emergency, 
together  with  an  under  estimate  of  the  magnitude  of  the  rebellion ; 
and  a  general  belief  that  the  war  would  not  last  more  than  three 
months,  checked  rather  than  encouraged  the  patiotic  ardor  of  the  peo- 
ple. But  very  few  of  the  men,  comparatively  speaking,  who  volun- 
teered in  response  to  President  Lincoln's  call  for  75,000  volunteers 
for  three  months,  were  accepted.  But  the  time  soon  came  when  there 
was  a  place  and  a  musket  for  every  man.  Call  followed  call  in  quick 
succession,  until  the  number  reached  the  grand  total  of  3,339,748. 
Of  this  vast  number  Tazewell  county  furnished  about  3,000. 

The  tocsin  of  war  was  sounded,  meetings  were  held  in  every  town- 
ship, village  and  city,  at  which  stirring  and  spirited  addresses  were 
made,  and  resolutions  adopted  admitting  of  but  one  interpretation, — 
that  of  unconditional  allegiance  and  undying  devotion  to  their  coun- 
try and  their  country's  flag;  that,  at  whatever  cost  of  blood  or 
treasure,  the  stars  and  stripes,  wherever  floating,  must  be  honored, 
and  the  supremacy  of  the  law  of  the  National  Union  sustained. 

VARIOUS    MEETINGS    HELD    IN    THE    COUNTY. 

On  the  17th,  only  two  days  after  the  proclamation  of  Gov.  Yates, 
a  large  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Pekin  was  held  at  the  court-house 
in  response  to  a  call  of  Mayor  Leonard.  It  was  a  prompt  and  en- 
thusiastic gathering  of  all  parties  and  animated  by  one  motive — that 
of  proving  their  loyalty  to  the  Government  and  their  willingness 
to  sustain  the  national  authorities  in  their  efibrts  to  preserve  the 
Union. 

Resolutions  strong  and  full  of  meaning  were  offered,  spirited 
addresses  delivered  interspersed  with  music  by  the  Pekin  brass  band 
and  soul  stirring  national  airs  of  a  martial  band.  As  better  show- 
ing the  state  of  the  feeling  of  the  people  in  general  we  give  ex- 
tracts from  resolutions  that  met  with  unanimous  approbation  at  this 
meeting.  J.  McDonald,  editor  of  the  Tazewell  Register,  offered  a 
lengthy  resolution  which  closed  as  follows : 

"  Resolved,  That  patriotism  prompts  a  ready  and  willing  resjjonse 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  339 

to  the  President's  call  for  men  and  means  to  aid  the  general  Govern- 
ment in  the  present  crisis ;  and  that  the  people  of  Tazewell  will  not 
prove  laggard  in  following  where  duty  points  the  way." 

B.  S.' Pretty  man  most  eloquently  and  patriotically  addressed  the 
meeting,  and  closed  by  offering  the  following  resolution : 

"  Resolved,  That  in  view  of  the  present  threatening  aspect  of  a  por- 
tion of  our  country  toward  the  general  Government,  it  is  the  duty 
of  all  men  who  owe  allegiance  to  the  nation,  to  offer  themselves,  and 
their  lives  and  their  fortunes  to  the  powers  that  be  in  support  of  the 
Union  and  the  laws. 

"  Resolved,  That  we,  the  citizens  of  Pekin  and  vicinity  hereby 
tender  to  the  State  and  nation  our  united  support,  and  pledge  our- 
selves to  them  in  every  emergency  and  at  all  times,  our  fortunes  and 
our  sacred  honor." 

S.  T>.  Puterbaugh  made  a  few  telling  remarks  and  offered  a  resolu- 
tion commending  Gov.  Yates'  proclamation,  after  which  Joshua 
Wagenseller  offered  the  following : 

"Re-solved,  That  the  citizens  of  Pekin  will  protect,  cherish  and 
render  the  material  aid  to  the  families  of  all  volunteers  who  are  not 
able  to  make  suitable  provisions  for  their  families,  for  their  support 
during  their  absence  in  the  service  of  their  country." 

Dr.  D.  A.  Checver  offered  the  following  eloquent  resolution : 

"  Resolved,  That,  appealing  to  the  Supreme  Judge  of  the  world  for 
the  rectitude  of  our  intentions,  we  accept  the  issue  presented  by  the 
attack  upon  our  flag,  and  in  jjeace  or  war,  in  life  or  death,  proclaim 
as  our  motto,  God,  Justice  and  Our  Country." 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting  volunteers  were  called  for  when  a 
large  number  responded. 

At  a  meeting  held  at  Tremont,  Saturday,  April  20,  1861,  to  con- 
sult upon  the  perilous  condition  of  the  country,  great  patriotism 
was  manifested.  Lloyd  Shaw  presided,  and  Seth  Talbot,  jr.  acted  as 
secretary.  Short  speeches  were  made  by  J.  K.  Kellogg,  Dr.  Cole, 
Stephen  Stout,  E.  G.  Smith,  J.  H.  Harris,  Isaac  Stout,  H.  Shaw 
and  W.  R.  Lackland. 

H.  R.  Brown  offered  the  following  resolution  which  was  unani- 
mously adopted : 

"  Resolved,  That  we  keep  step  to  the  music  of  the  Union,  and 
stand  by  our  Government  and  the  stars  and  stripes,  first,  last  and 
all  the  time.'' 

The  City  Council  of  Pekin  held  a  special  session  April  20,  1861, 
22 


340  HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

and  showed  their  willingness  to  furnish  material  aid  to  the  families 
of  volunteers.  The  sum  of  ^1,000  was  appropriated  to  their  bene- 
fit, to  be  disbursed  under  the  direction  of  a  committee  who  pledged 
themselves  that  the  families  of  the  volunteers  should  not  suffer  for 
the  necessaries  of  life  while  their  protectors  were  absent.  The 
council  also  appropriated  $300  to  defray  the  expenses  of  transporta- 
tion of  volunteers. 

The  Union  sentiment  was  strongly  expressed  by  the  people  of 
Mackinaw.  Pursuant  to  notice  a  large  concourse  of  people  assem- 
bled at  the  Christian  Church,  in  Mackinaw,  Monday,  April  22,  1861. 
On  motion  of  W.  A.  K.  Cowdry,  William  Watson  was  called  to  the 
chair,  and  J.  B.  Mathews  appointed  secretary.  Strong  resolutions 
were  passed;  among  them  were  some  by  Dr.  J.  P.  Terrell,  which 
plainly  and  strongly  set  forth  the  feelings  of  the  mass  as  they  met 
with  unanimous  passage.     AVe  give  extracts : 

"  Resolved,  That  Jeff.  Davis  &  Co.  are  the  "  biggest  devils  "  among 
ten  thousand,  and  the  ones  altogether  devilish.         ^         ^         ^ 

"  That  our  faith  is  as  fixed  and  abiding  as  that  we  repose  in  God, 
that  our  cause  is  just,  and  that  a  people  battling  for  life,  for  liberty, 
and  for  the  sanctity  of  homes  and  firesides,  must  and  will  triumph. 

"  That  if  this  Government,  the  noblest  fabric  ever  reared  for  the 
worship  of  human  liberty,  must  go  dowm  in  a  fratricidal  conflict,  we 
of  the  North,  appealing  to  history  may,  before  the  world,  cliarge, 
without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  the  responsibility  rests  upon  our 
Southern  brethren.  That  it  is  the  result  of  a  wanton  repudiation 
bv  them  of  the  covenants  of  the  constitution,  and  whether  or  not 
we  shall  be  able  to  preserve  it  as  the  great  heart  and  only  bond  of 
union.     Mav  the  God  of  battles  be  our  shield  and  strong  defense." 

April  25,  1861,  the  people  of  Cincinnati  assembled  at  the  Wood- 
row  school-house.  A  band  from  Pekin  was  present.  Samuel  Wood- 
row  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  W.  F.  Copes  chosen  secretary. 
Remarks  were  made  by  R.  Gibson,  J.  B.  Cohrs,  C.  A.  Roberts, 
Charley  Gary,  Benjamin  Priddy,  William  Woodrow,  Samuel  Larri- 
more,  John  Slack,  A.  M.  Woodrow,  William  Plawley,  S.  S.  Parlin, 
John  S.  Sinnet,  and  others.  But  one  sentiment  prevailed,  that  was 
that  they  were  all  in  for  the  Union  at  all  hazards,  and  determined 
to  stand  by  the  administration. 

A  large  and  enthusiastic  meeting  was  held  at  the  Christian  church 
in  Hittle,  April  25,  1861,  at  which  Ellis  Dillon  presided,  Daniel 
Albright,  secretary.     G.  W.  Minier  delivered  a  stirring  and  eloquent 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  341 

speech  and  Mr.  Cowdry,  of  Mackinaw,  followed.  Capt.  Ketchum, 
with  a  number  of  volunteers  and  citizens  of  Mackinaw,  was  present. 
A  number  of  volunteers  had  left  for  Springfield  the  previous  week. 
The  sentiments  of  the  people  were  expressed  in  the  following  pointed 
language :  "  There  is  but  one  feeling  here  with  regard  to  the  present 
perilous  condition  of  our  country,  and  that  is,  if  necessary,  that 
every  dollar  be  spent  and  every  life  sacrificed  rather  than  have  the 
Government  fall  into  the  hands  of  traitors.  Past  political  differ- 
ences are  laid  aside.  Democrats  and  Republicans  stand  side  by  side, 
ready  to  maintain  the  dignity  of  our  Government  and  the  honor  of 
the  glorious  old  stars  and  stripes." 

When  the  boom  of  the  great  guns  in  Charleston  harbor  went 
rolling  across  the  continent,  at  this  time  their  echo  penetrated  every 
loyal  heart  in  this  country.  They  had  scarcely  ceased  belching 
forth  their  iron  missiles,  and  our  national  ensign  disgraced,  ere  the 
patriotism  of  the  sons  of  Tazewell  county  prompted  them  to  go  to 
their  country's  defense.  The  call  for  troops  was  no  sooner  made 
than  a  company  was  organized  at  Pekin.  Such  alacrity  in  rushing 
to  arms  was  never  before  witnessed  in  the  world's  history. 

DEPARTURE  OF  FIRST  VOLUNTEERS. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  22d  of  April,  1861,  the  people  began 
to  assemble  at  the  river  landing,  at  Pekin,  to  witness  the  departure 
of  the  first  volunteers.  This  was  a  company  under  command  of 
Capt.  F.  L.  Riioads,  with  C.  C.  Glass,  first  lieutenant ;  J.  A.  Sheets, 
second  lieutenant;  Dietrich  Smith,  third  lieutenant.  The  company 
numbei'ed  over  100,  and  was  assigned  to  the  Eighth  regiment,  of 
which  Capt.  lihoads  soon  became  colonel. 

Previous  to  embarking  the  company  formed  a  circle,  when  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Underwood,  in  a  brief  and  feeling  prayer,  invoked  the 
blessings  of  Heaven  upon  the  brave  men  who  were  about  to  go  forth 
in  defense  of  the  Union.  Then,  amid  cheers  and  benedictions, 
tears  and  farewells,  the  company  marched  on  board  the  steamer, 
Cambridge,  for  Peoria,  where  they  took  the  cars  for  Springfield.  It 
was  an  impressive  scene,  and  the  tear  of  regret  which  marked  the 
cheek  of  many  was  no  reproach  to  their  manhood. 

LIBERALITY    OF    THOSE    AT    HOME. 

It  is  impossible  for  any  historian  to  do  full  justice  to  the  spirit 
and  patriotism  of  this  people  in  the  early  days  of  this  gigantic  and 


342  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

bloody  struggle  waged  by  the  American  people  against  rebellion, 
and  their  liberal  and  continuous  contributions  to  maintain  the  integ- 
rity of  this  glorious  Union.  It  is,  indeed,  a  proud  record;  for  from 
among  them  went  out  brave  soldiers  and  efficient  leaders  to  aid  in 
the  grand  struggle  for  the  maintenance  and  perpetuity  of  the  Union. 

"A  union  of  lakes,  a  union  of  lands, 

A  union  that  none  can  sever ; 
A  union  of  hearts,  a  union  of  hands  — 
The  American  Union  forever." 

When  the  first  companies  were  being  raised,  measures  were  inau- 
gurated and  carried  out  to  raise  money  by  subscription  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  families  of  volunteers.  But  there  were  so  many  calls  for 
men,  and  the  number  and  needs  of  these  families,  whose  providers 
had  gone  to  defend  the  life  of  the  nation,  that  it  became  impossible 
for  private  purses,  however  willing  their  holders,  to  supply  all  de- 
mands, and  the  county  authorities  made  frequent  appropriations,  and 
the  aid  societies  donated  largely.  Private  liberality  still  continued. 
This  money  was  raised  in  the  midst  of  the  excitement  of  war,  when 
the  exigencies  of  the  times  demanded  it,  and  the  generous  people 
never  thought  to  inquire  how  much  they  were  giving.  Aside  from 
the  sums  appropriated  by  county  and  city  authorities  no  account  was 
ever  kept.     Had  there  been,  the  sum  would  now  seem  most  fabulous. 

FLAG    PRESENTATION. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  ladies  of  the  county,  at  the  outbreak  of 
the  war,  was  the  making  of  flags  and  presenting  them  to  companies 
as  they  were  about  to  march  southward.  Many  such  flags  were 
carried  over  bloody  fields  by  the  brave  boys  from  Tazewell  County. 
The  ladies  were  fired  with  patriotic  zeal  and  sent  the  boys  to 
the  front  with  cheering  words. 

The  ladies  of  Pekin  prepared  a  flag  for  the  "  Pekin  Invincibles," 
which  was  presented  to  the  company  at  a  public  meeting  held  at  the 
court-house  Saturday,  April  27,  1861.  Mrs.  H.  P.  Westerman,  on 
behalf  of  the  ladies,  presented  the  banner  with  the  following  most 
eloquent  and  encouraging  remarks : 

"  Captain  Montgomery  : —  You  and  your  company  have  done  well 
thus  promptly  to  respond  to  your  country's  call.  As  you  are  about 
to  march  to  her  defense,  we,  your  sisters  and  wives,  have  thought  it 
fitting  to   present  to   you  some   kind  memento   of  our  love.     We 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  343 

honor  you  for  your  patriotism ;  we  trust  in  your  valor,  and  though 
sad  to  lose  you,  yet  we  freely  bid  you  go.  As  you  go  take  this  flag 
of  our  Union,  the  work  of  our  hands,  which  we  now  entrust  to  your 
care.  May  it  never  trail  in  the  dust.  Protect  it,  defend  it,  and 
fight  for  it  as  you  would  for  your  country,  your  homes  and  the 
graves  of  those  you  hold  dear.  Liberty  and  Union,  let  that  be  your 
motto,  and  let  its  sentiments  be  deeply  engraven  on  your  hearts. 
The  Union,  we  love  it,  and  the  more  now  that  it  is  in  peril. 

'  Sail  on,  oh  Union  strong  and  great, 

Humanity  with  all  its  fears, — 

With  all  the  hopes  of  future  years, 
Is  hanging  breathless  on  thy  fate. 
Sail  on,  nor  fear  to  breast  the  sea. 
Our  hearts,  our  hopes  are  all  with  thee ; 
Our  hearts,  our  hopes,  our  prayers,  our  tears, 
Our  faith  triumphant  o'er  our  fears. 
Are  all  with  thee,  are  all  with  thee.' 

"  Love  the  Union,  and  see  to  it  that  so  far  as  your  actions  are 
concerned,  none  of  its  stars  shall  be  stricken  out.  As  freemen  do 
valiant  service  in  its  defense.  Be  true  to  yourselves  and  to  us. 
Disappoint  not  our  hopes.  Accept  this  banner :  with  calm  unfalter- 
ing purpose  ever  bear  it  aloft." 

James  Roberts,  on  behalf  of  the  company,  responded  in  an  appro- 
priate manner,  when  Ca})t.  Montgomery  placed  the  flag  in  charge  of 
Leonard  Martin,  the  standard-bearer,  and  the  company  gave  three 
hearty  cheers  for  the  Union,  the  flag  and  the  ladies. 

A    PICTURE    OF    A    SAD    AND    DESOLATE    HOME. 

The  boys  went  forth  to  the  field  of  carnage,  and  what  vivid  words 
can  the  pen  employ  that  will  do  justice  to  their  heroic  valor,  to  their 
unequaled  and  unparalleled  bravery  and  endurance.  Home  and 
home  comforts,  wives  and  little  ones,  fathers,  mothers,  sisters,  broth- 
ers, were  all  given  up  for  life  and  danger  on  the  fields  of  battle  —  for 
exposure,  fatigue,  disease  and  death  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  or 
the  cannon's  mouth.  But  while  they  were  thus  suffering  let  us 
not  suppose  that  the  mother,  and  sister,  the  wife,  the  children  were 
free  from  the  tortures  of  anxiety,  of  the  loss  of  dear  ones.  Yes, 
while  the  brave  boys  upon  the  Southern  field  suffered  indescribably, 
the  wife  and  little  ones  at  home  endured  suffering  beyond  the  power 
of  pen  or  tongue  to  describe.     Let   us   picture  a  home  where  the 


344  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

the  husband  and  the  wife  and  little  ones  are  thus  separated.     The 
picture  of  one  will  only  reflect  those  of  hundreds  of  others.     We 
look  into  the  plain  but  tidy  room.     A  mother  is  preparing  her  even- 
ing meal.     Upon  a  chair,  and  leaning  her  little  arm  on  the  window- 
sill,  a  little  child  is  kneeling,  looking  far  into  the  dusky  shadows  that 
encircle  the  brow  of  night.     Her  dark  eyes  have  a  longing,  wistful 
look,  and  on  her  brow   lies   one    of  lifers   shadows.     At    last   she 
speaks : 
"  Oh  !  mamma,  papa  has  been  gone  so  long  ;  why  don't  he  come  ?" 
The  mother  sighs,  and  her  heart  repeats,  "so  long."     But  the 
little  one  must  have  an  answer,  and  mamma  tries  to  comfort  her  — 
"  Papa  has  gone  to  war,  dear ;  gone  to  fight  for  his  country,  and  when 
the  war  is  over  he  will  come  back  to  see  mamma  and  little  Bessie." 
"But  it  seems  so  long,  mamma;  when  will  the  war  be  over?" 
"  Mamma  cannot  tell  ,dear ;  but  we  will  hope  for  the  best." 
Their  frugal  meal  is  now  ready,  and  mother  and  child  sit  down 
with  heavy  hearts,  their  eyes  wandering  to  the  place  where  papa  used 
to  sit;  but  there  is  no  manly  form, —  only  a  vacant  chair. 

In  the  mother's  heart  sad  questions  icill  arise  :  "  Will  he  return  to 
us?  or  will  some  swift-winged  bullet,  sped  by  a  traitor's  hand,  de- 
stroy the  life  so  dear  to  us?" 

Oh,  why  could  not  all  men  have  been  true  to  a  government  so 
mild, —  to  their  country,  so  vast  and  grand  ?  AVhy  should  they  cause 
sorrow  and  death  to  o'erspread  our  land,  and  the  voice  of  wailing  to 
go  forth  from  every  fireside?  In  silence  the  meal  is  ended,  and  the 
little  one,  whose  eyes  have  grown  heavy,  is  taken  upon  the  mother's 
lap,  and  prepared  for  rest.  Her  little  prayer  is  said,  and  a  good- 
night kiss  for  papa,  she  falls  asleep,  and  the  shadow  is  chased  from 
her  brow.  But  the  shadows  hover  darkly  round  the  mother's  heart, 
as  she  thinks  of  distant  battle-fields ;  of  wounded  and  dying  men 
whose  lives,  and  those  they  love  more  than  life,  have  been  given  up 
that  their  country  might  be  saved.  And  on  this  September  evening 
a  terrible  battle  has  closed.  For  three  days  they  have  fought,  and 
now  the  evening  shadows  unite  with  clouds  of  smoke,  and  our  army 
is  victorious ;  but  the  ground  is  strewn  with  the  dead  and  dying. 
Hark  !  here  is  one  who  speaks  :  "  Water,  water ;  won't  little  Bessie 
bring  me  water?"  But  Bessie's  soft  hands  cannot  reach  him  ;  kind, 
but  rougher  and  stranger  hands  give  him  the  cooling  drops,  and 
with  a  weary  sigh  for  his  home,  wife,  and  little  one,  his  breath  is 
gone,  and  the  brave  heart  beats  no  more. 


HISTOPwY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  345 

Rumors  of  a  terrible  fight  reached  that  quiet  home ;  then  came 
dispatches,  making  rumors  f arts.  How  long  and  dark  are  the  hour 
of  suspense  to  the  anxious  wife  and  little  one.  Eagerly  the  papers 
are  watched  for  every  word  concerning  the  division  in  which  was 
the  loved  one,  and  now  at  last  comes  a  list  of  the  killed  and  wound- 
ed in  his  regiment ;  with  fast-beating  heart  the  poor  wife  takes  the 
list  of  ywoimded  first,  that  she  may  still  have  some  hope.  His  name 
is  not  there.  With  hushed  breath  and  heart  beating  faster,  she  scans 
the  list  of  the  killed,  until  she  comes  to  his  name,  the  paper  falls 
from  her  nerveless  hand  and  she  sinks  heavily  to  the  floor.  Bessie 
bends  over  her,  and  the  touch  of  her  soft  hands  and  the  sound  of 
her  sweet  voice  bring-  the  u-idow  back  to  life  that  is  now  so  dark. 
But  for  Bessie's  sake  she  will  still  be  brave,  and  struggle  on  alone, 
no,  not  (done.  Bessie  is  still  with  her,  and  their  heavenly  Father 
will  lead  them  through  the  darkness. 

This  is  only  one  of  the  many  pictures  that  are  drawn  upon  the 
pages  of  unwritten  history.     Have  traitors  nothing  to  answer  for  ? 

SOLDIERS  AID  SOCIETY. 

The  continued  need  of  money  to  obtain  comforts  and  necessaries 
for  the  sick  and  wounded  of  our  army,  suggested  to  the  loyal  ladies 
of  the  North  many  and  various  devices  for  the  raising  of  funds. 
Every  city,  town  and  village  had  its  fair,  festival,  picnic,  excur- 
sion, concert  which  netted  more  or  less  for  the  care  of  hospital 
relief  The  ladies  of  Tazewell  honored  themselves  and  this  county 
by  their  noble,  generous  work  in  behalf  of  the  soldiers.  Their 
devotion  to  the  loyal  principles  of  the  national  Government  was 
undying,  and  its  defenders  were  objects  of  their  deepest  sympathy. 
During  the  dark  and  trying  days  of  the  Rebellion  they  were  ever 
on  the  alert  raising  funds,  sending  food,  clothing,  delicacies  and 
medicines  to  the  soldiers  in  the  hospital  and  at  the  front. 

In  the  noble  efforts  the  ladies  made  to  palliate  the  sufferings 
of  their  brothers  upon  the  Southern  fields  of  carnage,  they  were 
actuated  by  love  of  country,  devotions  to  kindred  and  sympathy 
for  those  in  distress.  Though  physically  incapacitated  to  share  with 
them  the  toil  and  perils  of  battle,  yet  before  its  smoke  and  the  echoes 
of  its  artillery  passed  away,  the  offering  of  their  hands  would 
relieve  their  pain,  and  inspire  them  with  holier  ardor  for  the  cause 
they  M^ere  defending.  The  number  of  weary  sufferers  on  the  field 
of  battle  and  in  the  lonely  hospital  relieved  by  their  bounty,  none 
but  the  Recording  Angel  can  tell. 


346  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Money  was  raised  for  pushing  forward  this  work  in  many  ways, 
but  underlying  all  was  the  willing  hearts.  Large  sums  were 
received  by  donations,  but  the  chief  reliance  was  upon  entertain- 
ments and  the  one  great  fair  which  netted  a  handsome  sum. 

The  ladies  had  struggled  on  doing  what  they  could  in  a  smaller 
way,  but  it  became  evident  greater  exertions  would  be  necessary  to 
raise  sufficient  means  to  alleviate  the  sufferings  of  the  soldiers. 
Accordingly,  the  Soldiers  Aid  Society  of  Pekin,  issued  through  their 
Secretary,  Mrs.  H.  P.  Westerman,  on  the  3rd  day  of  Aug.,  1864, 
the  following  call,  looking  toward  a  grand  county  sanitary  fair : 

"The  continued  need  of  money  has  suggested  to  the  ladies  of  the 
Soldier's  Aid  Society  the  necessity  of  getting  up  something  on  a 
grander  and  larger  scale  than  anything  heretofore  held  in  our  county. 
The  winter  season  will  soon  be  approaching  with  its  inclemency 
which  will  naturally  make  it  more  difficult  for  us  ladies  to  replenish 
our  soldiers  aid  fund ;  therefore  what  is  to  be  done  must  be  done 
quickly  and  with  might. 

"The  need  of  money  for  this  sacred  purpose  (that  of  alleviating 
the  sufferings  of  our  languishing  heroes  in  our  hospitals,)  still  con- 
tinue and  calls  loudly  on  all  noble  men  and  women  to  assist.  Our 
brave  men  are  still  wrestling  with  Southern  rebellion,  which  though 
often  caused  to  fall  back  is  not  yet  subdued ;  and  therefore  there  is 
treble  the  necessity  for  redoubling  our  efforts  in  their  behalf.  The 
hospitals  made  vacant  by  death,  recovery  or  discharge  are  speedily 
refilled  with  new  faces  which  disease  and  exposure  have  rendered 
pallid,  and  emaciated  forms  shattered  by  a  gun-shot  or  shell.  I  tell 
you  my  friends  we  must  continue  to  pour  down  our  sanitary  supplies 
for  the  comfort  of  those  bleeding,  suffering  soldiers  of  our  country, 
whose  well-being  lies  near  the  heart  of  all  true  men  and  women. 
Who  has  not  some  father,  brother  or  loved  friend  in  our  army  ?  Then 
awake  and  think.  What  can  you  do  ?  Your  hands,  however  tiny, 
can  work  up  some  little  item  which  will  either  do  to  send  to  our 
soldier  boys  or  will  bring  money  at  our  soldier's  fair.  Come  up 
and  do  something  while  it  is  day,  for  night  cometh  when  no  man 
can  work.  Everything  in  the  shape  of  the  useful,  fancy  or  orna- 
mental, vegetables,  meats,  machinery,  and,  in  fact,  anything  that  can 
be  invented,  both  natural  and  artificial,  will  be  heartily  received." 

According  to  the  above  call  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  court-house, 
Aug.  6,  1864,  to  inaugurate  measures  for  the  holding  of  the  Tazewell 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  347 

County  Sanitary  Fair.     Henry  Riblet  was  chairman  of  this  meeting, 
and  W.  W.  Clemens,  secretary. 

The  following  named  persons  were  elected  officers  of  the  Fair : 

President  —  Joshua  Wagenseller.  Vice  Presidents  —  Joshua  Saw- 
yer, Tremont ;  Maj,  R,.  N.  Cullom,  Deer  Creek ;  William  Dixon, 
Sand  Prairie ;  Joshua  Brown,  Dillon ;  I.  B.  Hall,  Delavan ;  Daniel 
Reid,  Boynton ;  Samuel  Woodrow,  Cincinnati ;  Gordon  Nichols, 
Elm  Grove ;  A.  S.  Cole,  Fond  du  Lac ;  Michael  Hittle,  Mackinaw ; 
S.  R.  Crosly,  Malone ;  Dr.  G,  W.  Minier,  Little  Mackinaw ;  Daniel 
Albright,  Hittle ;  Jacob  Keyser,  Spring  Lake ;  Dr.  B.  H.  Harris, 
Groveland ;  Peter  Weyhrich,  William  S.  Rankin,  Teis  Smith,  I.  E. 
Leonard,  Pekin. 

Recording  Secretary  —  B.  F.  Blossom.    Assistant,  Lemuel  Allen. 

Corresponding  Secretary  —  George  H.  Harlow. 

Treasurer  —  George  Greigg. 

Executive  Committee  —  Henry  P.  Westerman,  William  P.  Chain, 
George  Tomm,  Reuben  Bergstresser,  George  W.  Ingalls,  David 
Keyes,  William  Grant,  Mrs.  H.  P.  Westerman,  Mrs.  W.  S.  Rankin, 
Mrs.  G.  H.  Harlow,  Mrs.  E.  Rhodes,  Mrs.  T.  D.  Vincent,  Mrs. 
Abram  Haas,  Mrs.  Thomas  King,  Mrs.  Daniel  Harlow,  Mrs.  Samuel 
P.  Higgiuson,  Mrs.  W.  Amsbary,  Mrs.  Robert  Briggs,  Mrs.  Brear- 
ley,  Mrs.  W.  W.  Sellers,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Athens,  Mrs.  William  P. 
Chain. 

Great  eiforts  were  made  to  make  this  a  grand  affair.  Committees 
were  appointed  to  canvass  in  the  surrounding  counties.  Circulars 
were  sent  out  setting  forth  the  great  necessity  of  raising  means  for 
the  relief  of  the  soldiers  in  Southern  hospitals.  A  large  building 
was  erected  on  Court  street,  Pekin,  which  had  its  various  departments 
under  able  management.  The  fair  lasted  three  days  and  proved 
quite  remunerative,  the  proceeds  being  over  $5,000. 

Whenever  a  great  battle  or  any  other  emergency  made  unusual 
demands,  appeals  were  made  through  the  press  and  never  in  vain. 
In  looking  through  the  files  of  county  papers  we  find  call  after  call 
made  by  different  societies  during  those  trying  times.  As  the  war 
progressed  the  care  of  soldier's  families  became  an  important  part  of 
the  work  of  soldier's  aid  societies. 

Let  us  examine  into  one  or  two  of  the  boxes  sent  by  the  Soldier's 
Aid  Society  of  Pekin  and  see  what  they  contained.  We  give  list  of 
articles  packed  in  box  Sept.  15,  1863,  and  sent  to  the  army  of  the 
Cumberland:     Number  sheets  2;  shirts  17;  drawers  17;  handker- 


348  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

chiefs  45  ;  pounds  of  ground  mustard  4 ;  green  tea  3 ;  dried  fruit  20 ; 
packages  corn  starch  8;  number  bandages  10;  books  and  papers. 

Contents  of  a  box  packed  and  shipped  April  13,  1864  —  number 
pillows  9  ;  pillow  cases  12  ;  handkerchiefs  79  ;  towels  40 ;  shirts  24 ; 
rolls  butter  1 ;  rolls  cotton  bandages  58  ;  sheets  2 ;  pairs  slippers  5  ; 
number  quilts  1 ;  dressing  gowns  1 ;  old  shirts  1 ;  jar  pickles  1  ; 
small  sack  dried  peaches  1 ;  bottle  catsup  1 ;  bundle  linen  rags  1 ; 
a  large  lot  of  magazines  and  papers. 

Shipped  April  23,  1864 — Barrels  dried  apples  1;  dried  peaches 
1 ;  4  dozen  cans  tomatoes ;  1  barrel  of  eggs ; 

When  the  boys  in  blue  came  home  on  a  furlough  they  were 
cordially  welcomed,  and  the  ladies  prepared  dinners  for  them  and 
made  their  stay  happy  and  pleasant.  AVhen  they  returned  to  the 
tented  fields  they  carried  with  them  grateful  recollections  of  the 
efforts  the  ladies  at  home  were  making  for  their  comfort. 

lee's  surrender. —  Lincoln's  assassination. 

Our  armies  bravely  contended  until  finally  after  four  long  years  of 
bloodshed  and  carnage  the  news  was  flashed  over  the  wires  that  Lee 
had  surrendered.  This  joyful  news  reached  this  county  Monday, 
April  10,  1865,  being  within  two  days  of  four  years  from  the  time 
the  batteries  were  opened  on  Fort  Sumter.  On  receiving  the  news 
of  the  fall  of  Richmond  the  people  were  very  jubilant  over  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Union  forces.  They  assembled  in  all  parts  of  the  county 
and  had  grand  jubilees.  At  Pekin  the  people  came  together  at  the 
public  square  and  a  procession  was  formed,  headed  by  the  band,  and 
paraded  through  the  city.  The  streets  were  brilliantly  illuminated. 
Bonfires,  rockets  and  music  were  seen  and  heard  on  every  hand,  it 
was  indeed  a  season  of  rejoicing,  and  well  might  it  be,  for  what  had 
been  endured,  what  had  been  suffered  ? 

Scarcely  had  the  downfall  of  the  Southern  Confederacy  been  re- 
ceived ere  the  sad  news  of  the  assassination  of  Abraham  Lincoln 
was  flashed  over  the  wires.  On  that  beautiful  April  morning,  five 
days  after  the  announcement  of  Lee's  surrender,  the  people,  joyful 
over  the  near  approach  of  the  return  of  their  loved  ones  from  the 
South,  the  sorrowing  news  of  the  President's  death  was  announced. 

Mr.  Lincoln  was  bound  to  the  people  of  this  county  with 
stronger  cords  than  simply  being  a  good  ruler.  He  had  spent  many 
days  here ;  had  many  warm  personal  friends  and  it  was  like  the  loss 
of  a  brother.     Thev  felt  the  loss  keenly ;  the  tolling  bells,  the  sym- 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  349 

pathetic  dirges,  interpreted  not  merely  the  grief  of  a  people  at  the 
loss  of  a  president,  but  the  sorrow  of  a  community  at  the  death  of  a 
brother,  a  son,  one  who  was  closely  akin  to  all.  Meetings  were  held 
and  appropriate  resolutions  passed.  Dwellings,  stores,  churches  and 
public  buildings  were  draped  and  the  flags  which  had  been  sent  up 
in  moments  of  rejoicing,  were  taken  down,  draped,  and  sent  up  at 
half-mast. 

THE  CLOSE. 

The  war  ended  aud  peace  restored,  the  Union  preserved  in  its  in- 
teirritv,  the  sons  of  Tazewell  who  had  volunteered  their  lives  in 
defense  of  their  government,  and  who  were  spared  to  see  the  army 
of  the  Union  victorious,  returned  to  their  homes  to  receive  grand 
ovations  and  tributes  of  honor  from  friends  and  neighbors  who  had 
eagerly  and  zealously  followed  them  wherever  the  fortunes  of  war 
called.  Exchanging  their  soldiers'  uniforms  for  citizens'  dress,  most 
of  them  fell  back  to  their  old  vocations,  —  on  the  farm,  at  the  forge, 
the  bench,  in  the  shop,  and  at  whatever  else  their  hands  found  to  do. 
Brave  men  are  honorable  alwavs,  and  no  class  of  citizens  are  entitled 
to  greater  respect  than  the  volunteer  soldiery  of  Tazewell  county, 
not  alone  because  they  were  soldiers,  but  because  in  their  associa- 
tions with  their  fellow  men  their  walk  is  upright,  and  their  honesty 
and  character  without  reproach. 

Their  country  first,  {heir  glory  and  their  pride, 
Land  of  their  hopes,  land  where  tlieir  fathers  died  ; 
When  in  the  right,  they'll  keep  their  honor  bright. 
When  in  the  wrong,  they'll  die  to  set  it  right. 

No  more  fitting  tribute  to  their  patriotic  valor  can  be  offered  the 
brave  men  who  went  forth  in  defense  of  liberty  and  union,  than  a 
full  and  complete  record,  so  far  as  it  is  possible  to  make  it,  embracing 
the  names,  the  terms  of  enlistments,  the  battles  in  which  they  were 
engaged,  and  all  the  minutiai  of  their  military  lives.  It  will  be  a 
wreath  of  glory  encircling  every  brow  —  a  precious  memento  to 
hand  down  to  posterity,  and  one  which  each  of  them  earned  in  de- 
fense of  their  and  our  common  country.  There  are,  no  doubt,  some 
men  who,  while  they  lived  in  Tazewell  county,  enlisted  in  other 
counties  and  were  never  credited  to  this  countv.  While  the  names 
of  such  properly  belong  here,  and  we  would  gladly  give  them  did 
we  know  them,  yet  the  Adjutant-General's  reports,  the  source  of  our 


350 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


information,  gives  their  names  as  belonging  to  other  counties.  We 
sent  out  thousands  of  circulars  urging  those  who  thus  enlisted,  or 
their  friends  for  them,  if  they  were  dead  or  had  moved  away,  to 
send  us  their  name,  company  and  regiment,  and  those  who  did  so 
will  find  their  name  properly  recorded. 


TAZEWELL  COUNTY  VOLUNTEERS. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


abs Absent. 

art Artiller}-. 

col Colonel. 

capt Captiiin. 

corpl ("orporrtl. 

com Commissioned. 

ciiv Cavalry. 

eapd Captured. 

dis Disability. 

d Di.scharged. 

e Knli.sted. 

hos Hospital. 


inf Infantn-. 

kid Killed. 

lieut Lieutenant. 

m.o Mustered  Out. 

pris Prisoner. 

pro Promoted. 

regt Regiment. 

res Resigned. 

sergt Sergeant. 

tr Transferred. 

V Veteran. 

wnd Wounded. 


7th  INFANTRY. 

The  7th  is  claimed  to  be  the  first  regiment  organized  in  the  State,  under 
the  first  call  of  the  President  for  three  months'  troops.  The  8th  also  claims 
the  same  honor.  The  7th  was  mustered  in  at  Camp  Yates,  April  25,  1861 ; 
was  forwarded  to  Alton  and  thence  to  Mound  City,  where  it  remained  during 
its  three  months'  service. 

It  was  re-organized  and  mustered  for  three  years  service,  July  25,  1861 ; 
moved  to  Fort  Holt,  Kentucky,  where  it  went  into  winter  quarters;  was  with 
the  reconnoitering  expedition  under  General  Grant,  in  the  rear  of  ColumVjus, 
Kentucky.  On  February  3d  it  embarked  for  Fort  Henry,  and  on  the  12th  for 
Fort  Donelson,  taking  part  in  the  siege  and  investment  of  that  x^lju'e.  At 
DoneLson  the  regiment  was  commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Babcock;  loss 
3  killed,  including  the  gallant  Captain  Mendell  of  Companj'  I,  and  19  wounded. 

The  7th  was  engaged  continually  April  6th  and  7th,  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh, 
losing  2  officers  and  15  men  killed,  and  79  wounded. 

At  the  battle  of  Corinth,  October  3  and  4,  1862,  the  regiment  was  engaged 
both  days  entire.  Colonel  Babcock  commanding.  Loss  at  Corinth,  2  officers 
and  6  men  killed,  and  46  wounded,  also  21  prisoners. 

After  the  battle  of  Corinth,  the  7th  was  engaged  in  scouting  and  guarding 
railroads  through  Tennessee  and  Mississippi,  taking  part  in  a  number  of  expe- 
ditions and  having  some  .some  bri.sk  skirmishes,  capturing  many  prisoners,  etc. 

December  22,  1863,  the  regiment  re-enlisted  as  veterans,  and,  January  7, 
1864,  started  to  Springfield,  Illinois,  for  veteran  furlough.  It  was  mustered  out 
July  9,  1865,  at  Louisville,  Kentucky;  arrived  at  Camp  Butler,  July  12,  1865, 
for  final  payment  and  discharge. 


Colond. 
A.  J.  Babcock,  e.  July  12,'61,  res.  Feb.  20,'63. 

PrivaJUx. 

Hoffman,  Theo.,  e.  Feb.  22,'65,  in  Co.  B.,  m.  o. 

May  2.3, '6.5. 
Di\-ine,  M.,  e.  July  •i5,'61,  in  Co.  C,  v.,  m.  o., 

July  8,'65. 

COMTAJriT  E. 

Second  Lieutenants. 
Mart.  V.  Miller,  e.  July  2.5,'61,  m.o.  July  2^,'&i. 
W.  W.  Judy,  e.  July  2o,'61,  m.o.  July  2oV64. 


First  Sergeant. 
W.  H.  Miller,  c.  July  25,'61,  m.o.  June  16,'6.5. 

Privates. 
Barnes,  L.  I).,  e.  Julv  2.5,'61,  v.,  d.  for  pro.  in  3d 

U..S.  col.  inf. 
Bunvell,  J.  A. 

Burwell,  A.W.,  e.  Feb.  10,'6-1,  m.o.  July  9,'65. 
Burwell,  W.  H.,  e.  Aug.  12,'fi2,  kid.  Oct.  5,'64. 
Brown,  L.,  e.  Sept.  1,'61,  tr.  to  V.R.C. 
Bortlitt,  Homer  M.,  e.  Oct.  1,'61,  v.,  tr.  V.R.C. 
Carr,  S.  P.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  died  April  26,'64. 
Forbes,  A.  W.,  e.  Aug.  12,  '62,  pro.  capt.  in  3d 

U.S.  col.  inf. 


352 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


Forbes,  John  B. 
Forbes,  John  S.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62. 
flardiner,  Thos.,  e.  Feb.  '64.  wnd. 
(ranliner,  Hiram,  died  Dec.  l.'dl. 
(Gardiner.  .\.,  v..  m.o.  July  '.'.'t'lo. 
Ilickev,  Edward,  v.,  pro.  serj^,  wnd. 
Mainline,  T.  B.,  v.,  m.o.  Julv  '.t.'ti.'). 
Hainline,  .S.,  e.  Aug.  12,'(i2,  d.  June  2,'f,o. 
Hainline,  J.  F.,  e.  Aug.  12,'02,  d.  June  2,'65. 
Hainline,  O.,  e.  Aug.  12,'r52,  d.  July  2,'65. 
Hainline,  A.,  e.  Feb.  2,'tU,  m.o.  June  29, '6.5. 
Hainline,  E.,  c.  Feb.  12, '64.  kid.  Feb.  1,'6.'). 
Huston,  ('.,  e.  Feb.  18,'t">4,  m.o.  July  ;i,'65. 
Ewing,  S.  H.,  e.  Feb.  IN.'tU,  in  hos.  at  m.o. 
Jones,  W.  R.,  e.  Sept.  15, '61,  v.,  m.o.  July  '.\'6o, 

sergt. 
Jones,  S.  H.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  d.  June  2,'62. 
Kampf,  \Vm.  H.,  e.  Oct.  4,'64,  m.o.  Julv  9,'6."). 
Kampf,  M.  R.,  e.  Feb.  2,'W,  kid.  Oct.  5,'64. 
Kelley,  Wm.  H.,  e.  Jan.  30,'64,  m.  o.  July  9,'65. 
Keates,  \Vm.  S. 

Leise,  John  L.,  e.  Sept.  2S,'64,  d.  June  2,'a5. 
Lancaster,  R.,  e.  Aug.  12, '62,  d.  July  25, '64. 
Lancaster,  J.,  e.  Aug.  1'2,'62,  d.  June  2,'65. 
Miller,  G.  L. 

Pangh,  H.  H.,  e.  Oct.  4,'64,  m.o.  Julv  9,'65. 
Paugh,  Peter,  e.  Feb.  2,'64,  died  Jan.  '21, '65. 
Robinson,  S.,  e.  Sept.  15,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Julv9,'C5. 
Roberts,  D.  C,  e.  Feb.  2.'64,  kid.  Oct.  5,'64. 
Roles,  J.  P.,  e.  Dec.  21, '64,  v..  m.o.  Julv  y,'65. 
Stafford,  W.  G.,  e.  Sept.  l.i,'61,  m.o.  Nov.  l'2,'r>4. 
Sullivan,  G.,  e.  Feb.  10,'64,  m.o.  July  9,'65. 
Smith,  Wm.,  v.,  kid.  Oct.  5,'64. 
Tompkins,  J.  Q.,  e.  Feb.  '2.i,'ti4,  m.o.  Julv  1,'65. 
Thornton,  A.  \V.,  died  Nov.  •26,'61. 
Verrv,  \Vm.  E.,  e.  Feb.  2,'64,  wnd. 
Watt,  T.  H.,  e.  Aug.  12,'lVl,  d.  June  2,'65. 
Watt,  S.,  e.  Aug.  12,'64,  d.  June  2,'6.5. 
Wood,  W.,  e.  Julv  25,'61.  died  Nov.  12,'61. 
Watt,  J.  W.,  e.  Feb.  2,'64,  kid.  Oct.  5,'64. 
Allen,  L.  E.,  .Sept.  1.5,'61,  v.,  kid.  Oct.  5,'64. 
Allen,  J.  B.,  e.  Oct.  1,'64,  pris. 
Barnes,  Lor.  D.,  (No.  2)  e.  Oct.  1,'61,  v.,  m.o. 

Julv  9, '6.5. 
Brooks,  F.  M.,  e.  Sept.  '61,  died  June  .S,'62,  serg. 
Brooks,  G.  (i.,  e.  Feb.  5, '64,  m.o.  J\ine  22,'65. 
Booher,  T.  J.,  e.  Oct.  1,'64,  m.o.  Julv  9,'6.5. 
Burk,  J.  T.,  e.  Oct.  31, '63,  kid.  Oct.  5,  '64. 


Burk,  L.  A.,  c.  Feb.  10,'64,  m.o.  July  9,  '65. 
Goft'man,  Peter,  c.  Sejjt.  •29,'64,  d.  June  2,'65. 
Decker,  Joel,  e.  Feb.  5, '64,  m.o.  Julv  9,'65. 
Decker,  D.,  e.  Sept.  1,'63,  d.  April  2l),'a5. 
Dillon,  Aaron,  e.  Sept.  2S.'r>4,  d.  June  2,'6.5. 
Friend,  H.  B.,  e.  Feb.  9,'64,  m.o.  July  9,'6,5. 
Gardner,  J.,  e.  July  '25, '61,  v.,  m.o.,  July  9,'65. 
Roelf.son,  A.  N.,  e.  Oct.  31, '63,  m.o.  JulVg.'Go. 
Reed,  J.  C,  e.  Feb.  15,'64,  m.o.  Julv  9,'65. 
Stroud,  L.  C,  e.  Mar.  22,'64,  kid.  Oct.  5,'64. 
Scales,  J.  W.,  e.  Feb.  2.5,'M,  m.o.  Julv9,'65. 
Warfield,  J.  H.,  e.  Sept.  28,'(U,  d.  June  2,'&5. 
Warfield,  P.  B.,  e.  Sept.  2,s,'64,  d.  June  2,'65. 
Ambro.se,  M.  H.,  e.  Feb.  14, '65,  in  Co.  H,  m.  o. 
July  9,'65. 

COtPANY  K. 

Brooks,  George,  e.  Feb.  5, '64. 

Brooks,  William. 

Barnes,  William. 

Barnes,  Lorenzo. 

Decker,  John. 

Friend,  Henry. 

Robin.son,  George. 

Robinson,  William. 

Left,  John. 

Hainline,  John. 

Galbraith,  Michael. 

Thornton,  Watson. 

Gillroy,  T. 

Beal,  Jesse,'  e.  July  •25,'61,  d. 

Nolan,  John. 

COMPANY  !>. 

Burk,  James. 

Crattv,  David. 

Landan,  L.,  e.  July  25,'61,  died  Nov.  6,'61. 

Morman,  L.  J.,  e.  July  25,'61,  v.,  m.o.  July  9,'65. 

Ral.son,  John. 

Ralson,  A. 

Roberts,  D.  C,  e.  April  14,'61.  m.o.  Mav  11, '65. 

Sparrov.-,  J.  M.,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  died  Oct.  24,'61. 

Tomljlin,  W.  H.,  e.  July  25,'61,  m.o.  Julv  9,'65. 

Ward.  M.  T. 

Williamson,  Thos.  A. 

Turner,  John  D. 

Garrety,  Albert. 


8tli  IXFANTRY. 

On  the  25th  daj'  of  April,  1861,  the  8th  Infantrj'  was  first  organized  for  the 
three  months'  service.  Colonel  Oglesby  commanding.  A  contest  for  rank  and 
seniority  arose  between  the  Seventh  and  Eight,  both  being  organized  on  the 
same  day.  This  contest  was  finally  ended  by  according  to  Colonel  Cook  the 
first  number  (Seven)  as  the  number  of  his  regiment,  with  the  second  rank  as 
colonel  —  Colonel  Oglesby  taking  the  second  number  for  his  regiment,  with 
the  first  rank  as  colonel. 

During  its  three  months'  term  of  service  it  was  stationed  at  Cairo,  where, 
at  the  end  of  said  term,  it  was  mustered  out,  and  on  July  25,  1861,  was  re- 
organized for  the  three  years'  service. 

The  regiment  was  stationed  at  Cairo,  Illinois,  until  October,  1861,  when  it 
was  ordered  to  Birds  Point,  Missouri,  where  it  was  stationed  until  February 
2,  1862,  with  the  exception  of  occasional  excursions  to  Cape  Girardeau,  Norfolk 
Mission  and  Paducha,  Kentucky. 

February  2,  1862,  embarked  for  Tennessee  river.  On  the  5th  met  the 
enemy  near  Fort  Henry,  and  drove  them.  On  the  11th  was  in  advance  of 
attack  on  Fort  Donelson,  under  command  of  Lieutenan-Colonel  Rhoads, 
Colonel  Oglesby  commanding  brigade.  On  the  15th  the  Eighth  met  the 
enemy,  who  were  attempting  to  cut  their  way  out  of  the  fort,  and  for  three 
hours  and  a  half  withstood  the  shock  of  the  enemy,  although  suffering  ter- 
ribly.    Its  loss  was  57  killed,  191  wounded,  and  10  missing. 

March  6th,  proceeded  to  Pittsburg  Landing,  where  the  Eighth  did  gallant 
service,  being  engaged  in  the  hottest  of  the  fight.    Towards  the  close  of  the 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


353 


second  day,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  take  a  rebel  battery,  which  was 
pouring  a  destructive  fire  into  our  ranks  —  the  battery  was  charged  and  taken, 
the  gunners  being  killed  at  their  posts.  The  regiment  lost  26  killed,  95 
wounded,  and  11  missing. 

It  was  engaged  in  the  siege  of  Corinth,  and  after  the  evacuation,  moved 
to  Jackson,  Tennessee,  thence  to  Lagrange.  November  28th  it  pushed  as  far 
as  Water  Valley  into  Mississippi,  returning  after  a  very  hard  march. 

The  regiment  broke  camp  at  Tallahatchee  river,  January  4,  1803,  and 
marched  toward  ^lemphis,  where  it  arrived  on  the  19th  of  January,  and 
camped  on  the  Hernando  road.  February  22d  embarked  for  Lake  Provi- 
dence. April  12th  moved  to  Milliken's  Bend;  on  the  25th  started  with  the 
army,  and  passing  through  Richmond,  struck  the  river  at  Perkins'  Land- 
ing, and  crossed  over  on  the  night  of  the  30th.  May  1,  18H3,  commenced 
the  fight  at  Thompson's  Hill,  Captain  Jones  severely  wounded.  On  the  12th 
engaged  the  enemy  near  Raymond.  In  this  battle  the  regiment  did  distin- 
guished service,  relieving  the  center  at  a  most  critical  moment,  and  gallantly 
(Iriving  the  enemy.  The  regiment  lost  a  l)rave  young  ofhcer  here  in  Captain 
Frank  Leeper,  Company  A,  who  fell  while  leading  his  men  on  to  victory. 
Participateil  in  the  l)attle  of  Jackson,  May  14th,  and  on  the  10th  fought  at 
Champion  Hill.  On  the  18th  crossed  Big  Black  river,  and  on  the  following  day 
drove  the  enemy  into  his  works  at  Vicksburg.  On  the  22d  engaged  in  the 
heroic  assault  on  Fort  Hill.  August  21,  1863,  under  command  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Josiah  Sheets,  marched  to  Monroe,  returning  September  3d. 

The  Eighth  remained  at  Vicksburg  until  February  3,  1864,  when  it  joined 
in  the  Meridian  campaign  under  General  Sherman. 

The  regiment  re-enlisted  as  veterans  March  24,  1864,  going  to  Camp  But- 
ler, Illinois,  for  veteran  furlough.     Was  consolidated  June  21,  1864. 

Left  Vicksburg  July  1st,  for  Jackson,  and,  returning  on  the  6th,  met  the 
enemy  tiiree  miles  from  Jackson,  and  skirmished  till  dark.  On  the  following 
day  had  a  severe  engagement,  suffering  a  loss  of  3  killed,  21  wounded,  and  2 
missing. 

From  July  29th  to  September  3d,  engaged  in  the  Morganzia  expedition; 
moved  to  ^lemphis,  Tennessee,  October  18th,  where  it  remained  with  brief 
intervals  till  January  1,  1865,  when  the  Eighth  left  for  New  Orleans,  where 
they  arrived  on  the  4th,  and  were  stationed  fifteen  miles  above  the  city. 

On  March  26th  encamped  near  Spanish  Fort  and  entrenched;  engaged  in 
approaching  the  fort  until  the  30th,  losing  1  killed  and  3  wounded.  Pro- 
ceeded to  rear  of  investments  April  3d,  and  on  the  9tli  engaged  in  a  charge  on 
the  enemy's  works,  ami  was  the  first  to  plant  the  flag  on  the  works  in  her 
vicinity.     The  Eighth  lost  in  this  charge  10  killed,  and  .■)4  woumled. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  out  May  4,  186(5,  at  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana, 
and  arrived  at  Springfield  for  final  payment  and  discharge  May  13,  1866. 


Colonel. 

Frank  L.  Rhoads,  e.  April  2.'5,'61,  res.  Oct.  7,'62. 
.Josiah  A.  Sheets,  e.  July  i'l.'fil,  pro.  to  bvt.  brig. 
gen.,  res.  Feb.  9,'60. 

Quartrnnnstfr. 
Samuel  Rhoads,  e.  July  25, '61,  res.  Dec.  9,'til. 

Sergeant-  Ma  jo  r. 
\Vm.  Jones,  e.  July  2-5,'f)l,  v.,  m.o.  May  4, '66. 

COMPANY  D. 

Brich,  C.  N.,  e.  Oct.  l,'(>t,  m.o.  Sept-  :!0,'65. 
Rodgers,  1).  B.,  e.  Jan.  2.t,'i;.'i,  m.o.  Jan.  21. '66. 
Woodland,  W.,  e.  Jan.  'A5,'65,  m.o.  Jan.  24, '66. 
Hawley,  J.  B.,  e.  July  17,'61,  d.  July  16,'64. 

COMCPANY  E. 

Sergeant. 

Jos.  E.  Harbin,  e.  July  25,'61,  killed  at  Shiloh, 

April  6, '62. 
B.  F.  Lawson,  e.  July  25,'61,  d.  Mar.  14,'64. 


Privaleif. 
Benthan,  D.,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  m.o.  Aug.  2",'64. 
Thompson,  E.  H.,  c".  July  2.->,'61.  kid.  Feb.  1.=>,'62. 
Maiianville.  F.  K.,  e.  Mar.  S,'64,  died  of  wnd. 

Julv27,'64. 
Steward,  Isaiah,  e.  Xov.  ?.0,'63. 
Brown,  B.  W.,  e.  July  2r),'61,  m.o.  July  30,'64. 
Thompson,  J.,  e.  July  2.5,'61,  m.o.  July  30,'64. 

COMPANY   F. 

Captains. 

Joseph  M.  Hanna,  e.  April  ZQ,'CA,  kid.  at  Fort 

Doncl.son. 
Edwin  L.  Williams,  e.  July  2.'j,'61,  tenii  exp'rd 

July  2<s,'6-l. 
Alexander  Coleman,  e.  July  25,'61,  v.,  hon.  dis. 

June9,'6.i. 
J.  S.  Hight,  e.  Julv  2.5,'61,  v.,  res.  Aug.  18,  '65. 
W.  S.  Waters,  e.  July  2,5,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May  4,'G6. 

First  Lieutenants. 
R.  Brown,  e.  July  2.5,'61,  tenn  exp.  July  28,'6?' 
Jos.  Groves,  e.  July  2o,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May  4, '66. 


354 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 


\ 


Second  Lieutenants. 


D.  A.  Sheets,  e.  July  25,'61,  killed  in  battle. 
J.  D.  Handberry,  e.  July  25,'t)l,  res.  Aug.  31, '62. 
Ketcham  S.  Conklin,  e.  July  25.'61,  term  ex. 

July28,'&l. 
Matthew  Harrington,  e.  July  25,'61,  v.,  hon. 

dis.  June  9, '6.5. 

Sergeant. 

F.  M.  Morgan,  e.  Julv  2.5, '61,  kid.  Ft.  DoneLson. 
W.  H.  Howell,  e.  July  25,'61,  kid.  Ft.  Donelson. 

Corporah. 

N.  Thoma-s,  c.  July  2,5,'61,  d.  April  2.S,'62,  di.s. 
J.  C.  Fitzgerald,  e.  Julv  2r),'fil,  kid.  Vlck.sburg. 
J.  Shilling,  e.  July  2.5,'61,  kid.  Ft.  Donelson. 
C.  \V.  Tooker,  e.  July  25,'61,  m.o.  July  30,'64. 

Musicians. 

A.  R.  Morgan,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  m.o.  Julv  o0,'64. 
W.  J.  Broaden,  e.  July25,'61,  d.  Nov.  23,'63,  dis. 

Privates. 

Aukev,  J.,  e.  Julv  2.5,'61,  died  Dec.  21, '61. 
Ackerson,  J.  G.,  e.  Julv  2.5,'61,  died  Jan.  2fi,'62. 
Brunner,  J.  G.,  e.  July2.5,'61,  d.  di.s.  July  2'.),'63. 
Burnes,  J.,  e.  Julv  2-5, '61,  v.,  died  June  4, '65. 
Bensel,  J.,  e.  Julv  2o,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May  •1,'66. 
Bryen,  E.,  e.  July  25,'61,  d. 
Casev,  J.,  e.  Julv  25, '61,  m.o.  Mav  4, '66. 
Carroll,  M.,  e.  jiily  ^i.'ei,  died  April  10,'62. 
Doolittle,  I.  B.,  e.  July  2.5,'61,  v.,  pro.  serg.,  m. 

o.  Mav  4, '66. 
Fumal,  J."  e.  July  25,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May  4,'66. 
Grigslev,  F.  M.,  e.  July  25,'61,  v.,  d.  dis.  Aug. 

31, '65. 
Hill,  J.,  e.  Julv  2.5,'61,  m.o.  Julv  .30,'64. 
Hutchinson,  J.,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  m.o.  July  .30,'64. 
Hoffes,  N.,e.  Julv25,'61. 
Hart,  B.  F.,  e.  July  a5,'61,  d.  dis.  July  14,'62. 
Hartshorn,  C.  E.,  e.  July  2.5,'61,  kid.  at  Fort 

Donelson. 
Hite,  J.  E.,  e.  July  25,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May  4,'66. 
Hite,  \Vm.,e.  Julv25,'61. 
Hite,  T.  v.,  e.  July  2,5,'61. 
Hungerford,  R.  M.,  e.  July  25, '61,  d.  dis.  April 

2.S,'62. 
Hunter,  C,  e.  July  2.5,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May  4,'66. 
Hohl,  E.,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  m.o.  July  30,'64. 
Hank.s,  W.,  e.  Julv  2.5,'61,  m.o.  Julv  30,'64. 
Holmes,  D.,  e.  July  25,'61,  kid.  Ft.  Donelson. 
Hall,  R.,  e.  July  25,'61. 
Lappin,  J.,  e.  Julv  2-5, '61,  m.o.  July  30,'64. 
Lee-sman,  C,  e.  July  25,'61,  died  Sept.  1,'61. 
Long.sraith,  F.  M.,  e.  July  •25,'61. 
Morris,  H.,  e.  Julv  2.5,'61,  d.  di.s.  Sept.  24,'62. 
Mintv,  C,  e.  July  2.5,'61,  m.o.  July  30,'64. 
Multen,  T.,  e.  Julv  2.5,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May  4,'66. 
Miller,  H.,  e.  Julv25,'61. 
Muloane,  J.,  e.  July  2.5,'61,  m.o.  July  .30,'64. 
Miller,  F.,  e.  July  25, '61,  v.,  d.  dis.  May  27, '65, 
McJunkins,  A.,  e,  Julv25,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May  4, '66. 
McGrath,  O.,  e.  July  25,'61,  d.  dis.  Feb.  2.S,'63. 
Murphv,  J.,  e.  July  25, '61,  kid.  Ft.  Donelson. 
Mowerv,  S.,  e.  July  25,'61. 
Mos,s,  J.  G.,  e.  July  25,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May  4,'66, 

sergt. 
McJunkins,  R.  H.,  e.  July  25,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May 

4,'66. 
McDaniel,  A.,  e.  July  25,'61,  died  Dec.  14,'61. 
O'Connor,  John,  e.  July  25, '61. 
Owens,  John,  e.  July  2.5, '61,  kid.  at  Shiloh. 
Powell,  John,  e.  Julv  2.5,'61,  d.  dis.  July  4,'62. 
Platts,  E.,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  kid.  Ft.  Donelson. 
Rummell,  A.,  e.  July  26.'61,  died  Dec.  1,'61. 
Reed,  John,  e.  Julv  25, '61,  v. 
Rich,  S.,  e.  July  25,'61. 
Schenck,  Jos.,  c.  July  25,'61,  died  of  wounds 

received  at  Vicksburg. 


Squibbs,  T.,  e.  July  25, '61,  died  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Jackson,  Mi.ss. 
Staher,  Jos.,  e.  July  2.5,'61,  m.o.  July  30,'64. 
Scott,  J.  W.,  0.  Julv  25, '61,  pro.  sergt. 
Skinner,  L.,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  died  Nov.  16,'61. 
Sweeney,  W.  H.,  e.  July  25,'61,  v., m.o.  May  4, '66. 
Taylor,  G.,  e.  July  25, '61,  m.o.  July  ;!0,'64. 
Wliotstone,  Jos.,  e.  July  25,'61. 
Whitefoot,  J.  B.,  e.  July  25,'61,  m.o.  July  30,'64. 
Ward,  W.  B.,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  tr.  to  gunboat. 
Ward.  Alf.,  e.  Julv  2.5,'61,  m.o.  Julv  30,'64. 
WiLson,  J.  H.,  e.  Julv2.5,'61,  d.  di.s." Oct.  24,'61. 
Warner,  W.  H.,  e.  Ju"lv25,'61,  d.  dis.  Mar.  17,'63. 
Watkins,  J.  W.,  e.  July  25,'61. 
Walters,  W.  S.,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  v.,  pro.  1st  lieut. 
Walters,  T.  B.,  e.  July  25,'61,  died  Sept.  19,'63. 
Zeigler,  A.,  e.  July  25,'61,  d.  dis.  Mar.  15,'63. 

Recruits. 

Bu.sh,  Lsaac,  e.  Jan.  6, '64,  m.o.  May  4, '66. 

Brusboom,  Dirk,  died  July  '2S,'61. 

Carr,  Benjamin,  e.  Feb.  13, '64. 

Coplen,  W.,  e.  Jan.  4, '64,  m.o.  May  4, '66. 

Colloway,  Washington,  m.o.  Aug.  13,'65. 

Cohenoiir,  Wm.,  e.  Jan.  4, '64,  m.O.  May  4, '66. 

Duffield,  II.  C,  m.o.  June  5, '65. 

Devore,  N.,  e.  Fel).  7,'64,  died  Nov.  26,'64. 

Davis,  J.  M.,  died  Aug.  29,'65. 

Gilmore,  Jas.,  m.o.  May4,'66. 

Hite,  W.,  e.  Nov.  16,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May4,'66,corpl. 

Hughes,  Andrew,  m.o.  Dec.  30,'6.5. 

Iliggins,  Jas.,  e.  Feb.  25, '64,  died  Dec.  31,'64. 

Hart,  David,  died  Jan.  22,'63. 

McKav,  D.,  e.  Fob.  1.5,'64,  m.o.  May  4,'66. 

Martin,  E.  S.,  e.  Nov.  15,'61,  d.  dis.  Aug.  15,'62. 

McJunkins,  Wm.,  m.o.  Aug.  22,'65. 

Peters,  P.,  e.  Fob.  l,s,'r>4,  m.o.  May4,'66. 

Phillips,  Louis,  died  Jan.  S,'63. 

Reed,  H.  B.,  d.  dis.  April  1,'63. 

Shearer,  Julius,  m.o.  Aug.  12,'65. 

Shaw,  Augustus,  m.o.  Fob.  16, '66. 

Stewart,  Jas.,  e.  Jan.  l,'6t,  died  April  14,'6-i. 

Warmsley,  Wm.,  m.o.  Aug.  13,'65. 

Wilson,  Haslip. 

COMPAJVY  I. 

Captain. 

Wm.  Schlag,  e.  July  25,'61,  m.o.  May  4,'66. 

Second  Lieutenants. 

Deitrich  Smith,  e.  July  25,'61,  res.  Sept.  3,'62. 
H.  Barkmeyer,  e.  Aug.  2,'61,  v.,  m.o.  May  4, '66. 

Privates. 

Block,  J.,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  m.o.  July  30,'64,  sergt. 
Fluth,  G.,  e.  July  25,'61,  m.o.  July  30,'64. 

Rccrnit.^. 

Ahrens,  A.,  e.  Feb.  6,'64,  m.o.  May  4,'66. 
Hopman,  D.,  o.  Aug.  2,'61,  kid.  Ft.  Donelson. 
Hills,  J.,  e.  Aug.  19,'61,  m.o.  July  1S,'64. 
Kalmbuch,  R.,  e.  Jan.  5,'64,  tr.  to  hv>-.  art. 
Miller,  H.,  e.  Aug.  22, '61,  d.  dis.  Oct.  22, '62. 
Potrv,  G.,  e.  Aug.  2,'61,  m.o.  July  30,'64. 
Roolim,  T.,  e.  Aug.  2,'61,  died  April  20,'62,  of 

wounds. 
Renstmann,  John,  e.  Aug.  19,'61. 
Lorrin,  Otto,  e.  Jan.  25, '64,  m.o.  July  4, '66. 
Smith,  B.,  e.  Jan.  15,'61,  m.o.  July  14,'64. 

COMPANY   K. 

Privates. 

Cloud,  Wm.,  e.  Julv  25,'61,  m.o.  July  30, '64. 
Cloud,  G.,  e.  July  25,'61,  died  Oct.  17,'61. 
Cloud,  George. 

Cloud,  B.,  e.  July  25,'61,  d.  dis.  April  7,'63. 
Smith,  John  O. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


355 


15th  INFANTRY. 

COMPANY  A. 

Sergeant. 
John  W.  Keithly,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  lf),'C5. 

Corjjoral. 
C.  T.  Robinson,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  IG.'Go. 

Privates. 
Bryson,  James,  e.  Mar.  1,'65. 
Cliapman,  11.  W.,  e.  Mar.  ],'65,  m.o.  July  'Z^,'C>o. 
E;vcle,  G.  T.,  c.  Mar.  1,'(;5,  m.  o.  June  12,'C5. 
Farrell,  J.,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  lfi,'C>r>. 
GrifTen,  P.,  o.  Mi.r.  l.'tj.'i,  m.o.  Sept.  1(),'65. 
Howartli,  T.,  e.  Mar.  l.'O.').  abs.  siek  at  m.o. 
Haynes,  M.,  e.  Mar.  l.'ii.'),  m.o.  Sept.  lO.'G.'). 
Mace,  Jos.,  e.  Mar.  l.'ti."),  m.o.  Sept.  ll),'0."i. 
Noble,  Jame.s,  e.  Mar.  1,'Ctr,.  m.o.  Sepi.  lf),'()5. 
Noble,  Wm.  T.,  e.  Mar.  l.'tio,  m.o.  Sept.  10, '05. 
Phillips,  Isaae,  e.  Mar.  1,'05,  m.o.  Sept.  16,'C5. 

ITth  INFANTRY. 

COMPANY  II. 

Privates. 
Learks,  FToraec,  e.  Mav  I'S.Ttl. 
Carey,  Mieliael,  e.  May  liii.'Ol. 
Howard,  T.,  e.  June  24, '01,  m.o.  June  24, '61. 
Hawley,  J.  B.,  e.  Julv  17, 'til,  rl.  July  10, '04. 
Haekeii,  B.,  e.  Mjy  2'.t,'01,  d.  July  24,'01. 
Quick,  Daviil,  e.  May  2J,'G1. 

COMPANY  G. 

Dennis,  J.  ('..,  e.  Mry  2."),'01. 

Ko^ip,  Ferdina.u',  e.  May  2.5, 'Gl. 

Li^atcap,  John  F.,  e.  May  25,'(;i. 

Leiiiiard,  John  J.,  c.  May  2.5, '01,  v. 

Swariz,  E.  O.,  e.  May  2.5,'01,  drowndcd  Feb. 

10,'01. 
StewarL,  Isai.ih,  e.  Mav  2.5,'Gl,  v. 
WauRho^i,  J.  W.,  e.  May  25,'Gl. 
\Vauf,:iop,  J.  L.,  e.  May  2.5,'01,  d.  Sept.  6,'G2,  of 

won. ids. 
Glenus,  G.,  e.  Feb.  20,'02,  m.o.  Feb.  iy,'G5. 
,]aequim,  \  .,  e.  May  25 '01,  d.  May  10,'G2. 
Nariii,  E.,  e.  May  25, '01,  tr.  to  KUiiboat. 
Hai.inidud,  Win.  M.,  e.  May  25,'01,  d.  dis.  Nov. 

2S,'G1. 
Chai.deler,  S.,  e.  May  2S,'61,  tr.  to  gunboat. 
Marauville,  F.  A.,  c.  Mar.  8,'frl. 

18th  INFANTRY. 

COMPANY  K. 

First  Lieutenant. 
David  Harmon,  e.  Mar.  4,'65,  m.o.  Dec.  1G,'G5. 

Second  Lieutenants. 
Silas  Biggerstaff,  e.  Mar.  4,'65,  d.  July  15,'05. 
Richard  Land,  e.  Mar.  4,'65,  m.o.  Dec.  IG.'Go. 

Corporals. 
Chas.  B.  John.son,  e.  Mar.  4, '05,  m.o.  Dec.  1G,'G5. 
M.  Buck,  e.  Mar.  4,'G5,  m.o.  Dec.  10, '05. 
Phillip  Sutton,  e.  Mar.  4,'G5,  m.o.  Dec.  10, '05. 

Musician. 
Thomas  Anderson,  e.  Mar.  4, '05. 


Priviics. 
Fulford,  James,  c.  Mar.  4,'G5. 
Gholstan,  M.  F.,  e.  M<.r.  4,'05,  m.o.  Dee.  1G,'65. 
Garrison,  Alex.,  e.  Mar.  4, '05,  m.o.  Dec.  1G,'65. 
Nance,  J.,  e.  Mar.  4, '65,  m.o.  Dec.  16,'05,  ccrpl. 
Wallace,  Mathew,  e.  Mar.  10,'65.  in  Co.  D.,  m.o. 

Dec.  10,'65. 
Proaser,  Daniel  W.,  e.  Mar.  30, '65,  in  Co.  D., 

m.o.  Dec.  10, '05. 


26th  INFANTRY. 

COMPANY  K. 

First  Se)-geant. 

Lorenzo  N.  Perry,  e.  Dec.  13,'61,  appointed  hos- 
pital stevvsird,  U.S.A. 

Sergeant. 
Henry  Allen,  c.  Dec.  21, 'Gl,  v.,  pro.  2d  lieut. 

Carpoi-als. 

Wm.  N.  Steers,  e.  Dee.  25,'Gl. 

Jesse  H.  Fisher,  e.  Dec.  5,'Gl,  d.  dis.  Feb.  10,'63. 

Privates. 

Bnrwell,  J.,  e.  Dec.  21, '61,  d.  dis.  Oct.  6,'62. 
Giur,  D.,  e.  Dee.  1,'01,  d.  dis.  May.30,'62. 
Darnell,  V.,  e.  Dec.  1,'61,  v.,  pro.  sergt. 
Fleniken,  H.  C,  e.  Dec.  31, '61,  v.,  m.o.  July 

20, '65. 
Hill,  P.,  e.  Doc.  21, '61,  wounded  in  both  arms 

at  luka,  MiS3.,  d.  dis.  June  30,'63. 
McKay,  J.,  e.  Dec.  12,'61,  v.,  died  A])ril  10,'G4. 
Long,  W.  A.,  e.  Dec.  31, '01,  v.,  m.o.  July  •i0,'e5. 
McCormiek,  J.,  e.  Dee.  1,'61,  v.,  m.o.  JuiV  2'J,'G5. 
Sands,  T.,  e.  Jan.  17,'62,  v.,  m.o.  July  2J,'G5, 

wounded. 
Staples,  S.,  e.  Jan.  17,'62,  v.,  m.o.  July  20,'65. 
Wood,  E.  A.,  e.  Dec.  28,'01,  v.,  m.o.  July  20,'65. 

Hecruits. 

Bak?r,  Robert  E.,  v.,  m.o.  July  20,'65. 

Berrv,  Emanuel,  m.o.  July  20,'65. 

Daniel!,  James  F.,  died  Mar.  1(),'62. 

Davis,  John  \V. 

Dividson,  Carneralsy,  m.o.  July  20,'C5. 

Franklin,  W.  H.,  v., "m.o.  July  20,'65,  coqil. 

Lvons,  Wm.  B, 

Mathews,  M.L.,  e.  Feb.  2,'62.  v.,  m.o.  July  20,'65. 

Miller,  T.  M.,  m.o.  Julv  20, '05. 

SliM'k,  .'V'jn-nam,  m.o.  Julv2y,'65. 

Spay,  Isaiah,  e.  Oct.  4, '04,  m.o.  July  20,'65. 

Nash,  George,  m.o.  July  27, '05. 


27th  INFANTRY. 

CO>n'ANY  E. 

(^owen,  J.  F.,  o.  Aug.  12, '01,  wnd.  Chickamau- 

ga,  died  Mav  22, '64. 
Pollard,  J.  S.,  e.  Aug.  1'2,'61,  wnd.  m.o.  Sept. 

20,'Gl. 
Pem.ierton,  G.  W.,  e.  Aug.  12,'61,  d.  dis.  'CI. 
Rochester,  S.,  e.  Aug.  12,'61,  wad.  m.o.  Sept. 

20.'04. 
Rankin,  Marcellus,  e.  Aug.  12,'61,  wnd.  m.o. 

Sept.  20,'C4. 
Trcni,  John  A.,  e.  Aug.  12, '61,  wnd.  m.o.  Sept. 

20, '64. 


23 


356 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZE^\'ELL,   COUNTY. 


28tli  INFANTRY. 

The  2Stli  was  organized  at  Camp  Butler,  in  the  month  of  August,  1861. 

The  28th  met  the  enemy  for  the  tirst  time  at  Little  Bethel  Church,  near 
Fort  Henry,  February  13,  18fi2,  when  a  detachment  of  sixty  men  met  and 
repulsed  a  "force  of  five  hundred  men.  It  was  next  engaged  in  the  battle  of 
Pittsl)urg  Landing,  when  it  drove  General  Prentiss,  early  in  the  day  of  April 
6,  1862;  was  assigned  a  position  in  the  Peach  Orchard,  which  it  held  under  a 
destructive  fire  for  seven  hours,  only  retiring  by  order  of  General  Hurlbut. 
During  these  two  blooily  days  of  Pittsburg  Landing  the  regiment  fought 
heroically,  suffering  a  loss  of  239  killed  and  wounded.  It  was  engaged  in  the 
siege  of  Corinth  during  the  month  of  May,  1862;  also  in  the  siege  of  Vicks- 
burg  from  June  lltli  to  .Julv  4th,  1863. 

On  the  12th  of  July,  1863,  near  Jackson,  ]\Iississippi,  the  28th  was  ordered 
to  charge  across  a  level  field  and  carry  a  strong  line  of  the  enemy's  works, 
mounting  twelve  guns  and  manned  by  two  thousand  men,  and  while  it  was 
not  possible  to  (nipture  tlie  works,  these  heroic  men  swept  bravely  forward 
under  a  destructive  fire  of  grape  and  canister.  The  enemy  appearing  on  both 
flanks  as  it  reached  the  ditch,  it  was  compelled  to  fall  back,  with  more  than 
half  of  the  rank  and  file  killed  or  wounded.  Of  the  128  men  of  this  regiment 
in  line,  73  were  killed  and  wounded,  and  16  taken  prisoners. 

On  the  4th  of  January,  1864,  the  regiment,  having  re-enlisted  as  veterans, 
was  mustered  for  three  years'  veteran  service. 

The  28th  participated  in  the  advance  on  Spanish  Fort,  March  27,  1865. 


COBIPAIVY  A. 

Privates. 
EdwarfLs,  J.,  e.  Aug.  l.'Ol,  v.,  m.o.  Mar.  15,'Ci6. 
Readfiinger,  J.,  c.  Aug.  1,'61,  d.  Aug.  2G,'o4. 

COIVEPANY  IS. 

Blair,  Greenbury,  e.  Aug.  17,'61,  v. 

Hisel,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  17,  d.  dis. 

McGhee,  W.  T.,  c.  Aug.  17,  v.,  m.o.  Mar.  15,'GG. 

William.s,  Forener,  e.  Aug.  17. 

"SVilliams,  P.  C,  e.  Jan.  5,'fi4,  m.o.  Mar.  1.5,'G6. 

Prypr,  Alfred  S.,  e.  Aug.  27,'61. 

COIVEPANY  K. 

Estes,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  12,'Gl,  d.  dis.  Oct.  19,'f)2. 
Fleming,  T.  J.,  e.  Aug.  12,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  18,'64. 


Gardner,  Wm.  W.,  e.  xVug.  12,'Gl,  wnd.  died 

Jan.  19,'G:5. 
Hurst,  Merritt,  c.  Aug.  12,'Gl. 
Hunter,  J.,  e.  Aug.  12,'Gl,  wnd.,  pro.  sergt. 
HuTitor,  G.  K.,  e.  Aug.  12,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'&1. 
Miller,   S.   J.,   e.   Aug.  12,'61,  v.,  wnd.,  m.o. 

Mar.  ir.,'6G. 
Scott,  J.  K.,  c.  Aug.  12,'Gl,  died  Oct.  G,'fi2,  wnd. 
Stockard,  G.  E.,  e.  Aug.  12,'Gl,  died  May9,'G2. 
Wooders,  Geo.,  e.  Aug.  12,'Gl,  died  Mound  City. 
Dutr,  Jas.,  e.  Jlar.  G,'G5,  m.o.  Mar.  G.'GG. 
Fleming,  Thos.  H.,  e.  Mar.  22, '65. 
Jackson,  Henry,  e.  Mar.  22, 'G-'). 
Jarvis,  J.  W.,  e.  Mar.  22,'G5,  m.o.  Mar.  13,'66. 
Rvau,  Michael,  e.  Mar.  22,'6.5. 
Sunuiels,  Ja.s.  S.,  e.  Mar.  18,'65,  pro.  2d  lieut. 
Bovd,  R.  M.,  e.  Feb.  28,'65,  m.o.  May  2:3,'65. 


31st  INFANTRY. 

The  31st  was  organized  at  Cairo,  Illinois,  September  8,  1861,  by  Colonel 
John  A.  Logan. 

The  regiment  was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Belmont,  November  7,  1861, 
and  took  an  active  and  honorable  part  in  the  engagement  at  Fort  Donelson, 
February  13th,  14th  and  15th;  was  engaged  in  the  siege  of  Corinth,  May,  1862. 

During  the  following  year,  was  occupied  in  scouting  through  Mississippi 
and  Tennessee,  making  many  long  and  arduous  marches,  engaging  in  many 
brisk  skirmishes,  in  wdiich  it  showed  excellent  fighting  qualities  and  great 
powers  of  endurance. 

On  May  2,  1863,  defeated  the  enemy  at  Thompson's  Hill,  again  on  the 
following  day,  after  a  hard  march  without  rations,  came  upon  the  enemy,  after 
crossing  Bayou  Pirre,  defeating  and  completely  routing  him.  They  still  fol- 
lowed the  retreating  "Johnnies"  to  Jackson,  where  they  had  a  severe  fight 
w^ith  them,  and  were  again  the  victors. 

The  31st  participated  in  the  entire  siege  of  Vicksburg,  arriving  there  on 
the  inth  of  Mav;  in  the  charge  on  Fort  Hill  lost  2  officers  and  8  men  killed, 
and  40  wounded ;  their  liag  received  153  shots,  the  staflf  being  shot  in  two 
four  times,  but  with  a  heroism  born  only  of  the  truest  bravery,  they  never 
surrendered  the  flag. 

March  19,  1864,  started  for  Illinois  for  veteran  furlough.    Leaving  Cairo 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


357 


for  the  field  of  action  on  May  3(1,  joined  Sherman's  grand  army  at  Aekworth; 
was  with  Sherman  in  the  campaign  after  Hood,  and  on  November  15th,  started 
on  that  world  famed  "March  to  the  Sea." 

The  ;5lst  was  mustered  out  July  19,  1S()5,  and  moved  to  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, where  they  received  final  discharge  and  pay  July  31,  1865. 


Colonel. 

Edwin  S.  McCook,  e.  Aug.  10, 'CI,  pro.  Brevet 
Brig.  Geu. 

Principal  Musicians. 
John  J.  Fuller,  m.o.  Julv  19,'65. 
John  Turrell,  m.o.  Sept.  '04. 

COMPANY  I. 

Captain. 
Isaac  Wert,  e.  Aug.  2.5,'61,  v..  m.o.  July  19,'G5. 

First  IJcntenanl.o. 
John  J.  Curry,  resigned  Dee.  26,'f).'?. 
F.  W.  Siiekney,  e.  Aug.  15,'61,  v.,  m.o.  July 
19, '65. 

(Second  Lieutenants. 

Robert  A.  Bowman,  c.  Aug.  10,'Gl,  res.  Mar. 

2<),'62. 
David  West,  e.  Aug.  15,'r.l,  v.,  m.o.  July  19,'65, 

sergt. 

First  .Sergeant. 
Alex.  H.  Sutton,  e.  Aug.  1.5,'61. 

Sergeant. 
Edwin  D.  Lampet,  e.  Aug.  1.5,'Gl,  d.  Mav  10,'G2. 
T.  C.  Murphy,  e.  Aug.  1.5,'Gl,  m.o.  Sept."l8,'6-1. 

Corporals. 
Jame.s  11.  Miller,  c.  Aug.  l.'i.'Gl,  died  at  Andcr- 

.'iouvilU',  Grave  No.  21.')?. 
Charles  Green,  e.  Aug.  15, 'Gl. 
Charles  N.  Emiltan,  e.  Aug.  15,'61,  d.  dis.  Oct. 

31, '61. 
John  B.  Reynolds,  c.  Aug.  15, '61,  v.,  m.o.  July 

18, '65,  sergt. 

Wagoner. 
Wm.  Parker,  c.  Aug.  15, '61. 

Priratcs. 
Adams,  John,  e.  Aug.  15, '61,  v. 
Burr,  IIukIi,  e.  Aug.  15,'()1,  pro.  sergt. 
Benson,  \Vni.,  e.  Aug.  i5,'61. 
Beckwilh,  J.  E.,  c.  Aug.  15,'61,  v.,  kid.  July 

21, '64. 
Blanton,  Thos.  J.,  e.  Aug.  10,'61. 
Brown,  C.  W.,  e.  Aug.  15, '(H,  died  Nov.  16,'G2. 
Diekey,  Jacob,  e.  Aug.  15,'61. 
Drake,  Edward,  e.  Aug.  15, '61. 
Edson,  Henry,  e.  Aug.  15,'Gl. 
Hoffman,  Thomas,  e.  Aug.  15,'61. 
Jones,  Henry,  e.  Aug.  15,'Gl. 
Kelly,  John,  e.  Aug."l5,'61,  d.  May  1(),'G2. 
Marvin,  H.,  e.  .Vug.  15, '61,  d.  Mar  .s,'62,  wnd. 
Mathews,  J.,  e.  .Vug.  15,'6l,  v.,  m.o.  Julv  19,'6.5. 
Miekle,  J.,  e.  Aug.  15, '65,  v.,  m.o.  Julv  i9,'65. 
O'Brien,  J.,  e.  Aug.  15,'tn,  died  Mar.  14, '62. 
Rearden,  Ja.s.,  e.  Aug.  ]5,'61,  died  July  2U,'61, 

wnds. 
Roney,  Jas.,  e.  Aug.  15,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Julv  19,'6.5. 
Shidler,  John,  c.  Aug.  15,'61,  kid.  July  22,'G4. 
Spillman,  J.,  e.  Aug.  15,'61,  d.  Mav  14, '62,  wnd. 
Taylor,  W.,  e.  Aug.  15,'61,  died  Dec.  6,61. 
Vankiper,  K.,  e.  Aug.  15,'61,  v.,  m.o.  July  19,65. 
Easland,  M.  J.,  e.  Sept.  10,'61,  v.,  m.o.  June 

17, '65. 
Fuller,  P.  G.,  e.  Sept.  10,61. 
Fuller,  P.  B.,  e.  Sept.  10,'01,  d.  Mar.  17,'62. 
Orwin,  Thomas  P.,  e.  Sept.  10, '61. 
Stevens,  C,  e.  May  15,'62,  m.o.  May  31,'65. 
Nelson,  A.,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  died  at  Camp  Butler. 


32d  INFANTKY. 

Moore,  Wm.  S.,  e.  Sept.  23,'&i,  in  Co.  B,  m.o. 

June  3, '65. 
Wood,  J.,  e.  Fel).  14,'65,  in  Co.  B,,  m.o.  Sept. 

16, '65. 

COMPANY  I, 

MeCormack,  Thos.,  e.  Oct.  14,'61. 

Abbott,  Geo.,  e.  Nov.  1,'61,  d.  dis.  Aug.  18,'62. 

(Calhoun,  John,  A.,  e.  Oct.  2.5,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept. 

b'),'6.5. 
Smith,  Jacob,  e.  Nov.  17,'6I. 
Straker,  P.  E.,  e.  Dec.  21,'61. 
Sill,  David,  e.  Dee.  26,'61,  wnd. 
Sinus,  W.  J.,  e.  Dec.  26,'61,  died  of  wud.s. 
Young,  Peter,  e.  Nov.  17, '61. 
CJrittey,  Daniel,  e.  Jan.  16,'62. 

38tli  INFANTKY. 

Major. 

Andrew  M.  Pollard,  e.  Aug.  15,'61,  m.o.  Mar. 
20, '66. 

Privates. 

Beezeley,  John  F.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  pro.  1st 

lieut.  Co.  F. 
(;arpentcr,  Horace  G.,  e.  Aug.  16,'Gl,  in  Co.  F, 

m.o.  Mar.  14, '64,  wnd. 
Richmond,  Frank,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  in  Co.  F,  m. 

o.  Sept.  9, '64. 

COMI'ANY  G. 

Second  Licutsnant. 
A.  J.  Rankins,  e.  Aug.  1.5,'Gl,  r6s.  Feb.  8,'G2. 

First  Sergeant. 
V.  Rector,  e.  Aug.  2G,'61,  d.  dis.  Aug.  20,'62. 

ScrgcanU. 
J.  Murphy,  e.  Aug.  26, '61. 
Geo.  H.  Daniel,  e.  Aug.  2G,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  26,'64. 

Privates. 
Be(iuoath.  N.,  e.  Aug.  26, '61,  m.o.  Sept.  15, '64. 
Howel,  John,  e.  Aug.  26, '61,  died  May,  '64. 
Howel.  K.,  e.  Aug.  26, '61,  died  Jan.  2li,'62. 
Lcoiiard,  W.,  e.  Aug.  26, '61,  v.,  m.o.  Mar.  20,'66. 
McCutclieon,  Ja,s.  A.,  e.  Aug.  26,'61,  died  Dec. 

.S,'61. 

Whitaker,  W.  W.,  e.  Aug.  26,'61,  d.  Nov.  7,'Gl, 

(lis.,  .sergt. 
Wiseman,  J.,  e.  Aug.  26,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Mar.  20,'66. 
Patten,  W.  T.,  e.  Auar.  26,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Mar.  20,'66. 
Blizzard,  T.  T.,  died  Jan.  12,'65,  wnds. 
Moore,  D.  K.,  d.  dis.  J\nie  3, '63. 
Harrison,  J.,  e.  Jan.  2:5, '61,  m.o.  Mar.  20,'66. 

Unoj^signcd  Recruits. 
Carey,  Patrick,  e.  Mar.  1,'64. 
(Jerrety,  Martin,  e.  Mar.  l,'(i-l. 
O'Neil,  James,  e.  Mar.  1,'G-l. 
Swift,  John,  e.  Mar.  1,'6-1. 
BriuH^  James,  e.  Oct.  19, '64. 
Clark,  John,  e.  Oct.  20,'64. 
Callahan,  John,  c.  Oct.  20,'G4. 
Clark,  Charles,  e.  Oct.  20,'64. 
Doyle,  Frank,  e.  Oct.  20,'6l. 
Greenham,  James,  e.  Oct.  20,'G4. 
Heoffman,  George,  c.  Oct.  19,'64i 
Miller,  John,  e.  Oct.  20,'64. 
Roberts,  John,  e.  Oct.  20, '64. 


358  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 


^  44:th  INFANTRY. 

This  regiment  was  organized  in  August,  1861,  at  Camp  Ellsworth,  Chioago, 
and  left  for  St.  Louis,  September  14th,  where,  at  Benton  Barracks,  it  remained 
till  the  22d,  was  armed  and  left  for  Jefferson  City,  where  it  took  quarters  in  the 
State  House.  It  then  went  to  Sedalia,  and  was  assigned  to  General  Siegel's 
famous  division.  On  October  13th  moved  to  Springfield,  Missouri,  and  No- 
vember 8th  moved  to  Wilson's  Creek,  but  retreated  next  day  toward  Rolla, 
where  it  remained  during  the  winter. 

On  February  2,  1862,  it  moved  toward  Springfield,  from  where  an  exciting 
chase  of  General  Price  was  kept  up  till  Camp  Halleck,  Arkansas,  was  reached, 
where  they  remained  till  March  5th,  when  it  became  evident  that  the  com- 
bined forces  of  Van  Dorn,  Price  and  McCullough  were  marching  to  give  l)attle, 
and  accordingly  on  the  6th  moved  toward  Sugar  Creek  Valley,  and  the  same 
day  the  rear  guard  was  attacked  by  the  enemy  and  repulsed.  Thus  began  the 
terrible  battle  of  Pea  Eiilge,  which  resulted  so  disastrously  to  the  rebels,  in 
which  this  regiment  took  a  prominent  part.  The  44th  followed  up  the  retreat 
of  the  enemy,  taking  hundreds  of  prisoners.  May  8th  took  up  line  of  March 
toward  Little  Rock,  but  changed  to  Cape  Girardeau,  on  Mississijipi,  two 
hundred  miles  distant,  and  from  thence  by  water  to  Pittsburg  Landing.  After 
evacuation  of  Corinth  was  attached  to  General  Pope's  army,  and  sent  in 
pursuit  of  the  retreating  foe.  Bad  roads  prevented,  and  went  into  camp  at 
Brenzo. 

The  18th  was  sent  to  Cincinnati  September  1st,  and  from  there  to  Coving- 
ton, Kentucky,  thence  to  Louisville,  where  the  command  was  re-organized 
under  Major-General  Buell,  and  started  on  the  memorable  cami^aign  after 
Bragg,  and  was  in  the  battle  of  Perryville  under  General  Sheridan.  Went  to 
Bowling  Green,  where  General  Rosecrans  assumed  command,  and  November 
4th  started  for  Nashville;  remained  till  December  26th,  and  moved  against 
the  rebels  at  Murfreesboro.  In  the  bloody  battle  of  Stone  river  the  18th  took 
a  prominent  part,  losing  more  than  half  its  number  in  killed  and  wounded. 
Remained  there  till  June,  186.3,  when  it  marched  to  meet  the  enemy;  arrived 
at  Cowan's  Station  July  2d,  then  marched  to  Stevenson,  Alabama,  driving  the 
rebels.  Augfist  21st  the  movement  against  Chattanooga  began,  and  took  part 
in  the  bloody  conflict  September  19th  and  20th.  It  was  foremost  in  the  des- 
perate charge  upon  Mission  Ridge,  General  Sheridan  giving  it  i>raise  for  having 
placed  one  of  the  first  flags  upon  the  rebel  works.  Noveml)er  27th  set  out  for 
a  forced  march  to  Knoxville,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant ;  it  arrived 
three  days  after  siege  had  been  raised  by  General  Burnside.  At  Blain's  Cross 
Roads,  while  in  camp,  the  troops  were  on  the  point  of  starvation  several 
times,  having,  for  days  at  a  time,  nothing  but  corn  in  the  ear,  and  but  limited 
supply  of  that.  Nothing  could  more  fully  prove  the  patriotism  of  the  men 
than  the  fact,  that  here,  on  the  point  of  starvation,  exposed  to  the  most 
inclement  weather,  (it  being  so  cold  that  the  ink  would  freeze  to  the  pen  as 
the  men  signed  their  names,)  over  three-fourths  of  the  men  voluntarily  con- 
sented to  serve  three  years  more.  Marched  to  Dandridge,  Tennessee,  and 
was  attacked  January  l'6th  and  17th,  and  after  much  hard  fighting,  becoming 
evident  that  the  whole  rebel  army  was  advancing,  fell  back  to  Knoxville. 
March  4,  1864,  the  men  were  furloughed,  and  started  for  home,  having 
marched  over  five  thousand  miles. 

April  14, 1864,  the  regiment  reached  Nashville  on  its  way  back  to  the  field. 
Moved  toward  Atlanta,  and  entered  on  the  8th  of  September.  Was  in  many 
battles  during  this  memorable  campaign;  was  sent  to  Athens,  Alabama,  but 
fell  back  to  Nashville,  followed  by  the  rebels.  At  Franklin,  Tennessee,  Gen- 
eral Schofield  determined  to  give  battle.  The  conflict  was  short  and  desperate. 
Took  part  in  the  battle  of  Nashville.  January  5,  1865,  went  into  camp  at 
Huntsville,  Alabama.  In  April  ordered  to  Nashville,  where  it  was  thought 
it  would  be  mustered  out,  but  instead  were  ordered  to  New  Orleans,  and  July 
16th  ordered  to  Texas,  where  it  remained  till  September  25th,  when  it  was 
mustered  out. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


359 


Captains. 

George  Zelle,  o.  Aug.  14,'(U,  res.  Mar.  31, 'G2. 
Ahrend  Behrend,  e.  July  1,'Gl,  ra.o.  Sept.  2r),'6ri. 

First  Lieutenants. 
Nicholas  Da^^.s,  e.  Aug.  11, '61,  in.o.  J\ine2",'62. 
Henry  Sehinidtz,  e.  July  l.'Ol,  res.  Nov.  1S,'(V_'. 
Peter  Wevhrich,  pro.  adj't,  died  of  wnds.  Julv 

7,'W." 
J.  Eberling,  e.  July  1,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  25,'Go. 

Second  Lieutenants. 

Chas.  J.  Hulblg,  e.  Aug.  14,'61,  m.o.  May  23, '62. 
John  Fuchs,  e.  Aug.  1,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  2.5,'65. 

Sergeant  Major. 
H.  Huhn,  e.  July  1,'Gl,  pro.  2d  lieut.  Co.  K. 

Sergeants. 
J.  Diiget,  o.  July  1,'61,  ilied  Jan.  28.'C.3,  wnds. 
John  C.  Frederick,  c.  July  1,'01,  m.o.  July  1.'), 
'65,  pas  pris. 

CorporaU. 

Daniel  C.  Orr.  e.  July  20,'61. 

Jacob  Metzler,  e.  July  20,'01,  v. 

John  Eger,  e.  July  20/01,  d.  dis.  Dec.  G,'C2. 

Henry  Becker,  e.Aug.  l.'Ol. 

Franz  Reuz,  e.  July  l.'fil,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  2.'>,'fi."i. 

Joseph  Jackel,  e.  Julv  l.'i!!,  d.  di.s.  Juue  6, '63. 

W.  Uecklenwald,  e.  Julv  l.'(U,  died  Dec.  :!l,'il2. 

M.  F.  Heckman,  e.  July  l.'Ol,  died  Oct.  20,'G;;. 

3fiwieia7is. 
Philip  Remer.  e.  July  l.'GG,  m.o.  Sept.  13,'tVl. 
George  Lidle,  e.  Aug.  1,'Gl. 

Privates. 

Angstein,  G.,  e.  Julv  l.'Gl,  kid.  Sept.  20,'63. 

Bartels,  Frcl.,  e.  July  l,'t;i,  v. 

Conrad,  Henry,  e.  July  l.'Gl,  kid.  June  27,'64. 

Darchner,  Joseph,  e.  Aug.  l.'Gl. 

Ehrmannadraut,  Josei)h,  e.  July  1,'Gl. 

Ehrhard.  J.,  e.  July  1,'Gl,  died  .Tan.  f<,'G3,  wnd. 

Eisele,  \Vm.  L.,  e.  July  1,'Gl. 

Eiscner,  M.,  e.  Aug.  l.'Gl,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  2),'G5. 

Frie,  Henry,  e.  Julv  1,'Gl. 

Fluth,  Jacob,  e.  July  1,'61. 

Guckcr,  George,  e.  Aug.  1,'Gl. 

Greuel,  Paul,  e.  Aug.  ],'61. 

Grenetie,  H.,  e.  July  1,'Gl,  v.,  kid.  May  17,'frl. 

Geit,  Henrv,  e.  Aug.  1,'Gl. 

Haffner,  J.^  c.  July  1,'Gl,  d.  di.s.  gept.  l.S,'G2. 

Helmreieh,  P.,  e.  July  1,'61,  v.,m.o.  Sept.25,'G5. 

Jansen,  Henry,  e.  July  1,'Gl. 

Janscn,  W.,  e.  July  1,'Gl.  died  May.5,'6,5,  wnds. 

Jaeggi,  John,  e.  Julv  1,'Gl,  d.  dis.  Dec.  1G,'G2. 

Junker,  Henry,  c.  Aug.  l.'Gl,  kid.  Dec.  31,'62. 

Koch,  Charles,  c.  July  1,'Gl. 

Kirschner,   Michael,  "e.  July  1,'Gl,  v.,  d.  Juue 

18,'G5,  wnd. 
Kessier,  J.,  e.  July  1,'Gl,  died  Dec.  31, '63,  wnds. 
Kopp,  Carl,  e.  July  1,'Gl,  died  Mar.  11, '61. 
Mielick,  R.,  e.  Julv  1,'iil.  diei\  Dec.  31, '()2. 
Miller,  H.,  e.  July  ],'G1,  kid.  Dec.  31, '62. 
O'Brien,  P.,  e.  July  1,'Gl,  died  Jan.  2.s,'G3,  wnd. 
Oschmann,  Henry,  o.  Aug.  1,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept. 

25, '6.5. 
Rucbenkocnig,  John,  e.  July  1,'Gl,  v.,  d.  Mav 

3, '65,  wnd. 
Suter.  Jacob,  e.  Julv  1,'61. 
Schwab,  F.,  e.  July"l,'61,  v.,  d.  May  9,'65,  wnd. 
Schai'hinger,  John,  e.  July  1,'Gl,  v.,  kid.  Nov. 

30, '64. 
Steinmetz,  Fred.,  e.  July  1,'61. 
Sturm,  Christian,  e.  July  1,'61. 
Sehroeder,  John,  e.  July  1,'61,  died  Mar.  15,'63, 

wnds. 
Schmidt,  Andrew,  e.  July  1,'61. 
Schmidt,  F.,  e.  Aug.  1,'Gl,  'I.  dis.  Dec.  16,'62. 


Becruiis. 
Meer,  W.,  e.  Mar.  25,'64,  m.o.  Sept.  25,'65. 
Schock,  J.,  e.  Jan.  25,'C>4,  m.o.  Sept.  25,'65. 
Tochugy,  Alovis,  d.  .'^ept.  2.S,'G3,  wnd. 
Tohms,  L.,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  '25,'G5,  as  sergt. 
Tanbert,  August. 
I'ukrcig,  Otto,  d.  Dec.  1,'62,  wnd. 
Villhaner,  John,  m.o.  Dee.  25,'6o. 
Wchring,  M.,  kid.  at  Stone  River,  Dec.  31, 'G2. 
Wagner,  Charles. 
Zimmer,  Henry,  died  July  26,'64,  wnd. 

COMTAXY  E. 

Privates. 
AItes.s  P.,  c.  Aug.  1,'Gl,  d.  dis.  Fob.  4, '62. 
Ai)penzelU'r,  G.,  e.  Aug.  1,'Gl,  kid.  Doc.  31, '62. 
Becker,  M.,  c.  Aug.  1,'Gl,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  2.5,'G5. 
Fluss,  11.,  c.  Aug.  1,'Gl,  d.  di.s.  Dec.  G,'G2. 
Friend,  Anton  W.,  e.  Aug.  1,'61,  died  May,  '64. 
Pohhnauu,  W.,  o.  Aug.  1,'61,  died  Aug.  '63. 
S.hmidt,  Peter,  o.  Aug.  1,'61. 
Conrad,  B.,  e.  Sept.  22,'64,  m.o.  June  15,'65. 
Cash.  S.  II.,  e.  Sept.  27,'(U,  m.o.  June  15,'65. 
Jackson,  W.,  e.  Sept.  27,'G4,  m.o.  June  15, '65. 
Oldmann,  B. 

COMPANY  K. 

First  Lieutenant. 
M.  Keiiiingor,  e.  Ang.  14,'61,  died  Aug.  20,'62. 

Sergeants. 

Alle  Bildhoff,  e.  Aug.  1,'61,  m.o.  July  15, '65, 

was  pris. 
Udo  Dirks,  e.  Aug.  1,'61,  d.  di.s.  April  1,'63. 
Philip  Weber,  e.  Aug.  1,'61. 

Corporals. 
Fred.  Traeger,  e.  Sept.  1,'Gl. 
Julius  Trueholl",  e.  Sept.  1,'61. 

Privates. 
Folkers,  G.,  c.  July  1, '61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  2.5,'65. 
Jacobs,  C,  e.  July  1,G1,  m.o.  Oct.  5,'64. 
Sior,  Jacob,  c.  Sept.  1,'Gl. 
Seatou,  Israel  J.,  e.  Aug.  1,'61. 
Schawarz,  B.,  e.  .Vug.  1,'Gl. 
Stanton,  Anton,  e.  Aug.  1,'Gl. 
Tenzlingor,  Michael,  e.  Sept.  l.'Gl. 
Neef.  F.,  e.  Jan.  1,'G4,  m.o.  Sept.  25,'65,  v. 
Volpel,  Wm.,  m.o.  June  15,'65. 
Neef,  J.,  e.  jNIar.  31, '61,  m.o.  Sept.  25,'G5. 


45tli  INFANTRY. 


COMPANY  A. 

Corporal. 
J.  Mahood,  e.  Aug.  30,'Gl,  d.  July  12,'G2,  wnd. 

Privatoi. 

Frazer,  Alex.,  c.  Aug.  30,'61,  died  April  21, '62, 

wnd. 
Hardin,  W.  H.,  e.  Oct.  15,'61,  died  June  15, '64. 
Kimmins,  H.,  e.  Aug.  30,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  3, '64, 

wnd. 
Patten,  R.,  e.  Aug.  30,'61,  dropped  Aug.  18,'62. 
Smith,  J.  B.,  e.  Aug.  ;i0,'61,  tr.  -to  invalid  corps. 

COMPANY  I). 

Armstrong,  F.  M.,  c.  Dec.  30,'63,  d.  Jan.  25,'65. 
Calvert,  J.,  e.  Dec.  30,'63,  m.o.  July  12,'G5. 
(Jeorge,  L.,  e.  Dec.  30,'63,  m.o.  Julv  3,'65. 
White,  J.,  e.  Dec.  30,'63,  m.o.  July  12,'65. 
Wilder,  A.  \.,  c.  Dec.  30,'63,  died  Oct.  7,'64. 


360 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


47th  i:f^A:NrTRY. 

The  47th  regiment  was  first  organized  and  mustered  into  the  service  of 
the  United  States,  at  Peoria,  on  the  16th  day  of  August,  18G1. 

They  left  Peoria  on  the  23d  day  of  September,  1861,  for  Benton  Barracks, 
where  they  received  clothing,  arms",  etc.,  leaving  for  the  seat  of  vftxr  on  the  9th 
day  of  October,  1861. 

The  47th  was  engaged  at  Farmington,  Mississippi,  on  the  9th  day  of  May, 
in  which  they  lost  their  lieutenant-colonel,  Daniel  L.  Miles,  who  was  killed 
while  bravelv  leading  his  men.  On  the  28th  of  May  the  regiment  participated 
in  an  engagement  near  Corinth ;  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Corinth  October  3d 
and  4th,  where  on  the  3d  fell  the  brave  and  honored  Colonel  W.  A.  Thrush, 
while  heroically  leading  his  command  in  a  charge.  Loss  in  this  engagement, 
30  killed  and  over  100  wounded. 

Thev  were  with  General  Grant  on  his  expedition  through  central  Missis- 
sippi, and  on  the  14th  day  of  May,  1863,  participated  in  the  liattle  of  Jackson, 
Mississippi,  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  that  place.  Took  part  in  the 
charge  on  the  enemy's  works  at  Vicksburg,  May  22d,  losing  12  men  killed 
and  a  large  number  wounded;  assisted  in  the  defeat  of  the  enemy  at 
Mechanicsville,  Mississippi,  thirty  miles  below  Vicksburg. 

The  regiment  was  at  the  battle  of  Pleasant  Hill,  Louisiana,  April  9,  1864, 
arriving  at  Vicksburg  May  22d,  with  General  Smith's  command,  after  a  cam- 
paign of  nearly  three  months,  in  which  they  suffered  almost  unheard  of 
fatigue  and  privations,  many  men  dying  from  hardships. 

The  47th  met  and  defeated  General  Marmaduke  near  Lake  Chicat,  in 
which  engagement  they  lost  11  killed  and  a  number  wounded,  among  the 
latter  was  Major  IVIiles,  who  received  almost  a  fatal  shot  in  the  neck. 

The  original  term  of  service  having  expired,  they  were  ordered  to  Spring- 
field, Illinois,  where  those  who  did  not  re-enlist  as  veterans,  were  mustered 
out  October  11,  1864. 

The  veterans  and  recruits  of  the  regiment  numbering  196  men,  com- 
manded bv  Lieutenants  Edward  Bouham  and  Royal  Olmstead,  accompanied 
General  Mouer's  expedition  up  White  river  to  Brownsville,  Arkansas,  and 
from  there  into  Missouri  after  the  rebel  General  Price's  army,  which  was  then 
raiding  the  State. 

The  47th  as  re-organized,  was  mustered  out  January  21,  1866,  at  Selma, 
Alabama,  and  ordered  to  Springfield,  Illinois,  where  it  received  final  pay  and 
discharge. 


Lieutenant-  Colonel. 
Daniel  L.  Miles,  e.  Aug.  25'61,  killed  in  battle, 
May  "J, '02. 

Major. 
John  B.  Miles,  e.  Aug.  25,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, 'C4. 

Sergeant- Major. 
Jay  G.  Rupert,  d.  Aug.  17,'63. 

Sospital-Stewards. 

Charles  B.  Cramer,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Thomas  O.  Brown,  d.  dis.  June  11,'64. 

COMPANY  A. 

Privaics. 
Johnson,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'Gl.  d.  dis.  July  30,'62. 
Nicholas,  P.,  e  Aug.  16,'01,  died  April  4,'62. 

COMPANY  B. 

Captains. 
Benj.  F.  Biser,  e.  Aug.  2.'),'61,  kid.  June  6,'C>1. 
Diego  C.  Ross,  e.  Aug.  16,'01,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '61. 

Sergeants. 

S.  H.  Tobia.s,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dig.  Oct.  r2,'62. 
George  Eikelberuer,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  Sept. 
2, '63. 


Corporals. 
Catv  C.  Wright,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  m.o.  Oct.  11,'64, 
Jos.'B.  Bradley,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  d.  dis.  Feb.  1,'62. 
I.  Kauft'man,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
S.  L.  Ewing,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  kid.  Oct.  3,'62. 
Chas.  A.  Crane,  e.  Aug.  16.'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Joseph  Means,  e.  Aug.  16,'61. 
Dan'l  Roberts,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
A.  M.  Crosby,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Aug.  22,'64. 

Musician. 

J.  Wieterhaet,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  kid.  Aug.  16"64. 

Privates. 

Burtan,  W.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Bateman,  W.,  e.  Aug.  16.'61,  died  Oct.  22,'62. 
Bliss,  James,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  Mar.  11,'63,  e.  in 

M.  M.  Brig. 
Bamber,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Bowers,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Barnum,  T.  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Culbertson,  Wm.  E.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct. 

11, '64. 
Culp,  S..  e.  Aug.  16,'61.  m.o.  Oct.  11, '6-1. 
Crosby,  H.  X.,  e.  Aug.  16.'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Cutler,  Charles  A.,  e.  Aug.  16, '61. 
Cooper,  W.  H.,  c.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Dunley,  W.  A.,  e.  Aug.  16,61,  m.o.  Oct.  11,'64. 
Drummond,  J.  M.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  died  Jan. 

12,'62. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


361 


Evans,  A.,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  d.  dis.  Jan.  14, '63. 
Gross,  C,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Holland,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  <lis.  Jan.  2.?,'63. 
Jones,  C,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  diad  June  •_"J,'63. 
Jewett.  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  died  Dec.  1,'G4. 
Kingman,  C,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Kraier,  J.  A.,  e.  Aug.  16. '61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan.  21'66. 
Lan.son,  R.,  c.  Aug.  16,'61.  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Lockwood,  C,  c.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Morgan.  T.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Minch,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, 'tU. 
Powell,  T.  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  pro.  2d  lieut. 
Parrell,  R.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Phillips,  J.  M.,  e.  Aug.  I6,'6x,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Phillip.s,  Ed.,  e.  Aug.   16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11'64, 

sergt. 
Rolcy,  J.  F.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Roberts,  T.  C,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  Julv  9,'63. 
Roberts,  E.  H.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  Nov.  25,'62. 
Seaman,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16.'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Smith,  D.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  died  Sept.  30.'64. 
Shultz.  H.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11,'tVl. 
Shoemaker,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16. '61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Sanders,  (}.  \V.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '61. 
Shoemaker,  A.,  e.  Aug.  16. '61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Stiner,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'tV4,  m.o.  Oct.  11,'6-J. 
Turrell,  A.,  e.  Aug.  16,'(U,  kid.  Oct.  3,'62. 
Thamer,  ('.  G.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61.  m.o.  Oct.  11,'64. 
Thamer,  H.,  c.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, "64. 
Tobias,  II.  H.,  o.  Aug.  16,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64, 

corp'l. 
Vunmeier,  W.  H.,  e.  Aug.  16,'Cl,  m.o.  Oct.  ll'(V4. 
Vanmeter.  W.  C,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  kid.  Oct.  3,'62. 
Wiley,  T.  H.,  e.  .Vug.  16,'61,  lu.o.  Oct.  11, "(Vl. 
Waughop,  M.  H.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, "tU. 
Whilaker,  H.,  e.  A\ig.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  Oct.  12,'62. 
^  Wilson,  A.  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  Feb.  l',i,'62. 
Webster,  J.  L.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  Oct.  24,'62. 
Weaver,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, 'W. 
Zinser,  G.  W.,  e.  Aug.  16."61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Zinser,  .Sam.  C,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64, 

corpl. 

Recruits. 
Arasbary,  A.  A.,  e.  Aug.  .s,'62,  d.  Julv  20,'65. 
Avas,  J.,  e.  Aug.  4,'62,  d.  dis.  Fel).  24, '63. 
Bo\ighman,  J.  F.,  e.  .luly  24, '62,  d.  Julv  20,'65. 
liunn.  A.,  e.  Aug.  8. '62,  d.  .Inlv  2(),'6.").  " 
Bunn,  B..  e.  Aug.  .S,'62,  died  Nov.  ]2,'62. 
Fnizier,  Geo.  W.,  e.  Aug.  7,'62,  m.o.  Julvl3,'65. 
Hartman,  H.,  e.  Aug.  il,'62,  kid.  Mav22,'63. 
Jewett,  H.,  e.  Aug.  7, '62,  m.o.  Julv  2(),'6-'). 
Klingenberg,  N.,  e.  Aug.  12.'62,  m.o.  Julv20,'65. 
Orr,  James,  e.  July  2".t,'62,  m.o.  Mav  22, '65. 
Royce,  C,  e.  Aug.  13,'62,  kid.  June,  '64. 
Seaman,  T.  D.,  e.  July  2S,'62,  d.  July  2(),'6.5. 
Sutton,  A.  B.,  e.  Jan.  S,'64,  m.o.  Jaii.  21, '66. 
Tliomas,  W.  E.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  d.  July  20,'65, 

sergt. 
Zaneis,  J.,  e.  .Vug.  4,'62,  d.  July  20,'6.5. 
McBride,  D.,  e.  Feb.  l.'),'6.j.  m.o.  Jan.  21. '66. 
Phillips,  N.,  e.  Feb.  14, '6.5,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 

COillPANY  E. 

Captain. 
G.  Putcrbaugh,  c.  Aug.  25,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 

First  LieutciMJit. 
W.  M.  Pierce,  e.  Aug.  25, '61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '6^1. 

Secoiul  Lieutenant. 
Edgar  Lsbell,  o.  Aug.  25,'61,  hon.  d.  Nov.  6,63. 

Sergeants. 
Leander  King,  e.  Aug.  16,'6],  m.o.  Oct.  11,'64. 
J.  Putcrbaugh,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '6-1. 
F.  T.  Bower,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  Aug.  9, '62. 

Corporals. 

Sam.  A.  Brddbuni,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan. 
21, '66. 


Wm.  H.  Florry,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
J.  M.  Allison,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Theo.  L.  Wagonseller,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct. 

11, '(i4. 
J.  A.  Ilittle,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  d.  dis.  Aug.  6, '62. 
A.  C.  Miller,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  Sept.  20, '62. 
S.  R.  Drake,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  Oct.  9,'63,  wnd. 
Jacob  M.  Copes,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  pro.  ser.-maj. 

Musician. 
Q.  C.  Bums,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  Aug.  23,'C2. 

Wagoner. 
Puilph  P.  Potter,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11,'64. 

Privates. 
Brown,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '&4. 
Betcher,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, 'M. 
Bri.son,  M.,  e.  Aug.  16.'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Bowman,  J.  H.,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  v.,  pro.  1st.  lieut. 
Bilker.  R.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61. 
Crosley,  S.  H.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Carman,  C.  B.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Carroll,  James,  e.  Aug.  16,'61. 
Cary,  M.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61. 

Cohenour,  W.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Aug.  11,'64. 
Cohcnour,  R.  M.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  April 

17, '62. 
Cohenour,  J.,  c.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis. 
Coffman,  H.  H.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  died  Dec.  20, '63. 
Cooper,  J.  W.,  e.  Aug.  16, '61. 
Davis,  II.  W.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Davis,  B.  F.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Darley,  \V.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Dare,  \V.  .S.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  May29,'63. 
Doman,  Wm.  H.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan. 

21, '66. 
Drake,  T.  B.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Ekel,  W.  T.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11,'64. 
ELson,  H.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '(U. 
Fisher,  P.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  Julv  24, '62. 
Graves,  B.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  April  20,'63. 
Gardner,  DeW.  C,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  v. 
Hay,  ]).,  e.  .Vug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11,'64. 
Hannagan,  J.  J.,  e.  Aug.  16, '61. 
Hatch,  T.  II.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61.  v.,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Hamrick,  J.  P.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Harlow,  J.  B.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  pro.  2d  lieut. 
Hinsey,  C.  C,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Hession,  P.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  tr.  to  M.  M.  Brag. 
Hill,  H.  W.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11  '64. 
Ingersoll,  G.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  Nov.  2.5,'63,  wnd. 
Koozer,  J.  II.,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan.  21, 

'66,  sergt. 
McCarmack,  R.,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Moore,  D.,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  d.  dis.  Mav  20, '62. 
Murphy,  P.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  died  July  22,'G3. 
MiVeagh,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61. 
Meckley,  C,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Munroe,  J.,  e.  Aug,  16, '61. 
Miller.  J.  Y.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, 'M. 
Myers,  P.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
McClcllcn.  J.  E.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, 'M. 
O'Brien,  H.  M.,  e.  .A.ug.  16,'61,  died  Julv  4,'63. 
O'Brien,  J.  T.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '(U. 
O'Brien,  D.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  tr.  to  V.  R.  C. 
Patchin,  IL,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Pettit,  L.  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Rose.  A.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  died  Sept.  9,'64. 
li<.)binson,  M.  V.,  e.  .\ug.  16,'61,m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Ruble,  J.,  e.  Aug.  lt;,'61. 
Ryan,  G.,  o.  Aug.  16,'61,  pro.  capt. 
Shrevc,  E.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Sherman,  J.,  e.  Aug.  16, '61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '6-1. 
Smith,  II.  L..  e.  A\ig.  1(),'61,  v.,  d.  Sept.  iy,'6.5. 
Stewart,  T.  E.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, "64.] 
Specht,  G.,  e.  Aug.  1(),'61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Stuard,  L.,  e.  Aug.  16."61,  died  Dec.  31, '61. 
Thornton,  C.  W.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Jau. 

21. '66. 
Thummel,  W.  H.,  c.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11,64. 
VadDoser,  G.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan.  21,'61. 


362 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


Vincent,  F.  E.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11,'G4. 
Wood,  K.,  e.  Aug.  1G,'01,  m.o.  J;iu.  21, '06. 
Woodrutr,  Theodore,  e.  Aug.  16, '01. 
Wagenseller,  A.  E.,  e.  Aug.  10,'64,  d.  dis.  May 

1>0,'61. 
Williamson,  Alex.  H.,  e.  Aug.  16,'Cl,  m.o.  Jan. 

21, '60. 
Wakelield,  Wm.,  c.  Aug.  1G,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Sergeant,  Elijah  D.,  e.  Aug.  16,'01,  d.  dis.  Dec. 

17,'61. 
McKenzie,  W.  F.,  e.  Aug.  16"61,  died  Oct.  19,61. 
Timbiell,  B.,  e.  Aug.  1C,'61,  died  Dec.  1,'61. 
Tice,  A.,  e.  Aug.  16,'61,  d.  dis.  Nov.  8,'63. 

Rcendts. 

Brock,  O.  P.,  e.  Nov.  4,'61. 
Clay,  W.  H.,  e.  Jan.  5,'64,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '60. 
Koozer,  Fred.,  e.  Mar.  1.3,'62. 
King,  J.  M.,  pro.  q.m.  sergt. 
Russell,  F.  M.,  c.  Sept.  20,'Gl,  died  June  6,'63, 
■\vnds. 

COMPANY  F. 

Sergeant. 
H.  N.  Ferguson,  e.  Aug.  21, '01,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '04. 

Privates. 
Frisby,  I.  M.,  e.  Aug.  21, '01,  d.  dis.  Dec.  26,'61. 
Martin,  A.  L.  S.,  e.  Aug.  21, '01,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '04. 
Marshall,  R.  A.,  e.  Aug.  21, '01,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Twineham,  R.  O.,  e.  Aug.  21, '61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan. 
21, '66. 

COMPANY  H. 

Stilcer,  L.,  e.  Sept.  1,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Kayser,  M.,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Jan.  21,'66. 

COMPANY  I. 

Privates. 
Ashmore,  R.  B.,  e.  Sept.  4,'61,  died  Dec.  26,'61. 
Bane,  E.,  e.  Sept,  4,'61,  v.,  nro.  Jan.  21,'66. 
Bennett,  J.,  e.  Sept.  4, '61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Chainey,  A.,  e.  Sept.  4,'61,  kid.  Oct.  3,'62. 
North,  S.  R.,  e.  Sept.  4,'01,  died  July  16,'62. 
Poulton,  Wm.,  e.  Sept.  4, '61. 
Shompiert,  J.,  e.  Sept.  4, '61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '04. 
Stormer,  J.,  e.  Sept.  4,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '64. 

Secruits. 
Beekman,  J.,  v.,  e.  Jan.  2.5,'64,  m.  o.  Jan.  21'00. 
Bennett,  A.,  e.  Jan.  21, '04,  died  April.14,'64. 
Carson,  P.  N.,  e.  July  30,'02,  m.o.  July  20,'6.3. 
Camp,  T.,  e.  Feb.  1,'64,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Dodson,  C,  e.  July  24, '02,  m.o.  July  20,'65. 
Dillon,  I.,  e.  Jan.  21, '64,  died  Aug.  3,'64. 
Dane,  Joseph,  c.  Aug.  6, '62. 
Howard,  J.  F.,  e.  Aug.  4,'62,  m.o.  July  20,'C5. 
McNutt,  L.,  e.  Aug.  0,'02,  m.o.  July  20,'65. 
McCuUoch,  J.,  e.  Aug.  7,'62,  m.o.  July  20,'05. 
McNutt,  J.,  e.  Aug.  0,'62,  died  Dec.  28, '02. 
Bulon,  H.,  e.  Jan.  2.5,'64,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Roberts,  W.  H.,  e.  Jan.  21,'t>4,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Sweet,  L.,  e.  Sept.  1,'62,  m.o.  July  20, '65. 
Tantlinger,  P.,  e.  Julv  30,'62,  m.o.  July  20,'05. 
Vining,  J.,  e.  Aug.  8,'02,  d.  dis.  Mar.  18,'03. 
Ward,  P.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  July  20,'02. 

COMPANY  K, 

First  Sergeant. 
Henry  Hill,  e.  Mar.  3,'65,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '06. 

Privates. 

Ankney,  F.,  c.  Sept.  17,'61,  tr.  to  V.  R.  C. 
Boshow,  J.,  e.  Sept.  7, "61. 
Bradshaw,  J.,  e.  Sept.  12,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '(Vl. 
Brown,  T.  O.,  e.  Sept.  0,'01,  pro.  hosp.  stew. 
Hoffman,  H.,  e.  Sept.  0,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  11, '04. 
Lowe,  A.,  e.  Sept.  18,'01,  died  Aug.  20,'03. 
Sharp,  E.,  e.  Sept.  11,'61,  kid.  May  22,'63. 


Hornback,  D.,  e.  Mar-  3,'65,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '06. 
Hofer,  C,  e.  Mar.  3,'C.5,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '00. 
Hanuon,  A.,  e.  Mar.  3,'0.''),  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
ISIaple,  Albert,  e.  Mar.  3,'6.5,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Maple,  A.,  e.  Mar.  3,'6.5,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '66. 
Maple,  J.,  e.  Mar.  3,'05,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '00. 

49th  INFANTRY. 

COMPANY  K. 

Privates. 
Beard,  J.  E.,  e.  Feb.  21, '0.5,  m.o.  Sept.  9,'65. 
Fairchild,  J.  G.,  e.  Feb.  18,'65,  m.o.  Feb.  9,'65. 
Odin,  T.  M.,  e.  Feb.  1S,'65,  m.o.  Feb.  9,'65. 
Whitehead,  E.,  e.  Feb.  21, '65,  m.o.  Feb.  9,'05. 
Hall,  J.  R.,  e.  Feb.  18,'05,  m.o.  Fel).  9,'65. 
Odin,  M.  G.,  e.  Feb.  14,'65,  m.o.  Feb.  9,'65. 
Thurmond,  T.,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  9,'65. 

51st  INFANTRY. 

COMPANY  D. 

Privates. 

Ellis,  Thos.,  e.  Jan.  22, '62. 

Egman,  Augustu.s,  e.  Jan.  7, '62. 

Graham,  A.  J.,  e.  Dec.  24,'63,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  25, 

'05,  sergt. 
Gardner,  Wm.,  c.  Jan.  14, '62,  v. 
Goffinett,  Peter,  e.  Jan.  :;,'62,  died  at  Anderson- 

ville,  June  15,'lVt,  No.  Grave,  2001. 
Lee,  J.  F.,  e.  Jan.  7,'02,  d.  dis.  Jan.  17,'02. 
Merchant,  S.  P.,  e.  Jan.  21, '02,  m.o.  April  1,'05. 
Ruble,  B.,  e.  Jan.  7,'02,  tr.  to  V.R.C. 
Ruble,  Wm.,  e.  Jan.  14,'02,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  25,'65. 

58th  INFANTRY. 

COMPANY  E. 

Corporal. 
T.  H.  Lamplin,  e.  Mar.  21, '65,  m.o.  Mar.  20,'66. 

Wagoner. 
Chas.  Perry,  e.  Mar.  21, '65,  m.o.  Mar.  20,'66. 

Privates. 

Guthrie,  S.,  e.  Mar.  21, '65,  m.o.  Mar.  20,'66. 
Hickev,  D.,  e.  Mar.  21, '65,  m.o.  Mar.  20,'00. 
Rohm'  D.  F.,  e.  Mar.  17,'65,  m.o.  Mar.  16,'66. 

COMPANY  r. 

Corporal. 
J.  W.  Ricard,  e.  Mar.  17,'65,  m.o.  Jan.  6,'66. 
W.  D.  Skelly,  e.  Feb.  2S,'65,  m.o.  Feb.  27,'66. 

Privates. 
Allison,  W.  T.,  e.  Feb.  2S,'65,  m.o.  Feb.  27,'66. 
Green,  Hardin,  e.  Feb.  28,'65. 
Primm,  J.  J.,  Feb.  28, '05,  m.o.  Feb.  27,'06. 
Riehards,  S.  S.,  e.  Mar.  17, '65. 
Skelly,  W.,  e.  Feb.  28,'05,  m.o.  Feb.  27, '60. 
Tate,  N.  P.,  e.  Mar.  3,'05,  m.o.  May  29,'05. 
Tucker,  W.  D.,  e.  Feb.  28,'05,  m.o.  Feb.  27,'GG. 
Watson,  H.  E.,  c.  Feb.  28,'05,  m.o.  Feb.  27,'06. 
Watson,  W.,  e.  Feb.  28,'65,  m.o.  Mar.  C,'66. 

COMPANY  H. 

First  Lieutenant. 
J.  W.  Smith,  e.  April  1,'05,  res,  Aug.  29,'65. 

COMPANY  I. 

Pi'ivates. 

Gross,  L.  K.,  e.  Mar.  25,'05. 

Hall,  J.,  e.  Mar.  10,'65,  died  April  28, '65. 

Robinson,  Geo.,  Mar.  22,'05. 

Wire,  T.  J.,  e.  Mar.  25,'65,  m.o.  May  29,'65. 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


363 


Gist  INFANTRY 

Was  organized  at  CarroUton,  Illinois.  At  Pittsburg  Landing,  on  April  Gth, 
1862,  400  men  were  formetl  into  line  in  time  to  receive  the  first  assault  of  the 
enemy,  and  stood  their  ground  for  an  hour  and  a  quarter.  Upon  retiring 
from  their  position,  the  regiment  was  complimented  by  Gen.  Prentiss  for  its 
gallant  stand.  Loss  80  killed,  w'ounded  and  missing,  and  3  commissioned 
officers.     Regiment  mustered  out  Sept.  8th,  18l>>,  at  Nashville,  Tenn. 


COMPANY  B. 

Recruit. 
Damson,  M.  T.,  c.  Sept.  30,'G4,  m.o.  July  20,'G5. 

COIVIPANY  C. 

Adams,  A.,  c.  Oct.  10,'(>1,  A:  (lis.  June  27, 'Co. 
Hinson,  S.,  e.  Oet.  l,'t>l,  m.o.  July  2U,Go. 

C<>MP,\NY  G. 

Bahvin,  J.,  c.  .Sept.  'JV.'fit,  m.o.  Jiilv  2n,'a5. 
Cratcliett,  A.,  e.  0<'t.  1,'G4,  m.o.  July  2U,'r>ri. 
Crade,  J.  J.,  e.  Sei>t.  27, '04,  m.o.  Julv  2(i,'ti.'). 
Crateliett,  W.  C,  e.  Sept.  27,'G-l,  m.o.  Julv20,'G.'). 
Clark,  G.  F.,  e.  Sept.  27,'G-l,  m.o.  July  20,'G5. 
Peavine,  J.,  e.  iSept.  2iS,'G4,  m.o.  July  2().'G.'i. 
Rhode.*,  J.,  e.  Sept.  27, 'G4,  died  Murfree.boro. 
Robinette,  J.  R.,  e.  Sept.  27,'G4,  m.o.  July  20,G.'). 
Warren,  W.  S.,  e.  Sept.  27, 'G4,  m.o.  July  20,'G."). 
Predemore,  A.  J.,  o.  Mar.  7,'G.'),  m.o.  Sept.  8,'Go. 
Vanai-sdale,  N.,  e.  Sept.  26,'C-},  in  Co.  G.,  58th. 

COMPANY  I. 

Recruit. 
Adams,  E.  C,  e.  Sept.  30, 'G4,  m.o.  July  20,'G5. 
COMPANY  K. 

Recruits. 

Griffin,  J.  E.,  e.  April  .">,'G.5,  m.o.  Sept.  8,'G5. 

Gates,  J.  W.,  e.  Oct.  5,'G4. 

Hauer,  A.,  Sept.  27,'G4,  m.o.  May  23,'G5. 

Lewis,  H.  B.,  e.  Sept.  2S,'G4. 

Simons,  D.  A.,  e,  Sept.  27, 'G4. 

62d  INFANTRY. 

Adjutant. 
M.  J.  Haines,  o.  Feb.  2,'&4,  m.o.  Mar.  6,'66. 
COMP.\NY  r. 

Recruit. 

Ford,  S.  D.,  e.  Feb.  11, 'G.'),  deserted  Mar.  20,'G5. 

COMPANY  H, 

Private.-'. 

Brauer,  W.  H.,  e.  Feb.  1,'G2,  deserted  at  Cov- 
ington, Kv. 

Hiscock,  L.  W.,  6.  Feb.  1,'G2,  died  .Vug.  13,'G4, 
corpl. 

Kellogg,  F.  A.,  e.  Feb.  1,'C2,  v.,  died  April  3,'65. 

Seelye,  W.  IL,  e.  Feb.  1,'G2,  v.,  m.o.  Mar.  G.'GG. 

Smith,  J.,  e.  Jan.  23,'G-l,  rej.  and  discharged. 

07tli  (Three  Months,)  INFANTRY. 

CO»U'ANY  G. 

Privates. 
Anthony,  C.  E.,  e.  June  2,'C2. 
Burton,  F.  M.,  e.  June  2, '62. 


Crane,  William,  e.  June  2, '62. 

jVIishler.  Samuel,  e.  June  2,'G2. 
Rodtjurs,  I).  A.,  e.  June  4,'G2. 
Riddle,  Hamilton,  June  4, '02. 
Ri<'e,  Daniel,  e.  June  4,'G2. 
Steele,  J.  A.,  e.  June  4,'G2. 
Toliias,  B.  F.,  e.  June  4,'G2. 
(Jadwell,  William,  e.  June  2,'G2. 


08th  (Three  Months,)  INFANTRY. 

COMPANY  K. 

Captain. 
Ed.  J.  J(mcs,  e.  June  23,'C2,  m.o.  Sept.  26,'C2. 

First  Lieutenant. 
T.  L.  Masters,  e.  June  23,'G2,  m.o.  Sept.  26,'G2. 

Second  Lieutenant. 
IT.  L.  Dunn,  e.  June  23,'G2,  m.o.  Sept.  2C,'62. 

Sergeants. 

L.  W.  Coplin,  e.  June  2,'G2. 
L.  G.  Smith,  e.  June  2,'G2. 
R.  J.  Edwards,  e.  June  2,'62. 

Corporals. 

George  Jones,  e.  June  2, '62. 
Lueius  Smith,  e.  June  2,'62. 

Musician. 
Ira  Sipes,  c.  June  2,'G2. 

Privates. 

Barr,  F.  M.,  e.  June  2, '62. 
Burk,  James,  e.  June  2,'G2. 
Demorest,  J.  H.,  e.  June  2'ri2. 
Devore,  Noah,  e.  June  2'.t,'G2. 
Hailey,  William,  e.  June  9,'G2. 
Hill,  J.  G.,  e.  June2,'G2. 
Hinner,  Ira,  e.  June  23, 'G2. 
Loekwood,  Henry,  e.  June  15,'62. 
McNeal,  John,  e.  June  2,'G2. 
MeFarland,  Edward,  e.  June2,'G2. 
Mullen,  Owen,  c.  June  2, '62. 
Owens,  E.  M.,  e.  June  2,'G2. 
Ogden,  I.  B.,  e.  June23,'G2. 
Putnam,  John,  e.  June  30,'G2. 
Powers,  James,  e.  June  2,'G2. 
Striker,  David,  e.  June  2,'G2. 
Sams,  .Vlexander,  e.  .June  11, 'G2. 
Strieker,  Henry,  e.  .June  2;»,'G2. 
Turner,  G.  C,  e.  June  2'.i,'G2. 
VauBureu,  Edwani,  e.  June  2, '62. 
Vaneil,  J.  P.,  e.  June  2,'G2. 
Wat.son,  John,  e.  June  22, '62. 
Zimmer,  Henry,  c.  Juno  22,'62. 


364 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


73rd  INFANTRY. 

The  7ord  was  organized  at  Camp  Butler  in  August,  '62,  and  soon  became 
part  of  Gen.  Buell's  army  The  73rd  took  part  in  every  Ijattle  fought  by  the 
army  of  the  Cumberland,  from  Oct,  62.  until  the  route  of  Gen.  Hood's  army  at 
Nashville. 

No  greater  eulogy  can  be  pronounced  on  the  patrotism,  bravery,  and 
heroic  devotion  to  a  sacred  principle  than  that  silent  language  of  their  dead, 
speaking  from  the  graves  of  every  battle-tield  where  they  poured  out  their 
life's  blood,  at  Perryville,  Murfreesl^oro,  Chickamaugo,  Missionary  Ridge, 
through  out  mountain  gorges  of  East  Tennesee  and  in  a  succession  of  battles 
from  Chattanooga  to  the  falls  of  Atlanta. 

The  73rd  had  2  majors  and  2  adjutants  killed,  and  nearly  every  officer  of 
the  regiment  wounded  at  some  time — several,  many  times;  but  as  to  the 
aggregate  loss  during  their  service  no  data  is  to  Ije  found.  They  left  the  State 
one  of  the  largest,  and  returned  one  of  the  smallest  regiments,  near  two- 
thirds  of  the  organization  having  wasted  away,  either  by  disease,  or  death  on 
the  battle  field,  during  their  three  years'  service. 


COMPAJfY  B. 

Captain. 

Harvey  Pratt,  e.  Dec.  1,'6'2,  m.o.  June  12,'65. 

First  Lieutenant. 

Joshua  Bailey,  e.  July  17,'C2,  m.o.  June  12,'G5. 

Sergeant. 

Jesse  D.  Kilpatrick,  e.  July  23, '62,  pris.  Sept. 

20, '63. 
A.  A.  Holmes,  c.  July  15, '62,  m.o.  June  12, '6.'). 
Joseph  S.  Parke,  e.  July  1-J,'62,  m.o.  June  12,65. 
David  J.  Reid,  e.  July  23,'62,  m.  o.  June  12,'65. 

Musicians. 
T.  A.  Martin,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  m.o.  June  12,'65. 
N.  D.  Rodgers,  e.  July  12,'62,  m.o.  June  12,'65. 

Privates. 

Adams,  D.  H.,  e.  July  31,'62,  kid.  Sept.  20,'63. 
Avers,  J.  M.,  e.  Aug.  8,'62,  d.  dis.  June  1,'63. 
Allen,  W.  M.,  e.  Julv23,'62,  died  Dec.  23,'62. 
Baylor,  J.  D.,  e.  July  19,'62,  m.o.  June  r2,'65. 
Baldwin,  A.,  e.  Julv  22, '62,  m.o.  June  12,'65. 
Buckman,  J.  H.,  e.  Julo  21, '62,  d.  dis.  May  3,'63. 
Brown,  J.  A.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  Anderson- 

ville,  pris. 
Davis,  W.  E.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  at  Murfrees- 

boro.  Mar.  23, '63. 
Few,  P.  B.,  e.  July  17,'62,  m.  o.  June  12,'65. 
Tailor,  G.,  e.  July  23,'62.  m.  o.  June  12,'65. 
Fruman,  M.  L.,  e".  July  23, '62,  m.o.  June  12, '65. 
Frazer,  T.  J.,  e.  Aug.  8, "62,  m.  o.  June  12, '65. 
Gilcrest,  E.  W.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  at  Nash%-ille, 

Dee.  6, '62. 
Gale,  C.  L.,  e.  July  17,'62,  trans.  I.  C.  Aug.  1,'63. 
Glaze,  C.  M.,  e.  July  22, '62,  died  at  Delavan, 

Jan.  7, '64. 
Gooch,  DeWitt  R.,  e.  Julv  22,'62,  trans,  to  I.  C. 
Goodale,  D.  S.,  e.  July  22,'62,  died  at  Nashville 

Jan.  8, '63. 
Gensett,  J.  M.  e.  July  23,'62,  pro.  Sei^t.  Major. 
Gaskill,  C.  F.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  at  Nashville 

Nov.  24,'62. 
Holt,  Jesse,  e.  Aug.7,'62,  m.  o.  June  12, '65,  corpl 
Huntlev,  J.  W.,  e.  July  17,'62,  died  at  Gallatin, 

Tenn. 
Hunt,  J.  A.,  e.  July  17,'62,  died  at  Murfreesboro 

May  27, '63. 
Hanna,  F.  H.,  e.  July  22,'62,  trans,  to  I.  C. 
Hatch,  T.  C,  e.  July  19,'62,  ra.  o.  June  12,'65. 
Hilderbrand,  Jacob,  Aug.  8, '62.  died  Feb.  1,'63, 

wounds. 


Hamptman,  E.  A.,e.  Julv.31,'62,d.dis.Mar.  1,'63, 
Hill,  L.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  d.  dis.  .Ian.  6,'63. 
Iscnberg,  Joel,  e.  July  17, '62,  died  June  27, '64, 

wounds. 
Johnson,  R.  S.,  e.  July  17,'62,  kid  Stone  river, 

Dec.  31, '62. 
Jacobus,  W.  A.,  e.  July  31,'62,  d.  dis.  Jan.  15, '63. 
Jacobus,  L.  K.,  e.  July  31, '62,  died  Nashville 

dec.  '62. 
Kibbj,  G.  R.,  e.  July  19,'62,  m.  o.  June  27, '65, 

was  pris. 
Lawler,  D.  F.,  c.  Aug.  S,  62,  m.  o.  June  12,'65. 
Long,  J.  H.,  e.  July  23, '62,  d.  dis.  Aug.  7, '62. 
Lamphier,  I.  L.,  e.  July  21, '62,  m.  o.  June  12, 

'65,  corpl. 
Lovno,  Reuben,  e.  Aug.  5,  '62,  died  Nashville 

■  Nov.  30, '62. 
Morris,  J.  W.,  e.  Aug.  7,'62,  died  Murfreesboro, 

April  28, '63, 
Monday,  J.  W.,  e.  July  15,'62,  m.  o.  June  12,'65. 
Mondav,  E.  R.,  e.  July  15, '62,  m.  o.  June  12, '65. 
McCormlc,  M.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  d.  dis.  Jan.  10'63. 
Opdyke,  Benj.,  e.  July  22, '62,  m.  o.  June  12,'65. 
Patterson,  R.  H..  e.  Julv  19, '62,  m.o.  June  12, '65. 
Palmer,  D.  H.,  e.  Julv  22,'62,  m.  o.  June  12,'65. 
Reid,  A.  J.,  e.  July  19,'62,  died  Oct.  28,'63,wnds. 
Rvbin.son,  R.,  e.  July  19,'62,  kid  at  Stone  river 

Dec.  31, '62. 
Richards,  C.  C,  e.  Aug.  5,'62,  tr.  I.  C.  Aug.  1,'63. 
Randolph,  C.  F.,  Aug.  11, '62,  m.  o.  June  12,'65, 

corpl. 
Sherman,  A.,  e.  Julv  23,'62,  m.  o.  May  20,'65. 
Ward,  W.  B.,  e.  Julv  17,'62,  ni.  o.  June  12,'65. 
Wertz,  J.  C,  e.  July  22,'62,  d.  dis.  Apr.  23,'63. 

Jiecruit.^. 

Buckman,  Joel,  e.  Sept.  29,'64,  m.o.  Junel2,'65. 
Brown,  M.  e.  Fel).  9,'64,  trans.  44th  Inft.,  wnd. 
Bailcv,  C.  M.,  e.  Feb.  13,'64,  trans.  44th  Inft. 
Drake,  N.,  e.  Oct.  4, '64,  trans.  14th  Inft. 
Kite,  W.  H.,  e.  Oct.  4,'t54,  trans.  U.  S.  V.  E. 
Harbinson,  G.,  e.  Oct.  4,'64,  kid  at  Franklin, 

Nov.  30, '61. 
Miller,  G.  A.,  c.  Feb.  18, '64,  trans.  44th  Inft. 
Newman,  B.,  e.  Sept.  29,'64,  m.  o.  June  12,'65. 
Provost,  A.,  e.  Sept.  2'J,'6^1,  m.  o.  Mav  21, '65. 
Patten,  G.  W.,  e.  July  9,'62,  d.  dis.  Feb.  9,'63. 
Spruce,  J.  H.,  e.  Oct.  6,'64,  trans.  44th  Inft. 

COMPANY  I. 

First  Lieutenant. 
G.  W.  Patten,  e.  July  15,'62,  m.  o.  June  12,'65. 


HISTORY   OP   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


365 


85tli  INFANTRY. 

The  85th  was  organized  at  Peoria  in  August,  '62,  by  Col.  Robert  S.  Moore, 
and  mustered  into  service  August  27,  '62.  Ordered  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  Sep- 
tember 6,  '62,  assigned  to  Thirty-Sixth  Brigaile,  Eleventh  Division,  Third 
Army  Corps,  Col.  D.  McCook  commanding  Brigade,  Gen.  Sheridan  command- 
ing Division,  and  Gen.  Gilbert  commanding  Corps.  The  85th  marched  in 
pursuit  of  the  enemy  under  Gen.  Bragg,  Oct.  1,  '62,  was  engaged  in  the  battle 
of  Champion  Hill,  at  Perryville,  Kentucky,  Oct.  8,  and  moved  with  the  army 
to  Nashville,  Tenn.,  arriving  Nov.  7,  '62. 

Regiment  mustered  out  June,  5,  '65,  at  Washington,  D.  C,  and  arrived  at 
Camp  Butler,  111,  June  11,  65,  wliere  they  received  their  final  discharge. 


COMPANY  A. 

Captain. 
Thos.  R.  RoberUs,  e.  July  11, '02,  res.  April  15,'G4. 

First  Lieutenant. 
Daniel  Havens,  e.  .July  IS.'O^,  m.  o.  May  15, '65. 

Sergeants. 
J.  K.  Miller,  e.  July  is,'i>2,  died  hands  enemy, 

Aus.  20, 'W,  wounds. 
W.  M.  Landwitli,  e.  July  1S,'G2,  d.dis.  Meh.2G'62. 
Joseph  Stout,  e.  July  lis, '(12,  ni.  o.  Juno  5,'65,  as 

reg.  color  br'er. " 

Coi-poraU. 
Benj.  Ohite,  e.  July  18,'G2,  kid  at  Perryville, 

Ky.,  Oct.  8, '62. 
J  F.  Rodgers,  e.  July  S,'G2,  m.  o.  Suiie  5,'G.j,  1st 

sergt. 
Alonzo  McCain,  c.  July  IS, '62,  m.  o.  July22,'G5, 

was  pris. 

Privates. 
Alyea,  J.  W.,  e.  July  18,'e2,  m.  o.  June  17,'65, 

wa.s  pris. 
Albin,  W.  M.,  e.  July  1S,'62,  m.  o.  June  5,'65. 
JJartram,  K.  W.,  e.  July  18, '62,  absent  sick  at 

ni.  o.  of  regt. 
Boon,  C.  W.,  o.  July  18,'62,  died  Chattanooga 

July  14, 'G4,  wnds,  corpl. 
Bradburn,  J.  M.,  e.  July  is, '62,  m.  o.  June5,'65. 
Bradburn,  J.  M.,  Jr.,  e.  July  1S,'G2,  m.  o.  June 

5, '65. 
Bradburn,  J.  W.  e.  July  IS, '62,  died  Bowling 

Green,  Nov.  1,'62. 
Bortzfield,  Jacob  e.  July  1S,'62,  ra.  o.  June  5, '65. 
Bortztleld,  Wm.,  e.  June  21, '62,  died  Aug.  11, '61, 

wnds. 
Booth,  J.  VV.,  c.  July  21,'62,  died  Nov.  27,'63. 
Blizzard,  W.  D.,  e.  Aug.  5,'62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '65. 
Cunley,  A.,  e.  Aug.  10,'62,  died  Nashville,  Feb. 

12, '63. 
Charlton,  W.  P.,  e.  Aug.  10,'62,  m.  o.  May  :!0,'65. 
Daniels,  J.  R.,  e.  Aug.  10,'62,  tr.  i.  c.  Feb.  15,'64. 
Howell,  Geo.,  e.  Aug.  10,'62,  died  Nash%illc, 

Apr.  5, '63. 
Howell,  H.,  e.  Aug.  10, '62,  died  Louis\ille  in  '62. 
Jordan,  B.  F.,  e.  July  1S,'62,  m.  o.  June  2S,'65, 

wa.s  pris. 
Koozer,  Danl.,  c.  July  24,'62,  died  Goldsboro 

Meh.  27, '65,  wnds. 
Kratzer,  David,  e.  July  24,'62,  died  Big  Shanty, 

June  29,'64,  wnds. 
Layton,  W.,  e.  July  29,'62,  died  Nashville,  Dec. 

1,'62. 
Mason,  H.,  e.  July  30,'62,  died  Louisville,  Dee. 

23, '62. 
Mayes,  J.  A.,  e.  July  30,'62,  abs.  sick  at  m.  o.  of 

regt. 
Parks,  Jacob,  e.  July  20, '62,  m.  o.  June  5, '65. 
Pemberton,  B.,  e.  July  2'.i,'62,  d.  dis.  Jan.  10,'63. 
Pemberton,  W.  J.,c.  Aug.l0,'62,d.dis.Jan.24,'63. 
Shaw,  R.,  e.  July  18,'62,  abs.  sick  at  ra.o.  of  regt. 
Saint,  P.  e.  July  18,'C2,  kid  Peach  T.  creek,  July 

19, '64. 


Streeter,  H.  R.,  e.  July  18,'62,  abs.  atni.  o.  regt., 

wnd. 
Schniick,  W.  S.,  e.  Aug.  10,'62,  abs.  sick  at  ra.o. 

of  regt. 
Trent,  Thos.,  c.  Aug.  10,'62,  m.  o.  June  5,'65. 
Vanduseu,  J.  P.,  e.  July  18,'G2,  died  Nsishvllle 

Meh.  3, 'Go. 
Wood,  J.  A.,  e.  Julv  1S,'G2,  d.  dis.  Feb.  10,'63. 
Whit^iker,  W.  J.,  July  1S,'62,  died  Nashville, 

Dec.  20, '62. 
White,  M.  L.,  e.  July  18,'62,  died  Nashville  Dec. 

13, '62. 

COHn»ANY  F. 


Jn 
A 


Captains. 

10.  Kennedy,  c.  Aug.  27,'62,  died  July  19,'64. 
.  J.  Mason,  e.  June  16, '62,  m.  o.  June  5,'65. 


First  Lieutenants. 

Robt.  J.  Bowman,  e.  Aug.  27, '62,  res.  Oct.  17, '63. 
F.  M.  McColyou,  e.  June  1G,'62,  abs.  sick  atm. 
o.  regt. 

Second  Lieutenants. 
R.  M.  Tinney,  e.  Aug.  27,'62,  res.  Jan.  13,'63. 
E.  D.  Lampett,  e.  June  16,'62.  res.  Oct.  10,'63. 

First  Sergeant. 
Wm.  Kelly,  e.  June  16, '62,  ra.  o.  June  5,'65. 

Sergeants. 

Wm.  Johnson,  e.  June  16, '62,  m.  o.  June  5, '65, 
as  1st  i>rivate. 

Corporals. 

Fd.  Scattergood,  e.  June  16,'62,  m.  o.  June  5,'65. 

Nathan  Kellogg,  e.  June  16,'62,  m.  o.  June  5, '65. 

Philip  Beck,  e.  June  16,  '62,  kid  Peach  T.  creek, 

July  PJ, '64. 

Wagoner. 
John  Wolf,  e.  June  16, '62,  m.  o.  Meh.  6, '64. 

Privates. 
Bird,  Wm.,  e.  June  16,'G2,  m.  o.  June  5, '65. 
Bcncr,  David,  e.  June  16, ■62,  d.  dis.  Junel9,'63. 
Cleveland,  P.  P.,  e.  June  1G,'62,  died  Feb.  4,'63. 
Cregg,  David,  e.  June;  l(i,'G2,  m.  o.  June  5, '65. 
Cary,  Jas.,  e.  June  16, '62,  died  Meh.  11, '61, wnds. 
Cheal,  J.  J.  e.  June  16, '62,  tr. inv. corps  Sep.7, '63. 
Clark,  J.  J.,  e.  June  16, '62,  m.o.  June  17, '65,  pris. 
Coombs,  James,  e.  June  1G,'62,  m.  o.  June5,'65. 
Driver,R.,e.Junel6,'62,died  Louisv'eSep.29,'62. 
Dean,  Wm.,  e.  June  21,'62,m.o.  June5,'65,corpl. 
Deball,  L.,  e.  June  21, '62. 
Earp,  Wm.,  e.   June  16,'62,  died  Nov.  30,  '64, 

wu<ls,  Sergt. 
Franks,  Jajues,  e.  June  16,'62,  m.  o.  June  5,'65. 
Foruer,  Jos.,  e.  June  16,'62,  kid.  Buzzard  Roost 

Feb.  2.5, 'frl. 
Fultz,  Nicholas,  e.  June  16,'62. 
Hanks,  James,  e.  June  16,'62,  kid.  Feb.  9,'63. 
Hinsey,  A.,  e.  June  21,'62,  abs.  sick  at  m.o.  regt. 


366 


HISTORY   OP  TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 


McCabe,  Jas.,  e.  June  16'6-2,  m.  o.  June  22'65. 
McCabe,  Philip,  e.  June  lf),'(V2,  m.  o.  June  5, '65. 
Maloney,  J.,  e.  June  lC,'62,flie(i  Nasnville  Jitn.i). 
McQuinn,  John,  e.  June  21, "62,  m.  o.  May  17, 'fi"). 
Pillsbery,  Geo.,  e.  June  10, '62,  m.  o.  Juiie  .5, '6.5. 
Rily,  M.",  e.  Junel6,'62,  kid.  Kenesaw  Mt.,  Juno 

27  '64. 
Rvan,'M.!  e.  June  16,'62. 

Rhoads,  M.,  e.  June  16,  '62,  drowned  Oct.  9,'O.S. 
Thompson,  Jnc,  e.  Junel6,'62,  m.  o.  Meh.7,'63. 
Tanger,  Beu.,  e.  June  16,'62,  m.  o.  June  5,'G5. 


Vamum,  B.  F.,  e.  June  16,'62,  m.o.  June  5,'65, 

Corpl. 
Wrigler,  M.,  c.  June  16,'62,  m.  o.  June  22,  '65, 

was  pris. 
Whitaker,  Jacob,  e.  June  21, '62,  m.  o.  June5,'65. 

Beeruits. 
Bass,  John. 
Brickie,  Philip. 
Foot,  Win.  S. 
Turner,  Jno,  died  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  Oct.12,'62. 


86th  IXFANTKY 

Was  organized  at  Peoria,  Illinois,  in  1862.  Moved  for  Louisville.  Marched 
from  camp  Oct.  1,  and  on  the  8th  was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Perryville; 
engaged  in  the  battle  of  Chicamauga,  Sept.  19,  20  and  21.  Moved  into  Look- 
out Valley  Oct.  29.  In  tlie  night  of  Nov.  23,  crossed  the  river  on  a  pontoon 
and  camped  at  the  foot  of  Missionary  Ridge  Pursued  the  enemy  on  the  2Gth 
to  Ringgold,  and  was  then  ordered  to  Knoxville,  Tenn.  Marched  as  far  as 
Little  Tennessee  River,  and  returned  to  Chattanooga  Dec.  18,  after  a  most 
severe  march.  Was  engaged  at  Buzzard's  Roost,  May  9,  10  and  11;  Resaca, 
May  14, 15 ;  Rome,  17th, — 6  kille<l,  11  wounded ;  Dallas,  from  May  27  to  June  5; 
Kenesaw  Mountain,  from  June  11  to  27,— losing  110  killed  and  wounded.  It 
again  engaged  the  enemy  on  the  banks  of  the  Chattahooche  on  the  18th  July; 
at  Peach  Tree  Creek  on  the  19th,  and  near  Atlanta,  20  and  22nd.  Engaged  in 
the  siege  of  Atlanta.  Commenced  the  "march  to  the  sea"  Nov.  16.  Arrived 
at  Savannah  Dec.  21.  After  the  surrender  of  Johnson,  marched,  via  Rich- 
mond, to  AVashington  Citv,  at  which  place  was  mustered  out  of  service,  June 
6,  1865.     Died,  killed,  and" wounded,  3-46.     Marched  3,500  miles;  by  rail,  2,000. 


COMPANY  G. 

Captains. 
Wm.  B.  Bogardus,  e.  Aug.  27,'62,  died  wnds. 

April  18, '65. 
S.  L.  Zinger,  e.  Aug.  27,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 

First  Lieutenant. 
Martin  Kingman,  e.  Aug.  27,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'02. 

Hospital  Steioard. 
J.  W.  Robinson,  e.  Aug.  13,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 

First  Sergeants. 
Frederick  Shearer,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  trans.  Y.  R.  C. 

April  20, '64. 
Luther  S.  North,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65, 
wnd. 

Sergeants. 

H.  H.  KcUogg,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  Dec.  20,'62. 

A.  Graham,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  5;'65. 

M.  H.  Cloud,  e.Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  Juue6,'65,  wnd. 

Coi-porals. 

C.  G.  Parker,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  m.o.  June  6,'65, 

serg't. 
J.  T.  Gibson,  e.  Aug.  1,'62,  m.o.  June6,'65,  serg. 
W.  H.  Waughap,  e.  Aug.  9,'C2,  m.o.  June  6,'05, 

sergt. 
J.  H.  Chaffer,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  m.o.  April  4,'G3, 

wnd. 
H.  F.  Heiple.  e.  Aug.  14,'C2,  m.o.  June  13,'65. 
S.  Hawkins,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  trans.  V.  R.  C.  Feb. 

2, '6.5. 
J.  Roberts,  e.  Aug.  Il,'fi2,  m.o.  Jan.  0,'65,  \rad. 
O.  P.  Eaton,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  May  31,'65,  wnd. 

Micsician. 

F.  Gulp,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.o.  Feb.  63. 

P7-ivatcs. 

Brcen,  Ed.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'05,  wnd. 
BrLketi,  D.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  of  wnds.  April 

12,'65. 
Brown,  Levi,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June6,'65. 


Bracken,  G.  D.,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.o.  Jan.  18,'65, 

dis. 
Bitter,  J.  M.,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  died  Nor.  19, '62. 
Botham,  G.  W.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 
Crosby,  Ira,  c.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 
Corbih,  il.,  e.  Aug.   11, '62,  m.o.  June  22,'65, 


wnd. 
Criswell,  Wm., 

pris.  wnd. 
Cullom,  D.  W., 


e.  Aug.  9,'Gl,  m.o.  July  22,'65, 


e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 
Davis,  D.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  m.o.  Oct.  5,'63,  ^vnd. 
Duvall,  J.  W.,  e.  Aug.14,'62,  died  Sept.  3'63,  wnd. 
E\erhart,  T.  Y.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  at  Golds- 

boro,  N.  C,  Mar.  24,'64. 
Eggman,  J.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  June  6, '65, wnd. 
P'arrow,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  13, '62,  m.o.  June  6, '6-5. 
Ferner,  G.  W.,  e.  Aug.  12, '62,  m.o.  June  6, '65, 

corpl.,  wnd. 
Frock  or  French,  Richard,  e.  Aug.  27, '62. 
Graves,  J.  J.,  e.  Aug.  15, '62,  trans,  to  Miss.  mar. 

Feb.  '63. 
Hodgcson,  J.  E.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  kid.  at  Benton- 

\-ille,  N.  C,  Mar.  19,'65. 
Haiu,  D.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  kid.  Dec.  3,'63,  sergt. 
Holmes,  G.  W.,  e.  Aug.  12, '02,  died  at  Chatta- 
nooga July  9,'(>4j  wnds. 
Hindbaugh,  J.  W.,  e.  Aug.  13,'62,  m.o.  June  6, 

'65. 
Holland,  I.  W.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'6.5. 
Kindle,  E.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  June6,'65.  corpl. 
Kevs.  J.  T.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  trans,  pioneer  corps, 

July  25,'t>4. 
Lee,  C,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 
Lane,  T.  B.,  e.  Aug.  8,'62,  m.o.  June  22,'05, 

pris. 
■Jameson,  J.,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  m.o.  June  0,'65,  cor. 
Lewis,  R.,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  m.o.  June  G,'65. 
Layton,  H.  C,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  Dec.  20,'62. 
Merchant,  Geo.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'62, 

pris. 
Milligan,  C.  B.,  e.  Aug.  9,'C2,  m.o.  April  13,'63. 
Mericle,  R.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  trans,  to  P.  C,  July 

29,'(>1. 
Merrick,  I.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  24,'65,  pris. 
McBride,  W.  G.,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  died  NashviUe, 

Feb.  11, '63. 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


367 


,  m.n.  Jiinc  fi.'Go. 
kid.  Kenesaw  Mt., 


McCoy,  D.,  c.  AuR.  0,'f.2,  m.n.  INInr.  'aS. 
Miiwnheimer,  C.,0.  Aug.  ll.'iVi,  in.o.  .Tunefi,'65. 
Miinroe.  Felix,  e.  Aug.  14,'i>J,  died  Nashville, 

Av)ril  5,'G."). 
Murphy,  P.,  c.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  Juno  6,'66. 
Oberdurf,  J.,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.o.  June  (i,'(i3. 
Parker,  W.  J.,  c.  Aug.  9,'(V2,  m.o.  .Tunc  (),'fi<j. 
Parker,  J.  H.,  c.  Aug.  0,'C.2,  "  ""' 

Parker,  C.  A.,  c.  Aug.  9,'G2 

July  1,'64. 
Petty,  S.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  June  fi,'f>5. 
Kuble,  John,  e.  Aug.  12,'G2,  m.o.  June  0,'65, 

corj)!. 
Robinson,  N.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  m.o.  June  f),'65. 
Ruble,  Jona.,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.o.  June  G,'6.5. 
Riehanl,  Benjamin,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  kid.  Perry- 

ville.  Oct.  8,'G2. 
Shoemaker,  R.,  e.  Aug.  1.5,'02,  m.o.  June  G,'65. 
Sutton,  Phillip,  e.  Aug.  14,'G2,  m.o.  June  G,'6.5. 
Smith,  H.  B.,  e.  Aug.  0,'62,  m.o.  May  15,'G5, 

eorpl.,  wnd. 
Strawsburgh,  (}.,  c.  Aug.  9,'63,  tr.,  Y.  R.C.  Oct. 

'G3. 
Strawsburgh,  e.  .\ug.  9,'G2,  died  Jan.  7, '6?!. 
Scott,  H.  E.,  c.  Aug.  14, 'C2,  m.o.  June  G,'G2. 
Shreeve,   Amos,  e.   Aug.  8,'G2,   kid.   Kenesaw 

Mt.,  Jan.  27,'G4. 
Shcppard,  K.  11.,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  !il)s.  at  m.o.  regt. 
Small,  J.  W.,  o.  Aug.  9,'62,  kid.  Kenesaw  Mt., 

eorpl. 
Spier,  J.  R.,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  m.o.  Feb.  '63. 


Tobias,  Israel,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  m.o.  May29,'6.5. 
Truet,  George,  c.   Aug.  9,'G2,  died  Nashville, 

Feb.  19, '63. 
Trowbridge,  J,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65, 

wnd. 
Walker,  J.,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.o.  June  6,'G5. 
Wood,  E.,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2.  m.o.  June  6,'G5. 
Westerlield,  .Jacob,  e.  Aug.  9,,G2,  m.o.  June  24, 

'G.I,  eorpl.,  was  pris. 
Whistler,  Benj.,e.  Aug.  11, 'G.'),  m.o.  Dec.  20,'62. 
Wilson,  J.  O.,  e.  Aug.  15, '62,  m.o.  June  G,'G3. 

Jiccruits. 

Burns,  E.  C,  e.  Feb.  1,'64,  m.o.  July  12,'C5, 

eorpl. 
Eggman,  A.,  e.  Jan.,  24,'64,  m.o.  July  12,'65. 
Eggman,  J.  J.,  e.  Jan.  2.5,'64. 
Feely,  W.  S.,  e.  Dec.  2G,'G3,  never  reported  to 

companv. 
Graves,  S.  A.,  e.  Feb.  1,'64,  m.o.  July  12,'6r). 
Gaudy,  S.  M.,  e.  Aug.  27,'))2,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 
Minch,  S.,  e.  Aug.  27, '62,  m.o.  June  G,'65. 
Riddle,  W.  H.,e.  Sept.  23,'G4,  m.o.  JuneG,'G5. 
Shurts,  J.  W.,  e.  Sept.  24, '64,  m.o.  June6,'()5. 
Smith,  Bethel,  e.  Sept.  2:1, '61,  m.o.  June  6,'G.5. 
Smith,  W.  M.,  e.  Sept.  23,'Gt.  m.o.  May  2;i,'65. 
Triplet,  W.  H.,  e.  Sept.  2;!,'G4,  m.o.  June  6,'G5. 
Wilson,  S.  L.,  e.  Feb.  1,'Gl,  tr.  V.  R.C,  Dec.  24, 

'64. 
Whistler,  B.  F.,  .Tan.  26,'G4,  m.o.  July  12,'6.5. 


94tli  INFANTRY 

Was  organized  at  Bloomington,  Illinois,  in  Aug.  '62,  and  mustered  in  Aug.  20, 
and  five  davs  later  was  ordered  to  Benton  Barracks  at  St.  Louis. 

The  i)4th,  after  many  fatiguing  marches  through  Missouri  and  Arkansas, 
met  the  enemy  at  Illinois  Creek,  Arkansas,  under  Gen.  Hindinan,  hohling 
him  in  check  for  three  hours,  and  being  reenforced  by  Gen.  Blunt's  Division, 
continued  the  action  until  night,  when  the  enemy  withdrew. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  out  July  17th,  '65.  at  New  Orleans,  and  ar- 
rived at  Camp  Butler  Aug.  2,  '65.  when  it  received  final  discharge. 


COMP.INY  H. 

Privates. 
Lane,  Hugh,  e.  Aug.  il,'G2,  abs.,  sick  at  m.o.  of 

McAlister,  F.,  e.  Aug.  21, '62,  m.o.  July  17,'65. 
Smith,  I.  L.,  c.  Aug.  20,,G2,  m.o.  July  17,'G5, 

eorpl. 
Brinistol,  Ira,  e.  Sept.  2l,'Gl,  m.o.  Jidy  17,'65. 

COMPANV  I. 

Sergeants. 

J.  B.  Chaplin,  o.  Aug.  1(),'62,  d.   May  1,'G4,  dis. 
Isaac  Blair,  e.  Aug.  .s,'G2,  d.  Feb.  24, 'G:',,  dis. 
Theodore  Miner,  e.  Aug.  8,'G2,  m.o.  July  17, '65, 
as  sergt.,  com.  2d  Ueut  not  mustered. 

Privates. 

Buggs,  T.,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  d.  June28,'63,  dis. 
Parker,  E.,  e.  Aug.  15,'G2,  d.  Feb.  21, '63,  dis. 
('(jlville,  W.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  m.o.  July  17, '65. 
Durnan  J.  S.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  July  17,'05. 
Hammond,  J.   W.,  e.   Aug.   15,'62,  died  New 

Orleans,  Sept.  13,'63. 
Hunter,  D.  L.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  m.o.  July  17,'65. 
Henry,  J.  W.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  m.(j.  July  17,'65. 
John.son,  G.  W.,  e.  Aug.  11,'62,  m.o. July  17,'65, 

eorpl. 
Laton.  S.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  d.  Aug;  13,'6-1,  dis. 
Livesav,   J.  T.,  e.   Aug.  15, '62,  died  at  home 

Sept.  9, '63. 
Loonev,  A.   P.,  c.  Aug.  15,'G2,  died  at  New 

Orleans,  Sept.  9,'63. 
Lindsay,  J.  e.  Aug.  17,'62,  d.  April  16,'63,  dis. 


IMitchcll,  Bvron  L.,  e.    Aug.  7, '62,   died  New 

Orleans,  Aug.  29,'G3. 
Macv,  W.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  July  12,'65. 
Macv,  G.  0.,e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  Carroltou,  La., 

Aug.  30,'63. 
Miller.  Peyton,  e.  Aug.  15,'G2,  m.o.  July  17,'G5. 
Price,  Dehuison,  e.  Aug.  l(i,'62.  m.o.  July  17, 'G5. 
Rockbold,  J.  11.,  e.  Aug.  8,'62,  tr.  I.  C.  April 

30,'Gl. 
Railsbaek,  B.  F.,  e.  Aug.  9,'fi2,  d.  Jan.  24,'64. 
Railsbock,  T.  F.,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  m.o.  Juiy  17,'65. 
Sweat,  G.  W.,  e.  Aug.  19,'62,  m.o.  July  17, '65. 
Strickland,  F.,  e.  Aug.  15,'G2,  m.o.  July  17,'65. 
Smith,  O.  M.,e.  Aug.  12,'62,  m.o.  July  17,'G5. 
Shaw,  G.,  e.  Aug.  1.5,'G2,  d.  Dee.  1,'Gl,  dis. 
Ward,  (ico.,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  m.o.  July  17, 'G5. 
Winn,  W.  S.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  died  at  (Jarroltou, 

La.,  Aug.  14,'G3. 
Williams,  J.  H.,  e.  Aug.  12, '62,  d.  Sept.  14, 'tU, 

(li.s. 
Williams,  J.  A.,  e.  Aug.  12,'G2,  d.  Jan.  7,  64,  dis. 

Jvrcruits. 

Hunter,  W.  II.,  e.  Mar.  12,'64,  m.o.  May  16,'66, 

eorpl. 
Lance,  C,  e.  Sept.  24,'64,  m.o.  Julyl7,'6.5. 
Hartzell,  I.,  e.  Feb.  27,'64,  m.o.  May  15,  66. 


lOOth  INFANTRY. 

COMPANY  H. 

First  Sergeant. 
Wm.  B.  Connor,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.o.  June  11, '64. 


368 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


Privates. 

Allbrisht,  John,  e.  Aug.  14,'G2,  d.  June  11, 'M. 
AllbriKht,  Jos.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  in.o.  June  12, '65. 
Conner,  J.  K.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  d.  Mar.  24,04. 
Conner,  J.  S.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  ni.o.  June  12,'G.5. 
Dosse,  P.  H.,  e.  Aug.  15, '02,  died  Chattanooga, 
Aug.  13,'G4,  wnd. 


Hcninger,  B.  W.,  c.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.o.  June  12. 

'05. 
Lyon,  L.  M.,  e.  Aug.  19,'62,  kid.  Chattanouga, 

Sept.  19, 'G;!. 
Moore,  D.  T.,  e.  Aug.  lo,'62,  died  Nashville, 

Dec.  17,'e3. 
Shoemaker,  J.,  e.  Aug.  1,'62,  d.  April  2,'64. 
Coons,  D.,  e.  Aug.  S,'62,  abs.  sick  at  m.o.  regt. 


104th  IISFANTRY 

formed  a  part  of  First  Brigade,  Fourteenth  Army  Corps,  in  which  it  remained 
until  mustered  out. 

On  the  25th  of  Nov.  '63,  was  in  the  battle  of  Missionary  Ridge,  capturing 
a  number  of  prisoners.  The  regiment  moved  to  Ringgold  May  3rd,  to  prepare 
for  the  campaign  a])out  to  commence  against  Atlanta.  The  regiment  partici- 
pated in  many  skirmishes  up  to  the  5th  of  June,  when  they  moved  in  front  of 
Kenesaw  Mountain,  where  it  was  engaged  skirmishing  almost  continously 
until  the  3rd  of  July,  when  the  enemy  left  the  Mountain.  On  the  20th  July 
the  104th  crossed  Peach  Tree  Creek,  and  at  4  p.m.  were  attacked  by  the 
enemy,  when  the  regiment  distinguished  itself  for  unsurpassed  bravery, 
losing  in  killed  and  wounded  50  officers  and  men. 

The  campaign,  from  May  7,  when  the  regiment  left  Ringgold,  to  Sep.  6, 
when  it  left  Jonesboro,  was  very  severe,  skirmishing  almost  continually, 
never  halting  for  the  night  without  throwing  up  w"orks  for  defence.  The  loss 
in  these  engagements  being  very  heavy,  in  killed  and  woundeii,  and  at  Peach 
Tree  Creek  the  right  of  the  regiment  was  almost  annihilated,  but  the  brave 
boys  never  faltered. 

On  the  16th  of  Nov.  the  104th  started  on  that  famous  "  march  to  the  sea," 
taking  possession  of  Savannah  on  the  21st  Dec.  The  regiment  had  its  share  of 
the  hardships,  marches,  ect.,  as  also  the  fine  foraging  produced  by  that  beauti- 
ful country  through  which  they  passed. 

The  Regiment  was  engaged  in  the  battles  of  Hartsville,  Chickamauga, 
Lookout  Mountain,  Missionary  Ridge,  Resaca,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Utoy  Creek, 
Jonesboro  and  Bentonville.  They  were  mustered  out  June  7th,  and  on  the 
8th  left  for  Chicago  where  they  received  their  final  discharge. 


COMPANY   I. 

Captains. 
John  Wadlegh,  e.  Aug.  12,'G2,  res.  July  30,'6.3. 
Willard  Proctor,  e.  Aug.  12, '02,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 

First  Lieutenant. 
Jas  M.  Wright,  e.  Aug.  12,'G2,  m.o.  June  6,'05. 

Second  Lieutenant. 
C.  E.  Webber,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  res.  Fel).  9,'G3. 
First  Sergeants. 

W.  C.  Hempstead,  e.  Aug.  12,'G2,  pro.  chaplain. 
L.  G.  Stout,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6s'63. 
Sergeants. 

A.  S.  Smith,  c.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 
A.  Moffatt,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 

Cor2Mrals. 

Ethridge  Chapman,  e.  Aug.  9,  62,  kid.  Chicka- 
mauga, Sept.  20,'63. 

C.  L.  Bangs,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  m.o.  June  6,'G5. 

Timothy  Powel,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  missing  at  Chick- 
amauga, sergt. 

N.  II.  Cooper,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  d.  Jan.  8, '63,  dis. 

A.  A.  Vermilvea,  e.  Aug.  11, '62. 

R.  P.  Hoge,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  d.  May  29,'63. 

Wm.  Cady,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 

C.  L.  Lymonds,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  died  Tompkins- 
ville,  Nov.  21, '62. 

Privates. 

Andrews,  B.,  e.  Aug.  11,'62,  tr.  to  I.  C.  June  30, 
'64. 


Allen,  David,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  d.  Aug.  17,'63. 
Burns,  F.  W.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 
Baker,  S.,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  d.  Jan.  20,'63,  dis. 
Blackburn,  O.  C,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  d.  July29,'63, 

dis. 
Bane,  Jacob,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  d.  April  23,'64,  dis. 
Bailey,  John,  e.  Aug.  12, '02,  m.o.  June  G,'65. 
Bailv,  A.  J.,  e.  Aug.  12, '62,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 
Beagle,  D.,  e.  Aug.  13,'62. 
Bane,  Henry,  e.  Aug.  20, '62,  rejected. 
Cooper,  Jolin,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 
Collins,  A.,  e.  Aug.  !t,'02,  d.  Nov.  7,'G3,  dis. 
Coyne,  J.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  abs.,  sick  at  m.o.  regt. 
('ailahan.  A.,  e.  Aug.  9,'(i2,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 
Davis,  E.  M.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  June  6,'05. 
Douglas,  H.  C,  e.  Aug.  12, '02,  kid.  at  Mission 

Kidge,  Nov.  25, '63. 
Everet,  Richard,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 
Ellenbocker,  Nicliolas,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  at 

Gallatin,  June  19,'G3. 
Erie,  John,  e.  Aug.  13,'62,  died  Cowen,  Tcnn., 

Aug.  24, '63. 
Foster,  Samuel,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 
Frink,W.  E.,e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June0,'05,  corpl. 
Harkne.ss,  P.,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  m.o.  June  0,'65. 
Lamb,  C,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  m.o.  June  0,'05,  sergt. 
Larkin  John,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  d.  Nov.  16,'03,  dis. 
l^arkin,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  13, '02.  m.o.  June  G,'6.5. 
Miillin,  I.  B.,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  d.  June  1G,G3,  dis. 
Marlev,  J.,  e.  Aug.  9, '02,  d.  April  22, '04,  dis. 
McDonald,  W.  M.,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  d.  June  23, '63, 

dis. 
Mahan,  Thos.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62. 
Miller,  Christian,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  Bowling 

Green,  Nov.  16,'62. 
Mallory,  E.  T.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


369 


Moore,  John,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  at  LouiSA'illc, 

Nov.  ll,'t;2. 
IMoFaddoii,  F.  D.,e.  Aug.  9,'r.2,  m.o.  JuneC,'f)5. 
Malone,  S.  B.,  e.  Aug.  0,'62. 
Marsh,  T.  H.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  missing  at  Chicka- 

mauga. 
Mallory,  M.,  c.  Aug.  12,'C)2,  d.  May  lG,'r)2,  di.s. 
Mackev,  A.  \V.,  e.  Aug.  18, '1)2. 
Mullins,  N.  H.,  e.  Aug.  '.),'(;2,  d.  Mar.  10,'o4,  dis. 
Newton,  A.  A.,  e.  Aug.  U,'()2,  died  Cincinnati, 

Dec  23. '(;2. 
Obennan,  .1.  H.  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  Loui.s\ille, 

Sept.  21,  T.;?. 
Powell  J.  (".,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  d.  Dee.  30,'t)2. 
Pouts,  Andrew,  e.  Aug.  9.'62,  m.o.  .June  6,'G.'>. 
Purviance,  M.,  c.  Aug.  12, '62,  m.o.  ,lune  6,'f),5. 
Quinn,  A.  C,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'G5, 

Cf)rpl. 
Quinlin,  J.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  d.  Jan.  30,'63,  dis. 
llohinson,  O.  L.,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  m.o.  June  6. '6.5. 
Kobbins,  D.  C,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 
Rico,  Charlos,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  G,'65. 
Read,  S.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62. 


Shoemaker,  N.,  e.  Aug.  9, '62. 

Sowman,  H.  J.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 

Smith,  J.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62. 

Snyder  C'ornelius,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  July  16, 

'6."i,  was  pris. 
Smock,  A.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  d.  June  15,'65,  dis. 
Purviance,  Walker,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  tr.  to  I.C. 

June  21,  64. 
Traver,  John,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  Columbus,  O., 

Dec.  26, '62. 
Tliompson,  J.,  e.  Aug.  6,'G2,  d.  Dec.  18,'62,  dis. 
Taylor,  R.  W.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62. 
Traver,  H.  V.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  Dec.  10,'62, 

wnds. 
Trask,  D.  L.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6,'65. 
Traver,  J.  J.,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 
Winans,  B.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  6, '62. 
Whitman,  Lewis,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  died  Anderson- 

ville  prison,  Jan.  7, '64. 
Williams,  J.  K.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  d.  Jan.  7,'63. 
Winans,  Louis,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  m.o.  June  6,'6r). 
Lewis,  George,  m.o.  June  6, '65. 


108tli  INFANTKY 

"Was  organized  at  Camp  Peoria,  and  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  Auf?.  28tli,  1862.  The  lirst  cotnpany  was  recruited  at  Pekin,  by  Charles 
Turner.  Oct.  Gth,  the  refi;'t.  left  Covington,  Ky.  arriving  on  the  8th.  On  the 
17th,  marched  into  the  interior  of  the  State,  following  the  retreating  enemy. 
They  passed  through  Falmouth,  Cynthiana,  Paris  and  Lexington  to  Nicholas- 
ville,  where  they  went  into  camp  Nov.  1st,  and  remained  until  the  14th,  when 
they  started  for  Louisville,  arrived  on  the  19th,  and  left  the  21st  for  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  where  it  went  into  camp  near  the  city  on  the  26th.  On  the  20th  of  Dec. 
they  went  on  hoard  the  "City  of  Alton,"  and  proceeded  with  the  expedition, 
under  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman  against  Vicksburg.  They  ])roceeded  down  the 
river  to  the  mouth  of  the  Yazoo,  and  up  that  river  to  Johnson's  Landing,  near 
Chickasaw  Blutt".  On  the  2i)th  they  moved  upon  the  enemy,  who  was  found 
strongly  fortified  upon  the  bluffs.     It  was  here  the  108th  first  met  the  enemy. 

They  withdrew  from  the  attack  on  Vicksl)urg  Jan.  1st  and  returned  down 
the  Yazoo  river  and  up  the  White  river,  antl  through  a  cut-off  into  the 
Arkansas,  to  Arkansas  Post,  where  on  the  11th  they  bore  an  active  part  in 
that  most  brilliant  and  successful  engagement.  There  was  13  wounded.  On 
the  17th  of  Jan.,  1863,  they  moved  down  stream  to  Young's  Point,  La.,  where 
they  went  into  camp  the  24th. 

The  long  confinement  on  the  transports,  and  want  of  pure  air  and  sani- 
tary conveniences  during  this  expedition,  cost  the  regiment  more  lives  than 
all  other  causes  during  its  term  of  service.  One  officer,  Philo.  W.  Hill,  1st 
Lieut.  Co.  A.  and  134  i^rivates  died  during  the  months  of  February  and 
March,  '64. 


Colonel. 
Charles  Turner,  e.  Aug.  2«.'62,  jiro.  col.  March 
13,'63,  pro.  Brevet  Brig.  Geu.  Mar.  26,'65,  m. 
o.  Aug.  5, '65. 

Lieutenant  Colonel. 
W.  R.  Lackland,  e.  Aug.  2S,'62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 

Hospital  Steward. 
3.  R.  Riblet,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 

COMPANY  A. 

Captain. 

John  W.  Plummer,  e.  Aug.  28,'62,  m.o.  Aug.5'65. 

First  Lieutenant.^. 

Philo  W.  Hill,  e.  Aug  28,'62,  died  San.  2C,,'m. 
A.  C.  Beals,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 

Second  Lieutenants. 
J.  S.  Boucher,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  died  July  22,'65. 
J.  W.  Nonis,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,m.o.  Aug.5,'65,scrgt. 


Sergeants. 

P.  J.  McQueen,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  died  Arkansas  P. 

Jan.  3, '63. 
J.  B.  Hicks,  e.  Aug,  14,'62,  died  Nov.  25,'62. 
Martin  Broyhill,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.  o.  Aug.5,'65. 

Coi-porals. 

L.  F.  Puffer,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  d.  .Tnly28,'65. 
Harrv  Allen, e.  Aug.l4,'G2,died  Cairo  Jan.26,'63. 
Thos.  F.  McClure,  e..\ng.  14,'62,  died  Jan.26"63. 
R.  W.  Davidson,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, 

'65,  private. 
F.  A.  West,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65,sergt. 
Elmore  Brem,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  died  June  25, '63. 

Privates. 

Ashburn,  Jesse,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  died  Young's  Pt. 
Fe)).  22,'G3. 

Ashburn,  J.  W.,  e.  Atig,  14, '62,  died  Mar.  25,'63. 

Amsburv,  Horace,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  died  Lexing- 
ton Nov.  4, '62. 

Beale,  L.  E.,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  died  Tazewell  co., 
■Jan.  1,'64. 


370 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


Better,  Asa,  e.  Aug.  14,'G2,  abs.  sick  at  m.  o.  of 

regt..  corpl. 
Bright,  Jacob,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  died  Nov.  5,'Gl, 

pris.  war. 
Blazicr,  W.  S.,  c.  Aug.  14,'G2,  died  at  St.  Louis 

Feb.  22, '63. 
Burns,  C.  L.,  e.  Aug.  14, 'G2,  died  Young's  Pt., 

Marcli  2, '03. 
Broyhill,  F.  M.,  c.  Aug.  14,'G2,  m.  o.  Aug.  .5,'05, 

Wagoner. 
Cooper,  Isaac,  e.  Aug.  14, 'G2. 
Cheshier,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  14,'G2,  died  Millilien's 

B.,  Mavl»,'G3. 
Cornelius.  G.  IL,  Aug.  14,'62. 
Cale,  John,  e.  Au^.  14,'G2,  tr.  V.R.C.,  Dec.  2G,'63. 
Cornelius,  J.  H.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  d.  May  2G,'G.i. 
Davies,  McLind,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  m.  o.  Aug.  .'j.'O.'). 
Davies,  Aaron,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  tr.  I.  C.  Sep.  1,'()3. 
Dressier,  Jos.,  e.  Aug.  14  '02,  died  Feb.  l.'),"(')3. 
Davidson,  M.  X.,  e.  Aug.  1 1,'02,  m.  o.  Aug.  r),'i)'^. 
Davidson,  Columbus,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  m.  o.  Aug. 

5,'6.'i,  corpl. 
Edworthy,  J.  B.,  c.  Aug.  14, '02,  died  Jan.  10,'G3. 
Edworthy,  J.  W.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  m.  o.  Aug.  .5,'G'i. 
Farmer,  \V.  C,  e.  Aug.  14, 'G2,  abs.  .sick  at  m.  o. 

of  regt. 
Folk,  Samuel,  Aug.  14,'G2,  died  St.  Louis,  Feb. 

10, '03. 
Groundt,  G.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'0."). 
Hendcrshot,  John,  e.  Aug.l4,'G2,diod  Jan.lG,'G3. 
Henderson,  Robert,  c.  Aug.  14, '02,  died  Young's 

Pt.,  March  G,'63. 
Hodson,  W.  R.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  d.  Dec.  20,'G2. 
joUy,  Daniel,  e.  Aug.  14, 'G2,  abs.  sick  at  ni.  o. 

of  regt. 
King,  Thomas,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  died  Memphis 

May  24, '04. 
Kramer,  John,  e.  Aug.  14,  '02,  died  Mempliis 

Nov.  S,'G3. 
McQueen,  C.  F.,  e.  Aug.  4, '02,  died  Nov.  7, '02. 
Mansion,  l)a%'id,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  died  Nov.'27,'02. 
McPeak,  Leonard,  e.  Aug.  14, 'G2,  died  at  La- 
grange. 
Nelson,  John,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  abs.  wnd.  atm.  o. 

of  regt. 
Nelson,  Samuel,  e.  Aug.  14, '02. 
Oelschlegel,  II,  e.  Aug.  14,'02,  died  June  11,  '03. 
Ogden,  Geo.,  e.  Aug.  24, '03. 
Pile,  Calviu,  e.  Aug.  14, 'G2,  died  St.  Louis  May 

1,'63. 
Russell,  J.  M.,  e.  Aug.  14, 'G2,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'G.5. 
Rockhold,  John,  e.  Aug.  14, '()2,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'G.'i. 
Rockhold,  W.  H.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  died  Memphis 

Feb.  27, '03. 
Rockard,  A.  S.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  tr.  to  V.  R.  C. 
Sands,  Israel,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  tr.  to  V.  R.  C. 
Speck,  John,  e.  Aug.  14,'G2,  died  Lagrange  Oct. 

28, '03. 
Shorts,  Thos.,  e.Aug.l4,'62,m.o.Aug','i,'6.5,corpl. 
Sheperd,  Peter,  e.Aug,14,'02,descr(ed  Oct.l5,'0;!. 
Sparrow,  S.  B.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  died  Feb.  G,'0,3. 
Sherman,  Jf)hn,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  m.  o.  Aug.."),'G.j. 
Smith,  John,  e.  Aug,  14,'02,  died  Oct.  30,'62. 
Shiviler,  Frank,  Aug.  14, '62. 
Stout,  S.  F.,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  d.  June  8, '0.5. 
Tuttle,  J.,  e.  Aug.  14, '72,  m.  o.  Aug.  ."),'6.5,  music. 
Vincent,  Frank.,  e.  Aug.  14, 'G2,  m.  o.  Aug.5,G5. 
Vetitras,  Louis,  e.  Aug.  14, '02,  tr.  to  N.  R.  C. 
Williamson,  T.  H.,  c.  Aug.  14,'G2,  d.  Dee.  26,'C2, 

wnds. 
"West,  H.  F.,  c.  Aug.  14,'62,  died  Young's  Pt. 

Fb]).  10, '03. 
Williams,  W.  H.,  e.  Aug.  14,'G2,  died  St.  Louis, 

April  10, '03. 
Williamson,  M.  B.,  e.  Aug.  14,'C2,  tr.  to  V.  R.  C. 

Sept.  1,'G3. 
William.sou,  C,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'05. 
Whittaker,  Albert,e.Aug.l4,'G2,died  Mar.21,'G3. 
Worick,  Charles,  c.  Aug.  14, '02,  r.i.  o.  Aug.  5, '65. 
William.sou,  T.  A.,  c.  Aug.  5,'02,  m.O.  Vug.5,'05. 
Warner,  DeWittC,  e.  Aug.  5,'02,  m.o.Ang.5,'65. 
Wilson,  Silas,  e.  Aug.  5,'G2,  died  Benton  Bks 

uly  31,'63. 


Warner, IIir'm,e.Aug.5,'02,m.o.Aug.5,'G5,corx)l. 

Zul)er,  Elijah,  e.  Aug.  5,'0.5. 

Zimmerman,  The.,  c.  Aug.  5,'62,  m.  o.  Aug.5,'65. 

Recruits. 

Anderson,  W.  R.,  c.  Feb.  27,'65,  died  July  26,'65. 
Garrett,  Henry. 

Patten,  W.  H.",  e.  Oct  10,'G4,  m.  o.  Oct.  9,'G5. 
Pettv,  James,  e.  Sept.  •2H,'CA,  died  April  25,'G5. 
Petty,  W.  B.,  e.  Sept.  2S,'64,  abs.  wnd.  atm.  o. 

of  regt. 
Spavdding,  Wm.,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '65,  as  sergt. 
Short,  PaUerson,  e.  Sept.  2(),'&i,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Stout,  Isar.e,  e.  Sept.  28,'G-l,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Slaughter,  S.  E.,  e.  Sept.  2.s,'64,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Sturglss,  Geo.,  e.  Sept.  22, '04,  m.  o.  Aug.  -5, '65. 
Shoi-i,  John,  died  at  Young's  Pt.,  La.,  Jan.2G,'63. 
Wa.s'iiburn,  Edw.,  e.  Oct.  4, '04,  m.  o.  Aug.5,'65. 
Whitaker,  DeWitt  C.,died  at  Ark.Post,Jan.9,'03. 
Worthinsiton,  E.,  died  Millikeu's  Bend,  March 

10, '03. 
Warner,  Emery,  e.  Sept.  28,0^1,  died  Mar.  31,'63. 

COMTANY  B. 

Captains. 

Richard  B.  Howell,  e.Aug.28,'62,  res.Mar.25, '63. 
Wilbur  F.  Henry,  e.  Aug.  28, '02,  m.  o.  Aug.5,'65. 

First  LicvteinmlK. 

Garrett  G.  Ruhaak,  e.  Aug.28,'62,  res.Nov.13,'62. 
William  Franks,  e.  Aug.  13,'62,  m.  o.  Aug.5,'6.5. 

Second  Llmteiiant. 

John  J.  Kellogg,  e.  Aug.  8, '02,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65' 
as  sergt.,  wnd. 

Scrgmntx. 
S.  J.  Bumstead,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  pro.  As.s.  Surgeon 

131st  111.  Inf. 
Benj.  Swayze,  c.  Aug.  0,'02,  ra.  o.  Aug.  5,'65, 

com.  2d.  lieut,  not  mustered. 
Edward  J.  Davis,  e.  Aug.l3,'G2,  d.  dis.  Mar.20,62. 

Corporals. 
John  Ledterman,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  sergt.,  pro.  2d 

Lieut.  01st.  U.  S-  col.  troops. 
Harlan  Gridley,  e.  Aug.  8, '02,  abs.  at  m.  o.  of 

regt.,  reduced  to  ranks. 
Reuben  W.  Heyers,  e.  Aug.  8, '02,  m.  o.  July  12, 

'05,  pris. 
Stephen  ]?.  Sallee,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  d.  dis.  Jalv0,'63. 
J.  W.  Timhrell,e.Aug.ll,'02,drowncdSep.ll,'64. 
1\[.  B.  William,?,  e.  Aug.  0,'02  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'0.5. 
Evereit  Young,  e.  Aug.  11, '02,  died  Jan.  22, '03. 
I.  R.  Brown,  e.  Aug.  11, '02,  d.  dis.  April  7,'63. 

Mru^icians. 

Samuel  Rankin,  e.  Aug.  9, '02,  died  Pekin  Jan. 

19, '03. 
J.  G.  Stauffer,  e.  Aug.  22,'62,  d.  dis.  Feb.  19,'63. 

Wagoner. 
W.  T.  :Masters,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '65. 
Privates. 

Brown,  E.  L.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  May  18,'63. 
Bowers,  P.  O.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  Young's  Pt. 

July  10,'63. 
Bowers,  S.  K.  or  R.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.  o.  Aug. 

5, '65,  corjil. 
Bloom,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  15,'02,m.o.  Aug.5,'65, corpl. 
Barnes,  II.  V.,  e.  Aug.  22, '02,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '05. 
Champion,  Thos.,  e.  Aug.  11, '02,  abs.  at  m.  o.  of 

regt. 
Cockrell,  Joseph,  e.  Aug.11,'62,  m.o.  Aug.5,'65. 
Collins,  Gr^•ill,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '65. 
Campman,  Saml.,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.  o.  July  2, 

'65,  pris. 
Coggins,  H.  L.,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Clark,  Leauder,  e.  Aug.  15, '62,  died  Jan.  16, '63, 

corpl. 


HISTORY   OF    TAZEAVELL    COUNTY. 


371 


Fish,  Leander,  e.  Aug.  22,'62,m.o.  Auk.5,'65. 
Goodwin,  J.  A.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  Feb.  1,'63. 
Goodwin,  \V.  P.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  at  Mem- 
phis, Jan.  17, '03. 
Holsopple,  Jacob,  e.  Aug.  11, '02,  m.o.Aug.ri,'f>ri. 
Holsopplc,  Edw.,  e.  Aug.  11. '02,  died  Mar.  31, '03. 
Heihuan,  \Vm.,  e.  Aug.  11, '02,  ra.  o.  Aug.  .3,'0.5. 
Hcilinan.  Geo.,  e.  Aug.  11, '02,  died  Pekiu  Aug. 

30, '03. 
Howell,  J.  R.,  e.  Aug.  22,'62,  d.  dis.  Feb.  9,'63. 
Hubbard,  John,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  m.  o.  Aug.  .i,"65. 
Iwg,  Saiiil.,  e.  Aug.  11, "02,  m.o.  Aug.  5, '0.5. 
Jones,  John,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  rebel  pris.  Oct. 

25,'64. 
Jones,  J.  C,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  Memphis  May 

3,'04. 
Kohler,  Henry,  c.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '6.5. 
Kress,  Christo'phcr,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  Young's 

Pt.  Feb.  14, '63. 
Kress,  John,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  Young's  Pt.  Feb. 

4, '0.3. 
Lederman,  H.,e.  Aug.ll,'02,  kid.  Tusselo.  Miss., 

July  14, '64. 
McBride,  Thos.,  e.  Aug.  9,  '62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'0.5 

corpl. 
McGinnis,  G.  W.,  Aug.  21, '62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'6.5. 
Musselman,  Louis  B.,  e.  Aug.  8, '62,  m.  o.  Aug. 

.5, '65.  sergt. 
Ncavar,  Juo.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  died  Jan.  21, '63. 
Neavar,  Jacob,  e.  Aug.l3,'02,m.o.Aug.3,'65,pris. 
Perkin,  I.saac,  e.  Aug.  13, '02. 
Potter,  Thos.,  e.  Aug.  13,'62,  tr.  I.C.  Sept.  1,'03. 
Perdue,  W.  F.,  e.  Aug.  22,'02,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'05. 
Raush,  John,  e.  Aug.  S,'02,  died  May  16,'63. 
Raush,  .Saml.,  e.  Aug.  8,'02,  died  Jan.  25,'6.3. 
Rich,  \V.  H.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62.  died  May  ",'63. 
Riush,  G.  A.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  died  Miir.  12,'63. 
Riblet,  J.  R.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  i>ro.  hospital  steward. 
Stewart,  T.  B..  e.  Aug.  8,'62,  died  Keokuk  Jan. 

7, '63. 
Stewart,  D.  M.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  died  Young's  Pt., 

Feb.  1.'63. 
Sanders,  Henrv,  e.  Aug.9,'62. 
Sallee,  J.  J.,  e."  Aug.  11, '02,  d.  dis.  March  8,'63. 
Stetler,  Isaac,  e.  Aug.  11, '02,  m.  o.  Aug.  .5,'65. 
Sipe,  W.  H.,  e.  Aug.  13,'02,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65,  sergt. 
Strickfadden,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  m.o.  Aug.  5, 

'05,  corjil. 
Shclton,  Jos.,  e.  Aug.  15, '62,  died  Memphis, 

Aug.  4,  63. 
Sloat,  C.  T.,  e.  Aug.  15, '62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '6.5. 
Tobey,  H.  S.,  c.  Aug.  12,'02.  d.  dis.  Aug.  13,'6.3. 
Tew,  Vitruvius,  c.  Aug.  22,  tr.  Aug.  1,'63. 
Turner,  J.  G.,  e.  Aug.  2. '02,  died  March  25,'03. 
Wcstcrnian,  C.  S.,  e.  Aug.  12,'n2,  m.  o.  .\ug.5,'05. 
Wehrle,  F.  W.  c.  Aug.  12,'02,  tr.  to  I.C.  Sept.l,'(i3. 
Wilcox,  Levi,  c.  Aug.  11. '02. 
Webb,  J.  W.,  e.  Aug.  12,'02,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65,sergt. 

Eecruits. 
Bengal,  Adam. 
Charles,  J.  H. 
Castle,  J.  H. 
Colburn,  Wm.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  diedin  Alabama, 

March  25, '65. 
Cottrell,  Geo.,  Sept.  20,'64,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Daman,  J.  W.,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'05. 
Daman,  J.  H.  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '65. 
Draper,  J.  W.,  e.  Oct.  4,'frl,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Dunnigan,  Alpheus. 

Hoff,  Bornett,  e.  Oct.  1,'64,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65 
Kellogg,  H.  C. 
McGrew,  H.  J.  tr.  toV.R.C. 
McQualitj-.  Robt.,  e.  Aug.  1,'M,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '65 
Trumbull,  J.  H. 

Wicks,  Michael,  e.  Sept.  20,'64,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65 
Watson,  Wm.,kld  at  Guntown,Mis.s,June  10,'04. 

COMPANY  C. 

Hecruits. 

Cook,  Wm.,  e.  Sept.  24,'64,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '63 
McFadin.  Wm.,  e.  Sept.  24, '64,  m.  o.  Aug.  5, '65. 

24 


Morganstein,Lewis,e.Sept.20,'64,  m.o.Aug.5,'65. 
Ross,  John,  e.  Sepl.  27,'64,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'6.5, 
Helsh,  John. 
McGrath,  Wm.,  e.  Sept.  24,'64,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 

COMPANY  D. 

Privates. 
Buchanan,  J.  11.,  e.  Aug.  .35,'62. 
Bullock,  Thos.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62.  pro.  reg.  O.  M. 
Brtines,  John,  e.  .\ug.  11. '62. 
Hailman,  D.  E.  V.,  e.  Aug.  15, '62. 
Piffin,  Sept.  10, '02,  d.  Nov.  7, '63. 

JiecruiU. 
Bellair,  Peter,  e.  Sept.  24, '64,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Lombard,  Augu.stus,  .Sept.  24, '04,  m.o.  Aug,5,'65. 
McGin,  John,  e.  Sept.  20, '04.  m.  o.  Aug.  .5, '65. 
Wood,  James,  e.  Sept.  20. '64,  m.  o.  Aug.  5.'65. 

COMPANY  E. 

Hccmits. 

Graves,  I.  H.,  Sept.  23,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Honner,  Landon. 

Metz,  F..  e.  Sept.  20, '64,  m.o.  Aug.  5, '6.5. 
Souday,  E.,  e.  Sept.  20,'64.  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 

COMPANY  F. 

Hecruits. 
Brtily,  .S.  P.,  c.  .Sept.  27,'61,  m.o.  Aug.  .5,'0,5. 
Grubb,  C.  D.,  e.  Sept.  27,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'6.5. 
Gaston,  Cha.s.,  e.  Sept.  27,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Penfield,  H.  W.,  e.  Sept.  28,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 

COMPANY  G. 

Privates. 
Brad.shaw,  J.,  c.  Aug.  15,'62,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Brad.shaw,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  m.o.  Aug.  .5,'65, 

corpl. 
Brown,  R.  E.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  died  Feb.  12,'63. 
Brown.  John,  e.  Aug.  ]5,'02. 
Cadwell,  W.  R.,  e.  Aug.  15,'02,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'6o. 
Larimorc,  J.,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Lewis,  B.,  e.  Aug.  15, '62,  m.o.  Aug.  5, '6.5. 
Hartly,  J.  J.,  e.  Aug.  1.5,'62,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65, 

sergt. 
Mitchell,  L.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  died  Andersonville. 
Mooberry,  S.  R.,  e.  Aug.  15, '62,  m.o.  Aug.  5, '65. 
Mooberry,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  died  St.  Louis. 
Reeder,  (;.  B.,  e.  Aug.  15, '62,  m.o.  Aug.  5,65. 
Sharp,  A.  T.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
.Simms,  A.  S.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  died  Young's  Pt. 
Uable,  (;.  W.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  m.o.  Aug.  5, '05. 
Watts,  Bobt.,  e.  Aug.  15, '02,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'6.5. 

Recruits. 
Garbcr,  Noah,  e.  Oct.  1,'04.  m.o.  Aug.  5, '65. 
Kinsinger,  J.,  e.  Oct.  5,'0-},  m.o.  Oct.  4, '65. 
Smith,  Christian,  e.  Oct.  1,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'6,5. 
Twiggs,  J.  L.,  e.  Oct.  1,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5, '.55.  corpl. 
Wilber,  E.,  e.  Sept.  28,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Lahargonette,  P.,  e.  Mar.  1,'6.5. 

CO^IPANY  H. 

Second  Lieutenants. 

Michael  Glasheen,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 

Sergeant. 

Simon  P.  Hite,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  d.  Feb.  6, '65,  dis. 

Corporals. 

J.  B.  Kelley,  e.  Aug.  12,'62. 
James  M.  Erwin,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  kid  Ft.  Spanish, 
Mar.  28, '65. 

Privaies. 

Burues,  Hugh,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  d.  Nov.  6,'(>1. 
Laiiig,  I.  B.,  c.  Aug.  12,'62. 
McManis,  P.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62. 


372 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 


Rvan,  Thos.,  e.  Ans.  12, '02,  m.o.  AiiR.  5.'Gr). 
Sliav,  Michael,  e.  Aur.  12,'(;2,  dii'd  Julv  10,'(i:!. 
Shouj),  Fraiikliu,  c.  Aug.  12, '02,  tr.  to  V.  K.  (-!., 

Sept.  1S.'64. 
Spoek,  Win.,  e.  Aug.  12,62,  abs.,  sick  at  m.o.  of 

rep;t. 
Teift,  H.  M.,  c.  Aug.  12, '62,  died  Young's  Pt., 

Feb.  11, '63. 

Recruits. 

Anno,  A.  N.,  c.  Sept.  27,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Avery,  A.  M.,  e.  Sept.  27,'64,  abs.,  sick  at  m.o. 

of  regt. 
Botztield,  Benj.,  e.  Sept.  24,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5/65. 
Fisher,  J.  A.,  e.  Sep.  23,'64,  d.  May  5,'65. 

COMPANY  I. 

Privates. 
Droyers,  Dennis,  e.  Aug.  14, '62.  d.  Aj)ril  20, '04. 
Ennis,  John,  e.  Aug.  11, '62. 
Hamilton,  Daniel,  e.  Aug.  15,'62. 
Young,  Peter,  e.  Sept.  18,'62. 

Recruits.  \ 

Baker,  John  S.,  e.  Sept.  23,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Bloom,  Samuel,  e.  Sept.  23, '04,  m.o.  Aug.  5, '65. 
Kipcha,  Jona.,  e.  Sept.  20,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5, '65. 
Wertz  or  Metz,  Levi,  e.  Sept.  20, '64,  m.o.  Aug. 
5, '65. 

COHTPANY  K. 

Second  Lieutenants. 

Philander  E.  Davis,  e.  Aug.  28, '62,  d.  Mar.  28, '63. 
J.  M.  Bruchher,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.o.  Aug.  5, '65. 

First  Sergeant. 
Henry  C.  Kellogg,  e.  Aug.  9,'G2,  died  April  24, 


'63. 


Sergeants. 


Amos  Seeley,  e.  Aug.  5,'62.  m.o.  Julv  27,'05. 
David  Stimmel,  e.  Aug.  5,'62,  died  Jan.  20,'63. 

Corporals. 

Alphius  Donigan,  e.  Aug.  13, '62,  died  Young's 

Pt.,  Feb.  8,'63. 
J.  H.  Trumbull,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  tr.  to  I.  C,  Jan. 

20, '64. 
H.  T.  McGrew,  e.  Aug.  12, '62,  tr.  to.  V.  R.  C. 

Wagoner. 

John  Sunderland,  e.  Aug.  12"C2,  d.  Jan.  14,'63, 
reason,  family  affliction. 

Privates. 

Cornelius,  Levi,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.o.  Aug.  5, '62. 

Cornelius,  Henry,  e.  Aug.  14, '62. 

Castle,  J.  H.,  e.  Aug,  13, '62,  died  St.  Louis,  Jan. 

1,'64. 
Charles,  J.  H.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  d.  May  5,'63,  dis. 
Carett,  H.  E.,  e.  Aug.  14,'62.  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Enslow,  Worthington,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  died  at 

Miliken's  Beud,  Mar.  10,'63. 


Eads,  Henry,  e.  Aug.  12,62,  died  at  St.  Louis 

Jan.  30, '63. 
Fliagle,  Robt.,  e.  Aug.  14,'02,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Flennakin,  G.,  e.  Aug.  24, '62,  m.o.  Aug,  5,'65. 
Heenan,  M.,  e.  Aug.  28, '62.  m.o.  Aug.  5, '65. 
Kahili,  John,  e.  Aug.  22,'G2. 
O'Larv,  Arthur,  e.  Aug.  2S,'62,  died  in  Ander- 

Ronville  pris.,  Sept.  2<S,'04,  No:  grave  10,042. 
Olslagle,  Chas.,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Pavno,  A.,  e.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.o.  Aug.  5,65. 
Poinfrctt,  M.  E.,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  d.  Sept.  24,'64, 

dis. 
Rose,  Hilburt,  e.  Aug.  28,'62,  died  at  Y'oung's 

Pt.,  Jan.  24,'03. 
Spaulding,  William,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.o.  Aug. 

5,'(;5,  as  sergt. 
Stout,  T.  F..  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  m.o.  July  22,'65,  as 

pris. 
Sniflin,  John,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  kid.  at  Guntown, 

Miss.,  Jan.  10,'64. 
Stout,  William,  e.  Aug.  2S,'62. 
Taylor,  V.  W.,  e.  Aug.  28,'62,  d.  Dec.  24,'63,  dis. 
Turner,  G.  R.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  d.  Jan.  6,'62,  dis. 
Whitaker,  S.  M.,  e.  Aug.  44,'62,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65, 

corpl. 
Winn,  F.  M.,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  abs.,  sick,  supposed 

Walker,  S.  W.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62. 
Young,  Homer,  e.  Aug.  11,'62,  m.o.  July  27, '65, 
as  1st  sergt. 

Recruits. 

Bowers,  D.  C,  e.  Dec.  24.'63,  d.  Jan.  25,'65,  dis. 
Davis,  A.  E.,  e.  Sept.  28,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Navin,  Edward,  e.  Oct.  3,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  2,'65. 
Robertson  Jas.,  e.  Sept.  29,'04,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Scott,  John  F.,  e.  Sept.  28,'64,  m.o.   Aug.  5,'65. 
Weeks,  A.  F.,  e.  Sept.  28,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Wilcox,  John,  Sept.  23,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  5,'65. 
Welsh,  John,  Sept.  24,'63. 

Unassigned  Recruits. 

Berrv,  Emanual,  e.  Oct.  3, '04. 

Buckstone,  P.,  e.  Feb.  16,'65,  m.o.  Feb.  14,'66. 

Carroll,  John,  e.  Sept.  20,'64. 

Campbell,  M.  A.,  e.  Sept.  27,'64,  m.o.  Julyl,'65. 

Charles,  John,  e.  Sept.  24. '64. 

Chamberlain,  G.  G.,  e.  Oct.  3,  64. 

Oral,  James,  e.  Oct.  1,'04. 

Davidson,  Conoralzv,  e.  Oct.  3, '64. 

Duffv,  John,  e.  Sept.  22,'64. 

Dav,  John,  e.  Sept.  22,'64. 

Gilljert,  William,  e.  Sept.  22,'64. 

Hoffage,  Burnett,  e. 

Kellv,  James  F.,  e.  Sept.  27,'64. 

Miller,  Thos.,  e.  Oct.  3,'64. 

McKnight,  Edward,  e.  Sept.  22,'64. 

Nash,  (ieorge,  e.  Oct.  3, '64. 

Reese,  William,  e.  Sept.  23, '64. 

Sherman,  Frank,  c.  Sept.  20,'64. 

Stack,  Abraham,  e.  Oct.  3, '64. 

Smith,  William  B.,  e.  Sept.  22,'64. 

Willis,  Henry  R.,  e.  Sept.  2S,'64. 

Willson,  David,  c.  Sept.  23,'64. 

Wagoner,  Cornelius,  e.  Oct.  3,'64. 

Weils,  John,  e.  Sept.  22,'04. 

Yf)ung,  George,  Sept.  23, '64. 


115tli  INFANTRY, 

Left  Camp  Butler  Oct.  4th,  1862,  for  Kentucky.  After  visitinfr  Falmouth, 
Cynthiana,  Paris,  Lexiufiton,  Richmond,  Danville  and  Louisville,  Feb.  1st,  '63, 
proceeded  to  Nashville,  Tenn.  March  1st  moved  to  Franklin.  By  reason  of 
exposure  on  marches  and  scouting  expeditions  during  the  severe  winter  of  '62 
and  '63,  it  lost  about  200  men.  In  March  it  engaged  VanDorn,  and  drove  him 
across  Duck  river.  Sept.  19  engaged  the  enemy  on  the  field  of  Chickamauga, 
Participated  in  all  the  engagements  around  Chattanooga  and  Mission  Ridge. 
It  lost  in  the  fall  campaign  of  '63,  235  men  and  10  officers.  It  led  the  charge  on 
Tunnel  Hill,  Ga.,  May  7th,     May  15th  and  16th  engaged  in  battle  of  Resaca, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


373 


Ga.  Lost  during  the  Atlanta  campaign  100  men.  Returned  to  Tennessee  with 
Gen.  Thomas,  and  was  active  in  the  destruction  of  Bragg's  old  veteran  army 
under  Gen.  Hood.     It  received  final  discharge  at  Camp  Butler,  June  23d,  '65. 


C03IP.1IO:  H. 

Captains. 

Henry  Pratt,  e.  Sept.  1.3,'r.2,  res.  April  16,T>3. 
John  Keardun,  e.  Sept.  13,'63,  m.  o.  Junell,'65. 

First  Lieutenant. 
Silas  Parker,  e.  Sept.  13,'f)2,  res.  Mareh  1l','63. 
Jos.  J.  Slaugtiter,  e.  Aug.  9,'C2,  m.  o.  June  11, '65. 

Second  Lieutenant. 
S.  K.  Hatfield,  c.  Aug.  8,'<r_>,  m.  o.  June  11, '05. 

First  Sergeants. 

P.  H.  Herrott,  e,  Aug.  11, '02,  m.o.  June  11, '(5.5. 
David  Poter,  e.  Aug.  11, '02,  d.  Dee.  14,'63,  for 
pro.  as  1st  lleut.  15th  U.  S.  C.  T. 

Sergeants. 
Jame.s  T.  McDowell,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  kid.  Dalton, 

Ga.,  Feb.  25, 'W. 
Theodore  Van  Hayne,  e.  Aug.  11, '02,  ni.o.  June 

11, '65. 

Corporal'!. 

■William  Fleming,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  11, 

'05.  private. 
Burnhani  Vinpent,e.Aug.ll,'62,  m.o.May  20,'65. 
Rosewell  WiUox,  e.  Aug.  12, '02,  sergt.,  d.  for 

pro.  as  Isl  lieut.  44th  U.S.C.T. 
Henry  R.  Gale,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  June  11, '05, 

sergt. 
Da\-id  A.  Johnson, e..\ug.ll,'02,m.o.  Junell.'05. 
Wm.Gleason,e.Aug.l3,'(i2,m.o.  Juneir05,sergt. 
Percival  Place,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  d.  dis.  May  14, '02. 

Musicians. 

Elias  O.  Jones,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  d.  dis.  Dec.  24, '02. 
Wm.  T.  Bacon,  e.  Aug.  9, '62,  died  Franklin, 
Tenn.,  April  14, '63. 

Wagojier. 

Reulien  Weller,  e.  Aug.  13,'62,  d.dis.  Mar.3,'C3. 

Privates. 

Arnold,  G.  H.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  Lexington, 

March  7, '63. 
Akin,  James,  c.  Aug.  13,'62,  d.  dis.  Sept.  11, '03. 
Albright,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  19,'02,  d.  dis.  Dec.  15,'03. 
Albro,  J.  H.,  e.  Aug.  9, '02,  m.  o.  June  11, '05. 
Bird,  P.  II.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,tr.  toeng.  c.  .Vug.24,'i>4. 
Briggs,  E.  M.,  c.  Aug.  11, '62,  tr.  to  V.R.C.  May 

1(),'64. 
Branson,  Caleb,  o.  Aug.  13,'62,  m.o.  Mav  20,'65. 
Brighton,  I.  N.,  e.  Aug.  12,'62,  died  Niishville, 

May  31, '04,  wnds. 
C'reager,  Chri.s.,  c.  Aug.  14, '62,  m.  o.  June  11, '05. 
Carrol,  J.  J.,  e.  Aug,  13,'62,  died  .A.ndersonville 

pris.  April  25,'64,  No.  of  grave  600. 
Fisher,  J.  L.,  e.  Aug.l9,'62.ra.o.June  n.'65,cori>I. 
(Joodale,  Simon,  e.  Aug.  i:!,'62,  d.dis.  April  :{,'{i3. 
Hiscox,  Edwin,  JulyU2,'02.  m.o.  June  11. '0.". 
John.son,  Ja.s.,  e.  Julv  9, '62,  died  at  Nashville, 

Tenn.,  March  9, '03. 
Johnson,  Ijcwis,  e.  July  9,'62,  m.o.  June  11, '65. 
Jones,  W.  T.,  e.  July  9, '62,  died  at  TuUahoma, 

Tenn.  Aug.  2:5, '6.3. 
Jones,  J.  Y..  e.  July  9,'62,  kid.  at  Danville,  Kv., 

Feb.  9, '63. 
Keller,  G.  J.,  e.  July  11, '02,  m.  o.  June  11, '0.5. 
Lamm,  S.  L.,e.July  il,'62,m.o.June  ll,'65,corpl. 
Lea.ser,  Geo.  N.,  e.  July  12, '02,  abs.  sick  at  m.  o. 
Mell,  Geo.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.  o.  June  11, '("15. 
Myers,  F.  H..e.  Aug.  9,'62,  kid.  Chickamauga, 

Sept.  26, '63. 
Olson.  Swan,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  June  11, '65, 

was  pris. 


Patterson,  L.  m.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.  o.  .Tune  11, '65. 
Patten,  Z.  C,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  corpL,  d.  April  5,'65, 

to  accept  2d  lieut.  in  149th  N.  Y.  Infantry. 
Plackett.  J.  !^.,e.  Aug.  9,'62,  m.o.  June  11, '6.5. 
Poling,  Philip,  e.  Aug.  13, '62.  m.o.  June  11, '65. 
Robin.son,  E.  E.,  e.  Aug.  9, '02,  wnd.  and  missing 

at  Chicaniauga,  Sept.  30, '03. 
Ritchie,  Jacob,  e.  Aug.  11, '02,  d.  dis.  Dec.  1.3,'62. 
Riithl)un,  Elias,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.  o.  June  1,'6.5. 
Sunderland,  Samuel,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  m.o.  June 

11, '05,  wnd. 
Thomi>son,  L.  D.,  e.  Aug.  9.'62,  died  March, '63. 
Popping,  Albert,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  tr.  to  eng.  c. 

July27,'M. 
Van  Nest,  II.  D.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62.  d.  dis.  Mav6,'63. 
Waldron,  John,  e.Aug.  9,'62,  wnd.  and  mi.s,sing 

at  Chickamauga,  Sept.  20, '03. 
Will.  John,  e.  Aug.  11. '02,  m.  o.  June  11, '05. 
Work.  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  9,'02.  corpl.,  accidenUlly 

kid.  at  (ireenwood  Mills,  (ia.,  Julv  29, '64. 
Work,  Edw.,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  d.  dis.  April  3,'e3. 
Wat.son,  J.  W.,  e.  Aug.  13,'02,  m.  o.  June  11, '65. 
Watson,  T.  J.,  e.  Aug.  13,'62,  d.  Oct.  7,'64,  wnds. 
White,  J.  P.,  e.  Aug.  14,'62,  corpl.,  died  at  Chat- 
tanooga. Oct.  30, '63,  wnds. 
Zumwalt,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  9,'62,  died  at  Richmond, 

Ky.,  Jan.  10, '63. 

Kecruits. 

Brighton,  J.  v.,  e.  Dec.  1,'63,  m.  o.  Dec.  16,'65, 

corpl. 
Lamm,  J.  W.,  e.  Sept.  30,'64,  m.  o.  June  11, '65. 
Plackett,  A.  K.,  e.  Feb.  13,'64,  m.  o.  Dec.  16,'6.5. 
Zumwalt,  John,  e.  April  3, '63,  dis. 

H7tli  IXFANTKY. 

Lieutenant  Colonel. 

Jona.  Merriam,  e.  Sept.  19, '62,  m.  o.  Aug.  5,'65. 

COMPANY  A. 

First  Lieutenant. 

Benjamin  R.  Hieronymus,  e.  Aug.  7,'62,  m.o. 
Aug.  5, '65. 

Privates. 

Dempsey,  Da\'id,  e.  Aug.  7, '62,  m.o.  June 22, '65. 
Hieronymus,  T.  H.,  e.  Aug.  7. '02,  m.o.  Aug.5,'G5. 
Mason,  Trueman,  e.  Aug.7,'02,  m.o.  June  22,'65. 
McTerniii,  John,  e.  .\ug.  7, '02,  d.  dis.  Mar.19,'63. 
Philip  Buchcr,  e.  '02,  in  n7th  Inf..  co.  B.,  died 

at  Memphis,   Tenn.,  of  chronic  diarrheii, 

July,'64. 


139tli   INFA]>fTRY. 

First  Assistant  Surgeon. 
.Vllen  M.  Pierce,  e.  June  1,'64,  m.  o.  Oct.  28,'6'1. 

COMPANY  C. 

Captain. 
Dietrich  C.  Smith,  e.  June  1,'64,  m.o.  Oct.28,'64. 

First  Lieutenant. 
Elijah  W.Dickin.son.e. June  1, '64, m.o.Oct.2.S, '64. 

Second  Lieutenant. 
Benj.  F.  Burnett,  e.  June  1,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28.'&1. 

Sergeants. 
Edward  A.  Hall,  e.  May  1,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  •28,'64. 
Henry  A,  Tomm,  e.  May  10,'&4,  m.o.  Gct.28,'64. 


374 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 


Wm.  Morchcafl,  o.  Mav  14, '&l,  m.o.  Oct.  2S,'(J4. 
Wm.  H.  Mars,  c.  May  4, '64,  m.o.  Oct.  2S,'G4. 

Corporals. 

Charles  Tuesburv,  e.  May4,'fi4.  m.o.  Oct.  2S,'64. 
Henrv  ■WaReiiscliur,  e.  May  2,'f>4,  m.o.Oct.'J.s,'tU. 
Frank  Kilpatrick,  e.  Mav  1,'G4,  in.o.  Oct.  i!8,'64. 
Wm.  H.  Laing,  e.  May  4,'(>4,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 

Musician. 
Wm.  H.  Clauser,  e.  May  2.5,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  2.s,'Cil. 

Wagoner. 
Lemuel  Role,  e.  May  14,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  2S,'64. 

Privates. 

Arae.s,  John,  e.  May  4,'f>4,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Angler,  Dwight,  e.  Mav4,'r)4,  m.o.  Oct.  2S,'f]4. 
Allen,  Jesse,  e.  Mav  14,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'(>4. 
Bartlev,  Wm.,  e.  May  4,'C4,  died  Ang.  22, '&4. 
Burkv,  John,  e.  May4,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'G4. 
Cufaude,  Hugh,  e.  May  17,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Coal,  Wm.  A.,  e.  May  2.5, '64,  m.o.  Oct.  28, '64. 
Casev.  Wm.  C,  e.  Mav26,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Ehlen,  Hermon,  e.  May  2.5,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Hall,  George,  e.  May  12,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Hiffen,  Albert,  e.  May  5,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'fi4. 
Hampton,  Augustus,  e.May  7,'04,m.o.Oct.2.s,'64. 
Hooten.  John,  e.  Mav  14,'&4,  m.o.  Oet.  28, '64. 
Koch,  Henrv  L.,  e.  May  7,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Kruze,  Johii,  e.  mav  2,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Kepler,  Jos.,  e.  Mav  2.5,'64,  m.  o.  Oct.  2S,'64. 
Mowery,  Daniel,  e.  May  .5,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
McGrew,  Nathaniel,  e.Mav.5,'64,  m.o.  Oct.28,'t'>4. 
Mark,  Wm.  W.,  e.  May  I.'IU,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Merithew,  Fred.,  e.  Mav  14, '64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'W. 
McCov,  Wm.  M.,  May  19,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  2S,'61. 
Parr,  Daniel,  e.  Mav  9,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  15,'64. 
PleiflFer,  John,  e.  May  14,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 


Rosentreter,  F.  L.,  e.  Mav7,'61,  m.o.  Get.  2R,'64. 
Kobbins,  C.  L.,  e.  Mav  .5,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'tVt. 
Shaw,  Henrv,  e.  May  n,'M.  m.o.  Oct.  28,'tU. 
Sipes,  Ira,  e.  Mav  .5,'fVJ,  m.o.  Oc't.  28,'64. 
Speaker,  Camp,  e.  May  .5,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Stewart,  Henrv,  e.  May  4, '04,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'fi4. 
Sting,  Henrv,  e.  Mav  14,'61,  m.  o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
T(eTinigs,  Henrv,  e.  Mav  23,'C4,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Van  Buren,  Edward,  May  .5,'64,  m.o.  Ocf28,'54. 
Watts,  Edward,  e.  Mav  4,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  27,'64. 
Watson,  John,  e.  Mav  5,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 
Winslow,  Chas.  A.,  e.  Mav20,'64,  m.o.  Oct.28,'64. 
York,  Henry,  e.  May  2, '64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'C4. 

COMPA>"Y  F. 

Baldwin,  Henry  N.,e.  Mry  12,'64,m.o.  Oct.2S,'64. 
Hanson,  Abel,  e.  May  24,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  28,'64. 


145tli  INFANTRY. 

COlVrPANY  D, 

Sergeant. 
James  Flanniken,  e.  May2,'64,  m.o.  Sept.  23,'64. 

Corporal. 
Henry  Wasborn,  e.  May  2'64,  m.o.  Sept.  2.3,'64. 

Privates. 
e.  May  2, '64,  pro.  hos.  steward. 


Burk,  BartlettJ., 
Burk,  John  L.,  e. 
Bates,  Wm.  H.,  e 
Hannig,  John,  e. 
Mason,  John  G., 
R(rlof.son,  Wm.  .1 
Sparrow,  Yock,  e 
Thomas,  Henrv, 
Trout,  Alex.  W. 


May  2,'64,  m.o.  Sept.  23,'04. 
.  Mav  2,'64,  m.o.  Sept.  23,'64. 

Mav  2,'64,  m.o.  Sept.  2.3,'64. 
e.  Mav  2,'64.  m.o.  Sept.  23,'64. 
.,  e.  May  2,'64,  m.o.  Sept.  2.3,'64. 

Mav  2','64,  m.o.  Sept.  23, '64. 
e.  Mav  2,'r>4,  m.o  Sept.  23,'64. 

e  May-  2,"64,  m.  o.  Sept.  23,'64 


146tli  INFANTRY 


Was  organized  at  Camp  Butler  Sept,  ISth,  1864,  for  one  year.  Companies  B 
and  C  were  ordered  to  Arighton,  III,  Companies  D  and  H  toQuincy,  and  Com- 
pany F  to  Jacksonville,  and  were  a.ssigned  to  duty  guarding  drafted  men  and 
substitutes.  The  remaining  companies  were  assigned  to  similar  duty  at  Camp 
Butler.     July  5th,  1865,  it  was  mustered  out  of  service. 


CO]>IPANY  I. 

Captain. 
Geo.  W.  Baker,  e.  Sept.  19,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'6.5. 

First  Sergeant. 
James  Bliss,  e.  Sept.  12,'64,  d.  June  14,'65. 

Private. 
Laing,  Thomas,  e.  Sept.  3,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'6o. 

COMPANY  K. 

Captains. 
E.  L.  Williams,  e.  Sept.  21, '6-4,  m.o.  July8,'6.5 

Sergeant. 
Lewis  G.  Smith,  e.  Sept.  17,'()4,  m.o.  July  S,'6.5. 

Corporal'^. 

J.  M.  Carmichael,  e.  Sept.  17, '64,  m.o.  July  8,'6.5 
C.  W.  Tooker,  e.  Sept.  17.'64,  m.o.  July  8,'6.i. 
W.  E.  ("niton,  e.  Sept.  17. '64.  m.o.  July  8,'6.3. 
Wm.  (Jolgau,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m^o.  July  8,'6.5. 

ihmcian.'i. 

Chas.  W.  Lee,  e.  Sept.  17, '64,  m.o.  July  S.'O.'S.   ^ 
.  C.  W.  Seiwell.  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'65. 

Wagoner. 

Andrew  Kirk,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o,  July  8,'65. 


Athens,  Geo.  W.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'6.5. 
Butts,  ,Ias.  P.,  e.  Sept.  17,'C>4,  m.o.  July  8,'6.5. 
Cook,  Wm.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  S,'6.'). 
Cavin,  Thos.  E.,  e.  Sept.  17, '(U,  m.o.  July  8,'6o. 
Doll,  F.  A.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'6.5. 
Evans,  Tavlor,  e.  .Sept.  17, 'tU,  m.o.  July  8,'6.5. 
Fitzpatrick,  H.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8, '6.5. 
Fellows,  Hart,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'65. 
Hatcher,  H.  C,  e.  Sept.  17.'64,  m.o.  July  8, '6.5. 
Jordon,  John,  e.  Sept.  17, '(U,  m.o.  July  8,'6.). 
Kubbacher,  P.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July8,'0.5. 
Lohnes,  John,  e.  Sept.  17, '64,  m.o.  July  8,'65. 
Lvle,  John  H.,  e.  Sept.  17,'6S,  m.o.  July  8,'6o. 
Lockwood,  J.  I*:.,  e.  Sept.  17,'f>4,  m.o.  July  8,'65. 
Lotz,  L.  C,  e.  Sept.  17, 'W,  pro.  hos.  steward. 
Levans,  John,  e.  Sept.  17, '64. 
McCnlloch.  C.  H.,  e.  Sept.  13.'64,  m.o.  July  8,'65. 
Madden,  M.  H.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'65. 
Popkins,  John,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July8,'65. 
Quiglev,  Thos.,  e.  Sept.  17, '64. 
Raus,  Jacob,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'65. 
Rapp,  Jacob,  e.  Sept.  17,'74,  m.o.  July  S,'6o. 
Schoolev,  P.  H.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'6.-), 
Summers,  J.,  e.  Sept.  16,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'65. 
Shannon,  E.,  e.  Sept.  17,'(V1,  m.o.  July  8,'65. 
Spillman,  Fred,  c.  Sept.  17,'&1,  m.o.  July  8,  65. 
Sandu.-^kv  J.  C,  e.  Sept.  17.'64,  d.  May2^'6o, 
Smith,  E.  P.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'6o. 
Trost,  Peter,  e.  Sept.  17, '64,  m.o.  July  8, '6.3. 
Troger,  H.,  e,  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'6.3. 
Voglesang,  F.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  m.o.  July  8,'fo. 
Vories,  Wm.  L.,  e.  Sept.  17, '64,  m.o.  July  8,  bo. 
Waldick,  Wm.,  e.  Sept.  17,'64,  d.  June  5,'6o. 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


375 


148tli  INFANTRY 

"Was  organized  at  Camp  Butler  Feb.  21st,  1865,  for  the  term  of  one  year.  Feb. 
22d  proceeded  to  Nashville,  Tenn.  Mach  1st  moved  to  Tullahoma.  '  June  18th 
five  companies  were  ordered  to  Deckerd,  one  company  was  stationed  at  Mc- 
Minnville,  and  the  other  four  companies  were  engaged'  in  guarding  the  Nash- 
ville and  Chattanooga  Railroad  fromLombardy  to  Anderson  Station.  Arrived 
at  Springfield  Sept.  9th,  1865,  where  it  received  its  final  discharge. 


COMPANY  C. 

Captain. 
Beuj.  F.  Burnett,  e.  Feb.  10,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 

First  Sergeant. 
Abel.  B.  IJarron,  e.  Feb.  8,'G5,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 

Sergeants. 

Constantine  Aberle,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5, 

'65. 
Geo.  W.  Jones,  e.  Feb.  8, '65.  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 
M.  R.  Barron,  e.  Feb.  8,'6o,  m.o.  Sei)t.  5,'65. 
J.  F.  Haines,  e.  Feb.  S,'65,  m.o.  June  19, '65. 

Corporals. 

Wm.  Booth,  e.  Feb.  S,'C5.  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 

C.  W.  Clark,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'6.5. 
H.  A.  Miller,  e.  Feb.  8, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'G5. 
Wm.  A.  Barker,  e.  Feb.  8,'&'>,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'05. 

D,  Griflfey,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Aug.  25,'6.5. 

Musicians. 

John  F.  Black,  e.  Feb.  8,'66,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 
M.  M.  Leach,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 

Wagoner. 

Henry  Bloom,  e.  Feb.  8, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  5, '65. 

Privates. 

Aplegate,  E.,  e.  Feb.  8,'6.5,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 
Bahrens,  J.  H.,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 
Blair,  W.  S.,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5.'66. 


Bloom,  J.  W.,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 

Bolinder,  Wm..  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 

Bradv,  Peter,  e.  Fel).  8, '65. 

Bequeath,  N.,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 

Barkmier  Henrv,  e.  Feb.  8,'65. 

Conley,  David,  "e.  Feb.  8,'6.5,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 

Dcvinney,  W.  R.,  e.  Feb.  8,65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'63. 

DeLacy,  J.  A.,  e.  Feb.  8,'65.  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 

Dwyer.  Wm.  E.,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5.'65. 

Hdvn.  Jacob  H.,  e.  Feb.  8, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'55. 

Fi.sher,  Jerome,  e.  Feb.  .s,'65.  m.o.  Sept.  5, '65. 

Gallin,  Edward,  e.  Feb.  8. '65,  m.o.  Sept.  6, '65. 

(iriescr,  Albert,  e.  Feb.  is, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  5. '65. 

Garrett  Henry,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'6e. 

Ghuse,  Samuel,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  6,'65. 

Hayes,  John,  e.  Feb.  8,'65. 

Hafdv,  W.,  e.  Feb.  8,'6.5,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'G5. 

Hall.  Lewis,  e.  Feb.  9,'65. 

Kuhn,  Luppe,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  June  19,'65. 

Koozer,  Tho.s..  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  died  Mar.  29,'65. 

Kcefer,  David,  e.  Feb.  8, '65,  m.o.  .Sept.  6,'65. 

Mc(Jrew,  N.  C,  e.  Feb.  8'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 

Musselman,  Wm.  H.,  e.  Feb.  8, '65,  m.o.  Aug. 

2.5, '65. 
Miller,  Francis,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 
Percey,  John,  e.  Feb.  8, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  5, '6.5. 
Steinman,  P.,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5, '65. 
Sipes,  Ira,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 
Williams,  W.  H.,  e.  Feb.  8, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 
Walker,  R.  C,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'64. 
Wovtsbenjer,  K.,  e.  Feb.  8, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65. 
Wyatt,  Wm.  T.,  e.  Feb.  8.'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'S5. 
Garritt,  John,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'66. 


152d  INFANTRY 


Was  organized  at  Camp  Butler,  111.,  by  Col.  Ferdinand  D.  Stephenson,  and  was 
mustered  in  Feb.  18th,  1865,  for  one  year.  Feb.  20th  it  moved  to  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  and  thence  to  Tullahoma.  The  regiment  arrived  at  Camp  Butler  Sept. 
9th,  1865,  where  it  received  final  payment  and  discharge. 


Colond. 
Ferdinand  D.  Stephenson,  e.  Feb.  18.'66,  m.o. 
Sept.  11,  '65 

COMP^VN'Y  A. 

Captain. 
Wm.  S.  Slocumb,  e.  Feb.  18,'65,m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 

Privates. 

Anderson,  Rice,  e.  Feb.  11, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Creekmur,  Jno.  R.,e.Fed.ll,'65,m.o.  Sept.11,'65. 
Dnzev,  Mark  W.,  e.  Feb.  11, '^5,  m.o.  Sept.  11, 'Rd. 
Helm,  Wiley  R..  e.  Feb.  11, 'tV),  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Meador.  Joel  J.,  e.  Feb.  11, '(>5,  m.o.  Sept,  11, '65. 
Pennington,  E.,  e.  Feb.  11, "65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Phelps,  Ran.som,  e.  Feb.  11. '65,  died  Mar.  2,'65. 
Scott,  Joseph  D.,  e.  Feb.  11, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 

COMPANY   C. 

Captain. 
James.  M.  Hunter,  e.  Feb.18,'65,  m.o.Sept.11,'65. 

Sergeants. 

G.  W.  Cox,  e.  Feb.9,'65,  j>ro.  principal  musician. 
Stephen  Ml:Kenzie,  e.  Feb.  9,  "65. 


Corporals. 
Allen  Parlier,  e.  Feb.  9,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, "6.5. 
Charles  Dunn,  e.  Feb.  9, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11'65. 

Privates. 
Crews,  Jas.  R..  e.  Fel).  9,'(i.5,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Campbell,  D.  F.,  e.  Feb.  9,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11. '65. 
Elliston.  B.,  e.  Feb.  9, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11. '65. 
GilbrciUh,  Jas.,  e.  Feb.  9,'65,  d.  dis.  July  29, '66. 
Gray,  Saml.,  e.  Feb.  9, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Gray,  Geo.  W.,  e.  Feb.  11, '65,  m.o.  .Sept.  11, '65. 
Hart,  Elias,  e.  Feb.  9,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
McKinzie,  F.  M.,  e.  Fel).  9,'65,  m.o  Sept.  11, '65. 
Morris,  Cha.s.,  e.  Feb.  9, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
McClure,  John.  e.  Feb.  9,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Quillnian,  .1.  W.,  e.  Feb.  9,'65,  m.o  Sept.  H,'65. 
Robinson,  C^alvin,  e.  Feb.  9,'65. 
Smith,  S.  R.,  e.  Feb.  9,'65,  m.o.  .Sept.  ll,'r>5. 
Smith,  W.  J.,  e.  Feb.  9, '65.  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Woodrow,  Wm.  C.,e.  Feb.  15,'65,  m.o,  Sept.11,65. 

COMPANY  D. 

*  Captain. 

Wm.  Morehead,  e.  Feb.  18, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65; 

First  Lieutenant. 
C  M.  Kingman,  e.  Feb.  18,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65 


376 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 


Second  Lieutenant. 
Frank  Richmond,  e.  Feb.  1S,'65,  m.o.Sept.11,'65. 

Sergeants. 

Jas.  R.  Ogden,  e.  Feb.  9,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '6.5. 
Homer  P.  Albright,e.Feb.lO,'65,m.o.Sept.ll,'65, 

Corporals. 

John  R.  Whi.sler,  e.  Feb.  13,'6.5,  m.o.  Sept.  11,'65. 
Wm.  H.  Fleming,  e.  Feb.  9,'a5,  m.o.  Sept.11,'65. 
Edw.  Patrick,  e.  Feb.  4,'6.i,  m.o.  Sep.  11, '65. 
Jno.  H.  Warfield,  e.  Feb.  7, '6.5,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Saml.  Shreves,  e.  Feb.  10,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 

Musician. 

Edward  K.  Lee,  e.  Feb.  10,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 

Privates. 

Atkinson,  Albert,  e.  Feb.  7, '65,  died  June  27, '65. 
Bosier,  Jos.,  e.  Feb.  10,'65.  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Bowles,  Jos.,  e.  Feb.  7, '65,  d.  dis.  July  30,'65. 
Burk,  John  L.,  e.  Jan.  2.3,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Baker,  Geo.  W.,  e.  Feb.  7,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Cappilo  Jos.,  e.  Jan.  28,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  21, '66. 
Enslow,  H.  S.,  e.  Feb.  10,'6.5,  m.o.  Sept,  11, '65. 
Evans,  Clias.  A.,  e.  Feb.  7. '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Fleming,  A.  J.,  e.  Feb.  9,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Galbreth,  Wm.,  e.  Feb.  9,'65, 
Garrison,  J.,  e.  Feb.  10.'65,  m.o.  July  14,'65. 
Hoops,  David  A.,  e.  Feb.  7,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Henning,  Martin,  e.  Jan.  31, '65,  m.o.  Sept. 11. '65. 
Johnson,  Jno.  W..  e.  Feb.  7, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Kinzey,  R.  A.,  e.  Feb.  13, '65,  m.o.  Aug.  22, '65, 
Kinman,  Taylor,  e.  Feb.  8, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Laing,  Wm.  H.,  e.  Feb.  8, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Leech,  Wm.,  e.  Feb.  10,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '55, 
Lee,  Jeremiah,  e.  Feb.  10, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Lamason,  Wm.  I).,e.Feb.  13, '65,  died  Aug.25,'65. 
Melford,  Geo.  W.,  e.  Feb.  4, '6.5. 
Morris,  Hiram  D.,  e.  Feb.  8. '65. 
McCance,  G.  W.,  e.  Feb.  2,'65.  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Meriweather,  J.H.  e.  Feb.  11,'65,  m.oSept.ll"65. 
Meriweather,  F.  F.,  e.  Feb.  4, '65. 
Martin,  Chas.,  e.  Feb.  10, '65.  m.o.  Sept,  11, '65. 
Osborne,  Jno.  E.,  e.  Feb.  11, '65,  m.o.  Aug.  25,'65. 
Richards,  Wm.  e.  Feb.  3, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Reid,  Jno.  R.,  e.  Feb.  7,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11,'65. 
Ramsey,  Henry,  e.  Feb.  10, '65. 
Sann,  Jacob,  e".  Jan.  27,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Shreve,  Wilton,  e.  Feb.  11, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Shay,  Martin,  e.  Feb.  10, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Sullivan.  Benj.  F.,e.  Jan.  30,'65,  m.o.  Sept.11,'56. 
Santer.  Jno.,  e.  Jan.  23,'65,  m.o.  Julv  27, '65. 
Thompson,  W.  T.,  e.  Feb.  8,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Taylor,  Jas.  N.,  e.  Feb.  7,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Vanmeter,  H.  R.,  e.  Feb.  10,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Wilt,  David.  J',  e.  Feb.  7,'65,  m.o,  Sept.  11,'65. 


COMPANT  E. 

Sergeant. 
Chas.  Wagoner,  e.  Feb.  10,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11,'65. 

Privates. 

Cutcomb,  Willis,  e.  Feb.  10,'65,  d.  Mar.  4,'a5. 
Gilmore,  J.  H.,  c.  Feb.  16,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '6.5. 
Lunn,  Elijah,  e.  Feb.  16, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 
Mondy,  Jos.,  e.  Feb.  16,  '65,  m.o.  Sept.  11, '65. 

COMPANY  G. 

First  lAeutenanis. 
Thos,  L.  Orendorff,  e.  Feb.  18,'65,res.  Aug.14,'65, 
Hamilton  Sutton,  e.  Sept.  5, '65,  m.o.  Sept.11,'65. 

Privates. 
Blankinship,  Jno.,  e.  Feb.  16,  died  Mar.  10, '65. 

154tli  INFANTRY. 

COMPANY  C. 

Sergeant. 
Alfred  Jenkins,  e.  Feb.  11, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  12,'65. 

Corporal. 
Joseph  Crocker,  e.  Feb.  11, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  18,'65. 

Privates. 

Neal,  James,  e.  Feb.  22, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  18,'65. 

Phillips,  James,  e.  Feb.  14, '65. 

Swan,  Alonzo,  e.  Feb.  22,'65,  m.o.  May  23,'65. 

COMPANT  G. 

Sergeant. 
Fayette  Baker,  e.  Feb.  15,'65,  m.o.  Sept,  18,'65. 

Privates. 
Brookins,  S.,  e.  Feb.  16,'65,  m.o.  July  4,'65. 
Brown,  Richard,  e.  Feb.  15, '65. 
Clark,  Henrv  R.,  e.  Feb,  15, '65,  pro.  1st  lieut. 
Cornelius,  Henry,  e.  Feb.  18, '65,  pro.  2d  lieut. 
Dixon,  Abrahams.,  e.  Feb.  15,'65. 
McCormick,  C,  e.  Feb.  18,'65,  m.o.  June  19,'55. 

COMPANY  H. 

Privates. 
Duff,  John  W.,  e.  Feb.  21,'65,  died  April  3,'65. 


155tli  INFANTRY 

Was  organized  at  Camp  Butler  Feb.  28th,  1865,  for  one  year.  March  2d  it  pro- 
ceeded via  Louisville  and  Nashville,  to  TuUahoma,  Tenn.  June  loth  it  was 
divided  into  detachments  of  20  to  30  men  each,  and  assigned  to  guard  duty  on 
the  Nashville  and  Chattanooga  Railroads  from  Nashville  to  Duck  river,  a  dis- 
tance of  fifty  miles.  Sept.  4th  it  was  mustered  out,  and  moved  to  Camp  But- 
ler, 111.,  wliere  it  received  final  pay  and  discharge. 


COMPANY  I>. 

Privates. 

Clarkson,  J.is.  V.,  e.  Peb.  23, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  4, '65. 
Camp,  Isaac,  e.  Feb.  22. '65,  m.  o.  Sept.  4, '65. 
Maines,  Jas.,  e.  Feb.  16, '65,  pro.  1st  Lieut. 
Smith,  John  H.,  e.  Feb.  18,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  4.'65. 
Spaglc,  Asa  R.,  e.  Feb.  20,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  4, '65. 

COMPANY  F. 

Private. 
Cazey,  Joseph  T.,  e.  Feb.  24,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  4,'65. 


COMPANY  K. 

First  Sergeant. 
Henry  Lervin,  e.  Feb.  21, '65,  m.o.  July  10,'65. 

Privaies. 
Corder.  Elijah,  c.  Feb.  16,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  4,'a5. 
Edwards,  Wm.  R.,  e.  Feb.  24,'65,  m.o.  Sept.4,'65.. 
Fi.sh,  Charles,  e,  Feb.  21, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  4,'65. 
Gable,  Augustus,  e.  Feb.  24,'65,  m.o.  Sept.4,'65. 
Hiple,  Fred.  W.,  e.  Feb.  21,'6.5,  m.o.  Sept.4,'65 
Hadlev,  Lamar  W.,e.  Feb.  21,'65,  m.o.  Sept.4,'65. 
Kapp,"Johu  H.,  e.  Feb.  22,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  4,'65. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


Z11 


Minch,  Henry,  e.  Feb.  21,'6.5,  m.o.  Sept.  4,'65. 
Minch,  Geo.,  e.  Feb.  21, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  4, '65. 
Middleton,  ('.  C,  e.  Feb.  Zi.'C^'i,  m.o.  .Sept.  4,'65. 
Tobias,  Wesley,  e.  Feb.  21, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  4. '65. 
Tompliiin,  Oliver,  e.  Feb.  21, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  4, '65. 
Wilson,  Merritt,  e.  Feb.  24, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  4, '65. 
Walker,  J.  B.,  e.  Feb.  21, '65,  died  Mar.  1'J,'65. 
Ziuzer,  Israel,  e.  Feb.  21, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  4,'65. 


156th  INFANTRY. 

Corporals.  * 

.John  Lvneb,  e.  Feb.  15, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  20, '65. 
Wm.  A.  Hill,  e.  e.  Feb.  15,'65,  m.o.  Aug.  24,'65. 
Privates. 

Hill,  Martin,  e.  Feb.  15,'65. 
Hill,  .John,  e.  Feb.  15,'65. 
Miller,  Jaeob  A.,  e.  Feb.  15,'65. 
Most,  Henry,  e.  Feb.  15,'C5. 


3rd  CAVALRY 


"Was  organized  at  Camp  Butler  Aug.,  1861.  Sept.  25th  moved  to  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
October  1st  to  Jetferson  City,  thence  to  Warsaw,  arriving  Oct.  11th,  and  on  the 
23d  marched  to  Springfield,  Mo.  Feb.  13th  it  fought  the  first  engagement,  and 
won  the  first  victory  of  Curtis'  campaign.  Feb.  14,  '62,  occupied  Springfield, 
Mo.;  loth  came  up  with  Price's  retreating  army,  capturing  some  prisoners; 
18th,  partici])ated  in  a  charge,  routing  the  enemy,  at  Sugar  Creek,  Ark. ;  20th 
marched  to  Cross  Hollows;  INIarch  5th  fell  back  to  Pea  Ridge;  was  engaged  on 
the  7th  and  lost  10  killed  and  40  wounded;  19th  moved  to  Keetsville;  April 
10th  arrived  at  Forsyth  ;  29th  moved  to  West  Plains;  May  1st  started  for  Bates- 
ville;  14th  moved  to  Little  Red  River.  June  4th  fell  back  to  Fairview;  on  the 
7th  Capt.  Sparks  with  66  men  was  surrounded  liy  200  of  the  enemy,  he  cut  his 
wav  out,  losing  4  wounded  and  4  prisoners;  June  11th  to  Jacksonport;  July 
5th  to  Helena,  and  moved  to  IMemphis  in  the  spring  of  1863.  They  took  part 
in  the  battles  of  Port  Gibson,  Champion  Hills,  Black  River  Bridge,  and  siege 
of  Vicksl)urg;  also  Vermillionville,  Opelou.sas  and  Carrion  Crow  Bayou; 
participated  in  battles  of  Tupelo,  Okolona  and  Guntown.  Aug.  21st  it  took 
part  in  repulsing  Gen.  Forrest's  attack  on  Memphis.  Took  part  in  the  battles 
of  Lawrencel)urg,  Spring  Hill,  Campbellsville  and  Franklin.  In  May  moved 
to  St.  Louis,  thence  to  St.  Paul,  Minn.  July  4th  started  on  an  Indian  expedi- 
tion. Returned  to  Springfield,  111.,  Oct.  13th,  1865,  and  was  mustered  out  of 
service.  • 


COMPANY  B. 

CaptaiJis. 

Joseph  S.  Maus,  e.  Sept.  2.5,61,  res.  July  8,'G2. 
John  B.  Baker,  e.  Aug.  i:!,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  5, '64. 

Fimt  Lieutenants. 

J.  B.  Ketchum,  e.  Sept.  21,'61,  res.  Mar.  18,'62. 

Samuel  L.  Shellenberger,  e.  Aug.  13, '61,  pro. 

capt.  Co.  F.  as  consolidated,  pro.  maj. 

Second  Lieutenants. 

Michael  Fisher,  e.  Sept.  21, '61,  res.  Dec.  26,'61. 
f'has.  C.  Wortli,  e.  Aug.  1:;,'61,  res.  Feb.  2.S,'63. 
H.  W.  Bachman,  e.  Aug.  lo,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  6, '64. 

Sergeants. 

M.  W.  Skinner,  e.  Aug.  i:!,'61,  d.  May  2,'62,  dis. 
S.  Start'ord.  e.  Aug.  l;!,'61,  d.  Oct.  16,'62,  dis. 
J.  D.  Welch,  e.  Aug.  13, '51,  m.o.  Sept.  .5,'64. 

Corporals. 

Peter  .Sneider,  e.  Aug.  13,'01,  d.  Aug.  13,'62,  di.s. 
James  Burton,  c.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.  d.  June  7, '65, 

sergt. 
Philip  Mutter,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'64. 

Bugler. 

Frank  Smith,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  died  at  Memphis, 
June  30, '64,  wiids. 

Wagoner. 

Charles  Habberfield,  e.  Aug.  13, '01,  died  Pekiu 
while  on  parole. 

Saddler. 
Karl  Shaflfnit,  e.  Aug.  14,'61,  d.  Oct.  17,'G2,  dis. 


Privates. 

Adams,  J.  R.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Oct.  10,65. 

sergt. 
Adams,  David,  e.  Aug.  13, '61,  m.o.  Sept.  5, '64, 

sergt. 
Bachman,  August,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  d.  July  1,'62, 

dis. 
Banner,  Patrick,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  tr.  to  V.  R.  C. 

April  15,'64. 
Blair,  Austin,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  died  at  Mackinaw, 

Dec.  5, '61. 
Basquin,  Barnard,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  died  Lafay- 
ette, Tenn.,  Aug.  10, '63. 
Bowen,  P.,  e.  Aug.  i3,'61,  m.o.  Nov.  5,'64. 
Clayton,  Wra.,  e.  Aug.  13, '61,  m.o.  Nov.  5,'G4. 
CiV-ssle,  J.,  e.  Aug.  13, '61,  m.o.  Nov.  5,'6-l,  corpl. 
Campbell,  C,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  d.  June  24,'02,  dis. 
Davis,  .\lex.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Dennis,  (ieorge,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'64, 

saddler. 
Druckliouse,  Lewis,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  tr.  to  V.  R. 

C.  Ajiril  16,'04. 
Dyer,  S.  J.,  e.  Aug.  13,'Gl,  d.  for  pro.  in  7  La. 

A.  D. 
Flanniker,  .\.  W.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Oct. 

1(),'65,  sergt. 
Fessler,  D.,  e.  Aug.  13,'Gl,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'64. 
I'lannikcr,  J.,  e.  Aug.  13, '61,  d.  April  30, '62,  dis. 
Gaither,  W.  G.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Oct.  10, 

'65. 
Hood,  David  B.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  died  St.  Louis, 

Dec.  4, '61. 
Hobbs,  John,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  June  5, '65, 
Judy,  S.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Kock,  Wm.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m'o.  Oct,  10,'65. 
Linek,  Henrv,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  died  in  hos.  April 

25,'63. 


378 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


Loutz,  W.,  c.  Aug.  13,61,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'65,  sergt. 
Monro,  J.  YL,  e.  Aug.  13, '61. 
Mullen,  O.,  e.  Aug,  13,'61,  d.  May  23,'62,  dis. 
Mltchel,  Julius,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Oct.  10, 

'65,  sergt. 
McConkie,  J.  A.,  e.    Aug.  13,'61,  left  sick  at 

Warsaw,  Mo.,  Oct.  13, '61. 
Potter,  P.  G.,  e.  Aug.  1.3,'61,  v.,  d.  June  7,'65, 

dis. 
Pence,  John,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'64. 
Parks,  Baniard,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Oct.  10, 

'65,  corpl. 
Robinson,  I.  N.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  5,64. 
Richmond,  A.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.  d.  Dec.  19,'62, 

dis. 
Smith,  John,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  died  Lafayette, 

Tenn.,  July  31, '63. 
Sunderland,  W.  E.,  e.  Aug.  13, '61,  v.,  d.  June 

7,'65,  dis. 
Snyder,  S.  S.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.  pro.  sergt.  and 

1st  lieut. 
Stuckhard,  Henry,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v. 
Sunderman,   George,  e.   Aug.   13, '64,  died   at 

Young's  Pt.,  La..  June  24,'63. 
Sutton,  N.  W.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  died  at  Lagrange, 

Tenn.,  Sept.  9, '63. 
Tenny,  James,  e.  Aug.  13,61,  v. 
Walters,  John,  e.  Aug.  13, '61,  m.o.  Sept.  5, '64. 
Walters,  W.  J.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Oct.  10, 

'65,  corpl. 
Worst,  W.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'64,  corpl. 
Leach,  N.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'&4. 
Puterbaugh,  S.  G.,  e.  Aug.  13,61,  m.o.  Sept.  6, 

'64,  sergt. 
Wills,  N.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Simpson,  E.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  5,'64. 
Probasco,  J.  H.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  d.  June  16,'62, 

dis. 
Webber,  J.  B.,  e.  Aug.  13,61,  died  at  Memphis, 

Julv  18,'64. 
Erlicher,  Fredrick,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  kid.  at  Pea 

Ridge,  Mar.  7, '62. 
Sparks,  Thomas,  e.  Aug.  13,'61. 
JVilliamson,  Joseph,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  d.  Feb.  IS, 

'63,  dis. 
Walten,  W.,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 

Recruits. 
Barr,  F.  M.,  e.  Feb.  4,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Churchwell,  W.,  e.  Nov.  2,'63,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Eyger,  N.,  e.  Dec.  24, '63,  m.o.  June.  5,65,  pris. 
Graham,  H.  D.,  e.  Feb.  1,'&4. 
Miller,  T.,  e.  Jan.  13,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65,  sergt. 
Powers,  James,  e.  Jan.  29, '64. 
Putnam,  John,  e.  Jan.  29,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Shaft'er,  Jacob,  e.  Dec.  17, '63. 
Sunken,  George,  e.  Jan.  4,'64,  died  at  Eastport, 

Miss,  May  16,65. 
Taylor,  V.  W.,  e.  Oct.  23,'63,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
White  John,  e.  Nov.  5,'63,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Wagoner,  Christian,  abs.,  sick  at  m.o.  of  regt. 

3(1  CAVALRY,  (Consolidated  Regiment.) 

Major. 
Samuel  Shellenbergher,  e.  Aug.  13,'61,  m.o. 
Oct.  10, '65,  as  capt. 

COMPAJVY  F. 

Recruits. 
Allensworth,  G.  M.,  e.  Sept.  27,'64,  m.o.  May 

23, '65. 
Barton,  J.  F.,  e.  Sept.  27,'64,  m.o.  May  23,'65. 
Campbell,  C,  e.  Oct.  8, '64,  m.o.  Oct.  10, '65. 
Ewing,  Charles,  e.  Oct.  4,'64. 
Gray,  Siliis,  e.  Oct.  4,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'66. 
Maiiker,  L.  L.,  e.  Oct.  s,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Patterson,  Geo.,  e.  Oct.  16,'64,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Parmerlee,  C.  L.,  e.  Sept.  27,'64,  m.o.  May  23,'65. 
Samples,  J.  W.,  e.  Oct.  7,'64,  m.o.  May  23,'65. 


Search,  J.  W.,  e.  Sept.  27,'&4,  m.o.  May  23/65. 
Watson,  Wm.,  e.  Sept.  27, '64,  m.o.  May  23,'65. 

COMPA^STY  G. 

Privates. 
Glenn,  J.  W.,  e.  Feb.  18,'65,  m.o.  May  10,'65. 

COMPAJ*^'  H. 

Corporals. 

Joseph  B.  Wilts,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Joseph  M.  or  W.  Travis,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Oct. 
10, '65. 

Privates. 

Bear,  Wm.  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Hibbetts,  C.  W.,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Hibbard,  A.  B.,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Maddux,  W.  M.,  e.  Feb.  28,'65,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Masser,  J.  M.,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Thorp,  D.  W.,  e.  Mar.  1,'65,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 

COMPANY  I. 

Sergeant. 
Franklin  Whitmer,  e.  Mar.  16, '65,  m.o.  Oct.  10, 
'65. 

Corporal. 

Samuel  Strobe,  e.  Mar.  16,'65,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 

Privates. 

Lyons,  J.,  e.  Feb.  4,'65,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Moore,  John,  e.  Mar.  7, '65. 

COMPANY  K. 

Fatrier. 
S.  D.  Stewart,  e.  Feb.  18,'65,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 

Privates. 

Collins,  Lewis,  e.  Jlar.  7, '65. 

Evans,  Samuel,  e.  Mar.   10,'62,  m.o.  Oct.  10,'65. 

Unassigned  Recruits. 

Leech,  Robert,  e.  Oct.  8,'64,  died  Camp  Butler, 

111.,  Nov.  2Q;(A. 
Smith,  J.  F.,  e.  Oct.  8,'64,  m.o.  May  21, '65. 
Tu.ssillian,  S.  R.,  e.  Feb.  24,'65,  m.o.  June  3,'65. 

4tli  CAVALRY. 

COMPANY  E. 

Pickernell,  W.,  e.  Sept.  11, '6i,  died  Mar.  1,'62. 

COMPANY  G. 

Orr,  Thos.,  e.  Sept.  5,'61,  m.o.  Nov.  3.'64. 
Woodberrv,  H.,  c.  Sept.  5,'61,  m.o.  Nov.  3, '64. 
Tuesburg.'H.,  e.  Oct.  26,'61,  kid.  July  1,'62. 

COMPANY  H. 

First  Sergeant. 
C.  H.  Cooper,  e.  Sept.  5,'61,  d.  June  19,'62,  dis. 
Sergeants. 

Go.  N.  Leoni,  e.  Sept.  6,'61,  pro.  2d  lieut. 
Ilngh.  A.  Work,  e.  Sept.  2,'61,  m.o.  Nov.  3,'64. 

Corporals. 
Jeremiah  B.  Cook,  e.  Sept.  21, '61,  d.  for  pro. 
L.  P.  Harwood,  e.  Sept.  26,61,  died  May  8,'62. 

Privates. 
Allen,  Chas.  L.,  o.  Sept.  2,'61,  m.o.  Nov.  3,'64. 
Becroft,  John,  e.  Sept.  1,'61,  m.o.  Nov.  3,'64. 
Brausau,  C.  P.,  e.  Sept.  6,'61,  m.o.  Nov.  3,'64. 
Blancbard,  W.  F.,  c.  Sept.  6,'61,  died,  Feb.  9,'62. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 


379 


Cheever,  A.  B.,  e.  Sept.  7,'61,  m.o.  Nov.  3,'64. 

Cook,  Henry  C,  e.  Sept.  ",'01,  d.  June  3, '62.  ' 

Cook,  Howard,  e.  Oct.  l.'Ol,  d.  for  pro. 

Eiekhardt,  A.,  e.  Sept.  16,61,  d.  June  19,'C2,  dis. 

Fen,  John,  e.  Oct.  1,'61,  v. 

Gififord,  C.  S.,  e.  Sept.  2,'01,  m.o.  Nov.  3,'G4. 

Holt,  T.  B.,  e.  Sept.  9,'61,  v. 

Lang,  Thos.,  e.  Sept.  8,'Cl,  v. 

McMackin,  Wm.  H.,  e.  Sept.  17,'Gl,  m.o.  Nov. 

3, '04. 
Scullv,  Michael,  e.  Sept.  2.'),'6,  d.  for  di.s. 
Slaughter,  J.,  e.  Sept.  1.S,'64,  died  Sept.  12,'62. 
Varnev,  VV.  S.,  e.  Sept.  9.  61,  d.  May,  'ti2,  wnd. 
Mhipp",  A.  P.,  e.  Sept.  6,61,  died  Feb.  10,'62. 
Blair,  W.  S.,  e.  Oct.  21, '61. 
Beals,  Jacob,  e.  Nov.  21, '61. 
Durham,  Lorenzo,  e.  Nov.  16,'61,  d.  for  pro. 
O'Neil,  John,  e.  Oct.  1,'61,  v. 
Underbill.  A.  H.,  e.  Oct.  1,'61. 
Youtz,  Jacob,  e.  Oct.  1,'61. 
Elder,  Leonard,  e.  Sept.  23,'61,  v. 


5tli  CAVALRY. 

COMPANY  E. 

Bell,  Ellis,  e.  April  7,'G5,  m.o.  Oct.  27, '65. 
Burt,  Alonzo,  e.  April  7, '65,  m.o.  Oct.  27, '65. 
Curtis,  v.,  e.  Ai)ril  7, '65,  m.o.  Oct.  27, '65. 
Collins,  C,  e.  April  7, '65,  m.o.  Oct.  27,'67. 
Cunningham,  Berry,  e.  Mar.  23, '65. 
Lane,  Larkin,  e.  April  7. '65,  m.o.  Oct.  27, '65. 
Wilkinson,  J.  H.,  e.  Jan.  4. '61,  m.o.  Oct.  27, '65 

6th  CAVALRY. 

Ward,  Alfred,  e.  Feb.  22,'65,  in  Co.  B.,  m.o. 

Nov.  5, '65. 
Hile,  Samuel  S.,  e.  Mar.  1,'64,  in  Co.  C,  m.o. 

Nov.  5, '65. 
Morrell,  P.  W.,  e.  Mar.  10.'65,  in  Co.  F.,  m.o. 

Nov.  5, '65. 
Weaver,  Wm.  W.,  e.  Mar.  10,'65,  in  Co.  F.,  m.o. 

Nov.  5, '65. 
Duke,  James  H.,  e.  Feb.  22,'65,  in  Co.  H.,  m.o. 

Nov.  5,'65. 
Rutherford,  E.,  e.  Feb.  9,'65,  in  Co.  H.,  m.o. 

N6v.  5. '65. 
EUedge,  N.  D.,  e.  Mar.  15,'65,  in  Co.  I.,  m.o. 

Nov.  5, '05. 
Spence,  Theodore,  e.  Mar.  15,'65,  in  Co.  I.,  died 

April  ,5, '65. 
Speers,  Wm.   H.,  e.  Jan.  27,'65,  in.  Co.  I,,  died 

June  24, '65. 
Martin  O.  S.,  e.  Mar.  10,'65,  in  Co.  L.,  m.o,  Nov. 

5,'65. 
Green,  H.  P..  e.  Mar.  23,'65. 
White,  James.  A.,  e.  Feb.  22,'64. 


7th  CAVALRY. 

Davis,  Jacob,  e.  Co.  F.,  Feb.  28, '65,  m.o.  Nov. 
4, '65. 

COMPANY  G. 

Wago7ier. 

Isaac  York,  e.  Aug.  20, '61. 

Privates. 

Colbert,  Wm.,  e,  Aug.  20,'Gl.  m.o.  Oct.  15,'04. 
Campbell,  J.,  e.  Aug.  20,'61,  m.o.  Oct.  1,'6.1. 
Morehead,  A.  J.,  e.  in  Co.  L.,  Mar.  7,'65,  m.o. 

Nov.  4, '65. 
Moore,  G.  G.,  e.  Co.  L.,  Mar.  2,'65,  m.o.  Nov.  4, 

'65. 

Unassigncd  liccruiis. 
Black,  Charles,  e.  Oct.  11, '04. 
Brenner,  Henry,  e.  Oct.  11, '64. 
Casey,  Mitchell",  e.  Oct.  7, '64. 
Cook,  John,  e.  Mar.  3,'65. 
Decker,  Wm.,  e.  Mar.  3, '65. 
Farlar,  James,  e.  Sept.  28, '64. 
Wagner,  John,  e.  Oct.  7, '64. 

8th  CAVALRY. 

COMPiiNY  B. 

Privates. 
Jordan,  E.  M.,  e.  Mar.  20,'G4,  m.o.  June  21, '65. 
Whitmore,  J.,  e.  Sept.  20,'G4,  m.o.  June  21, '65. 
Whitmore,  C,  e.  Sei)t.  20, '64,  m.o.  Jan.  21, '65. 
Bowes,  Geo.,  e.  Oct.  3,'01,  Co.  F.,  d.  for  wnds. 

9th  CAVALRY. 

Privates. 

Keoler,  C.  M.,  e.  Mar.  3,'65,  Co.A.,m.o.Oct.31,'65. 
McCulloch,  Wm.,  e.  Mar.  3,'65,  Co.  A.,  m.o.  Oct. 

31  ,'05. 
Taylor.  II.  R.,  e.  Mar.  3,'G5,Co.A.,m.o.Oct.31,'65. 
Hill,  Thos.,  e.  Feb.  2,S,'05,  Co.  C,  m.o.  Oct.31,'6.5. 
Dueneiiing,  H.,  e.  Sept.  10,'61,  Co.  D.,  v.,  m.o. 

Oct.  31, '65. 
Lightsey,  J.  II.,  e.  Feb.  20,'65,  Co.  L.,  m.o.  Oct. 

31, '65. 

Unassigned  Pecruiis. 
Gritfm,  G.  W.,  e.  :March  3, '65. 
Hamlin,  Edward,  c.  March  3,'65. 

10th  CAVALRY. 

Privates. 
Crafton.  Sam'!.,  e.  Jan.  3,'C4,  in  Co.  L. 
Chambers,  Noah,  e.  Sept.  28,'G4,  in  Co.  L. 
Hencle,  J.,  e.  Sept.  29,'04,  in  Co.  L. 


11th  CAVALRY. 

Company  "  F,"  of  this  regiment,  was  recruited  at  Pekin  in  the  fall  and  win- 
ter of  1861,  and  reported  to  the  regiment,  at  Peoria,  with  ninety-eight  men, 
and  three  commissioned  officers.  The  regiment  left  for  the  field,  22d  of  Feb., 
1865,  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh.  After  the  evacuation  of  Corinth, 
the  regiment  was  assigned  by  detachments  to  service  l)etween  that  place  and 
Memphis.  Nov.  19th  Co.  "F"  reported  to  the  regiment  at  Jack.son,  Miss.;  was 
engaged  at  Lexington,  Dec.  18th,  18C2,  when  46  of  their  number,  with  the 
colonel,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  The  regiment  remained  in  West 
Tennessee  till  September,  186:5,  doing  gooVl  work  among  the  guerrillas.  After 
this  they  operated  in  the  country  between  the  Big  Black  and  Pearl  rivers, 
and  on  the  Yazoo,  rendering  that'  country  untenable  for  the  Johnnies.  The 
regiment  veteranized  in  December,  1864.  They  participated  in  Sherman's 
grand  march  through  Mississippi.     During  the  summer  of  1864,  they  were  in 


380 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


many  skermishes  and  raids.  November  and  December  were  with  General 
Osborne  in  the  raid  against  the  Mississippi  Central  Railroad,  reached  Vicks- 
burg  on  Dec.  5th;  moved  to  Memphis  in  January,  1865;  joined  in  Grierson's 
raid;  was  engaged  at  Egypt  Station;  after  this  raided  in  Arkansas  and 
Louisiana,  and  done  guard  duty  on  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad.  It 
was  mustered  out  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  Sept.  30th,  and  arrived  at  Peoria,  Oct. 
12th,  1865. 

Lieutenant  Colonel. 
Aquilla  J.  Da\-is,  e.  Dec.  20,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  30/65. 

Major. 
Dennis  S.  Shepherd,  e.  Get.  8,'61,  res.  May  29,'65. 

COMPANY  A. 

Bugler. 
John  Kraft,  e.  Sept.  27,'61,  d.  Oct.  14,'G2. 

Privates. 

Burkhardt,  M.,  e.  Oct.  29,'61,  m.o.  Dec.  20,'Cl. 
Cook,  F.,  e.  Nov.  13,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
Dehwert,  Wm.,  e.  Sept.  25,'Gl,  v.,m.o.Sept.30,'C5. 
Geis,  Geo.,  e.  Nov.  26,'01,  d.  dis.  Jan.  27,'64. 
Graf,  Jacob,  e.  Dec.  16,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
Hossert,  John,  e.  Oct.  29,'61. 
Krenser,  Albert,  e.  Dec.  16,'61,  died  July29,'G4. 
Kuhn,  Gregor,  e.  Nov.  IS.'Ol,  kid.  Aug.  25,'62. 
Metz,  John.  e.  Nov.  19,'61,  m.o.  Dec.  20,'64. 
Ringle,  Chris.,  e.  Dec.  16,'(U,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.SO.'Gf). 
Schaumburg,  F.,e.  Oct.  3,'(51,  v., m.o.  Sept.20,'G.5. 

Recruits. 

Bauler,  Matthias,  e.  Jan.  21, '62,  v. 
Bailev,  Ira  M.,  e.  Feb.  25,'G5,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'G5. 
Gaengel,  John,  e.  Dec.  18,'Gl,  m.o.  Dec.  20,'64. 
Laspe,  Fred.,  e.  Dec.  9,'63,  died  Oct.  22,'G4. 
Nievar,  Adam,  e.  Feb.  2:5, '64,  m.o.  Sept.  .30, '65. 
Litlar,  Jacob,  e.  Dec.  16,'63.  m.o.  Sept.  30,'G5. 
Legesser,  Samuel,  e.  Dec.  14, '63,  died  Nov.23,'64. 
Watson,  Jas.,  e.  Feb.  25,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  20,'G5. 
Thomas,  Henry,  e.  Feb.  4, '65,  in  Co.  B. 

COMPANY  C. 

Sergeant. 
John  Mickil,  e.  Nov.  14.'61,  v. 

Corporal. 
Samuel  Miller,  e.  Nov.  17,'Gl,  v.  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 

Blaclcsmeth. 
Wm.  McColgan,  e.  Nov.  14,'61,  d.  dis.  May  8,'G2. 

Privates. 
Edds,  David  C,  e.  Nov.  26,'Gl,  v.  m.o.  Sept.20,'65. 
Graham,  H.  D.,  e.  Nov.  14,'61,  d.  dLs.  May  S,'62. 
Hanger,  J.  W.,  e.  Dee.  3. '61. 
Kemper,  Wm.,  e.  Nov.  20, '61. 
Leary,  James,  e.  Dec.  4,'Gl,  v.,  died  Aug.  29,'G5. 
Learv,  John,  e.  Dec.  4,'Gl,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  20, '65. 
Sommers,  Juo.,  e.  Nov.  15,'61,  d.  dis.  July  10,'62. 
Wood,  John,  e.  Nov.  14,'Gl,  d.  dis.  May  20,'G2. 

Reeruits. 

Parker,  J.  R.,  e.  Sept.  28,'G4,  m.o.  June  9,'65. 
Brontage,  John,  e.  Feb.  22,'62. 
Gregory,  Benj.,  e.  Sept.  2«,'64,  m.o.  June9,"65. 
Graham,   Fred.,   e.  Jan.  4,'62,  kid.   at  Shiloh 

April  6, '62. 
Hover,  Fred.,  e.  Feb.  11, '64,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
McClung,  Jas.,  e.  Sept.  28,'64,  m.o.  July22.'G5, 

was  pris.  of  war. 
Dehalderman,  Simon,  e.  Nov.  27, 'Gl,  in  Co.  D. 
Wilmoth,  L.,  e.  Oct.  G,'64,  in  Co.  D. 


COMPANY  r. 

Captains. 
Wm.  M.  Olmsted,  e.  Dec.  23,'61,  res.  April  18,'G2. 
Bernard  Wagner,  e.  Dec.  20,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  30, '65. 


First  Lieutenants. 
Richard  Burns,  e.  Dec.  20,'61,  kid.  In  battle  of 

Shiloh,  April  G, '62. 
David  M.  Cummings,  res.  April  11, '63. 
John  Backus,  e.  Dec.  31, '61,  res.  May  11, '65. 
Chas.  T.  Mans,  e.  Nov.  5,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'G5. 

Second  Lieutenant. 
David  Blair,  e.  Dec.  4,'61,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'G5. 
Sergeants. 

Samuel  Dusenberry,  e.  Sept.  21, '61 
Andrew  McBride,  e.  Sept.  16, '61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept. 
30, '65. 

Corporals. 
Chas.  Jacob,  e.  Sept.  30,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  .30,'65. 
Wm.  Hanlin,  e.  Sept.  25,'61,  d.  dis.  July,'G2. 
Richard  Flinn,  e.  Sept.  21, 'Gl,  v.  m.o.  Sept.30,'G5. 
Frank  H.  Dare,  e.  Sept.  29, '61,  v.  m.o  Sept.  30,'G.5. 
Walter  McDonald,  e.  Oct.  4,'Gl,  m.o.  Dec.  20,'64. 

Blaclismith. 

JasperSmJth,  e.  Oct.  3,'Gl,  v.,m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 

Privates. 

Blanchard,  W.  S.,  e.  Sept.  16,'Gl. 
Bridgewater,  Henry  B.,  e.  Sept.  23, '61,  died  Feb. 

18,'63. 
Brooks,  Joseph,  e.  Oct.  16,'Gl,  v., m.o.  Sept30,'65, 
Bennett,  Richard,  e.  Oct.  3, '61,  died  May  1, '62. 
Bover,  Joua.,  e.  Oct.  20,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'6.5. 
Cla'rk,  Henrv,  e.  Sept.  16,'61,  v., m.o.  Sept.  30,'G5. 
Cohenour,  Wm.,  e.  Sept,  21, '61,  d.  for  dis. 
Curran,  Patrick,  e.  Dec.  15, '61. 
Davis,  Joshua,  e.  Oct.  11,'Gl,  v.,diedFebl3,'64. 
Goft;  Alex.,  e.  Sept.  30,'61.  died  May  25,'G2. 
Gibbons,  Thos.,  e.  Oct.  3,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
Havs,  Jacob,  e.  Sept.  27, '61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept  30, '65. 
Harman,  D.  H.,  e.  Sept.  23,'61,  d.  Oct.,  '62. 
Hammond,  Lemuel  B.,  e.  Nov.  11,'Gl. 
Hudson,  Nathl.,e.  Dec.  15,'Gl,v.,m.o.Sept.30,'G5. 
Kriell,  John,  e.  Dec.  17,'61,  v.,  m.o  Sept.  30, '65. 
Kemp,  John,  e.  Sept.  23, '61,  died. 
Little,  John,  e.  Nov.  2y,'Gl,  d.  for  dis. 
Long,  John,  e.  Sopt,  23,'61. 
McGinnis,  John,  e.  Oct.  5,'61,  d.  Dec.  20,'G4. 
Mulvahill,  Albt.,  e.  Sept.  1G,'61,  m.o.  Dec.  28,'64. 
Mulvahill,  Geo.,  e.  Sept.  24, '61,  d.  Dec.  20,'frl. 
Murphv,  Alex.,  e.  Sept.2y,'Gl,  v.,m.o.Sept.30,'G5. 
McKassen,  R.  J.,  e.  Sept.  19,'61,  v. 
Merrvtield,  M.,  e.  Sept.  21, '61,  died  Feb.  28,'62. 
Miller,  Geo.,  e.  Oct.  16,'61,  v.,  m,o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
Myers,  J.  C,  e.  Nov.  IG.'Gl,  died  Sept.  30,'62. 
Nelson,  Daniel,  e.  Sept.  17,'Gl,  d.  Dec.  20,'G4. 
Pickerell,  Saml.,  e.  Sept.  23,'61,  died  May  3,'62. 
Rvans,  Moses,  e.  Sept.  23, 'Gl. 
Rvan,  Dennis,  e.  Nov.  13, '(;i,  v.,  rft.o.  Sept.20,'G5. 
Stiles,  David,  e.  Sept.  24, 'Gl,  v., m.o.  Sept.  30,'G5. 
Scott,  J.  M.,  e.  Oct.  21, '61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
Slawbaw,  Jno.,  e.  Dec.  17,'Gl,  v.,m.o.  Sept.30,'65. 
Thorpe,  M.  G.,e.  Sept.  24, 'Gl,  v., m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
Town.  L.  A.,  e.  Dec.  4,'Gl. 
Winner,  Jos.,  e.  Dec.  G,'61,  v.,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 

Recndts. 
Cunningham.  Charles,  e.  Mrrch  1,S,'63. 
Davis,  J.  W.,  e.  Dec.  9,'63,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
Happenev,  Pat.,  e.  Jan.  4.'64,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
Happenev,  Elwd.,  e.  Jan.  4,  '(^,  m.o.  Sept.30,'65. 
Ilabbertield,  F.,  e.  Nov.l3,'Gl,v.,m.o.Sept.30,'G5. 
Heaney,  Frank,  e.  Dec.26,'61,v.,m.o.  Sept.30,'65. 
Henderson,  Fred.,  e.  Dec.  25,'61. 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


381 


Jones,  J.  L.,e.  Feb.  25, '65. 

Johnson,  Win.  T.,  e.  Dec.  6,'61,  v. 

Lock,  M.  M.,  e.  Jan.  ;n,'a'i,  m.  o.  Sept.  30,'C).S. 

Mundcr,  Ellis  ('.,  e.  Mar.  81, '04,  m.o.  Sept.:W,'G.'). 

McFarlaiul,  Kdw.,  e.  Oct.  :i,'W,  m.o.  Sept.:)0,'(i5. 

Noi'\'elle,  Thos.,  e.  Jan.  31, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'G5. 

O'Riley,  Jas.,  e.  Sept.  23,'(;i,  died  Oct.  10,'W,  v. 

Pollard,  Richard,  e.  Jan.  1,'G4,  m.o.  Sept.:50,'65. 

Pero,  Alex.,  e.  Oct.  o,'('A,  m.u.  Sept.  :W,'(i5. 

Powers,  Thos.,  e.  Mar.  31, 'tU,  died  Feb.  lS,'i;,5. 

Rjivles,  Jacob,  e.  Jan.  31, '05,  m.o.  Sept.  30, 'G5. 

Williams,  S.  N.,  e.  Mar.  22, '(14. 

Yerker,  Wm.,  e.  Dec.  '25, 'Ol. 

Hainlinc,  tieo.,  e.  Dec.  2, '01,  in  Co.  G.,  v.,  m.o. 

July  14, '&5. 
Abbey,  A.,  e.  Feb.  29,'tU,  in  Co.  G.,  m.o.  July 

14,'65. 

COMPANY  H. 

Second  Lieutenant. 
Andrew  T.  Linbarger. 

Corporal. 
Henry  Pratt,  e.  Dec.  6,'Cl,  d.  Dee.  22, '04. 

Privates. 
Barraton,  Jos.,  e.  Nov.  29,'ei,  d.  Dec.  22,'r)-4. 
I-cnard,  Peter,  e.  Nov.  lO.'Ol,  v.,m.o.Sept.30,'G5. 
Murphy,  P.  M.,  e.  Nov.  7, '01,  m.o.  Sept.  3o,'05. 
Stamm.  Jno.,  e.  Nov.  10, '01,  m.  o.  Sept.  30, '05. 
Humphrey,  Milt.,  Mar.  1,'02,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'05. 

Recruits. 

Crain,  Frank,  e.  Feb.  •29,'04,  m.o.  Julv  8,'C5. 
Doty,  Sidney,  e.  Mar.  ;!1,'W,  died  July  22,'04. 
Humphrey,  Jno.,e.  Mar.  31, '04,  m.o.  Sept.  30, '05. 
Hiimphrey,  N.,  e.  Oct.  4. '04,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'O5. 
Hcjward,  G.  W.,  e.  Jan.  26,'t)4,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'05. 
Kenneily,  Isaac,  e.  Mar.  24, '04,  m.o.  Sept. 30,'05. 
Owens,  Funis  M.,  e.  Jan.  30, '04,  m.o.  Sept.30,'05. 
Parsons,  E.  L.  e.  Fob.  1,'04,  m.o.  Sept.  30, '05. 
Princeton.  Wm.,  e.  Dec.  16,'G3,  m.o.  May  22, '05. 
Pemberton,  J.  K.  e.  Jan.  iy,'04,  m.o.  Sept.30,'05. 
Pemberton,.\lvin,e.  Jan.l'J,'04,m.o.  Sept.30,'G5. 
Rose,  Chas.,  e.  Dec.  19, '03,  m.o.  Sept.  30, '05. 
Speers,  J.  F.,  e.  Feb.  27, '05,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'05. 
Sakers,  Henry,  e.  Dec.  15, '03. 
Winklebleck,  J.,  e.  Oct.  4,'04,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
Wright,  Alfred,  e.  Sept.  ■2S,'04,  died  Julv  12,'05. 
Westfall,  J.  H.  e.  April  1,'04,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 
Pemberton,  B.,  e.  Feb.  5,'W,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'05. 

COMPANY  I. 

Humphreo,  W.  H.,  e.  Nov.  7, '61. 

Shay,  John,  e.  July  1,'02,  m.o.  June  9, '05. 

Taggart,  David,  e.  Feb.  23, '62,  died  Aug.  10,'G2. 

COIVIPANY  L,. 

Farran,  Geo.,  e.  Feb.  '2.3, '01. 

Murphy,  Pat.,  e.  Oct.  27,'01. 

Green,  John,  e.  Jan.  7,'0-l,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'65. 

Frye,  Henry  .V.,  e.  Feb.  27, '05,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'05. 

Manlion,  D.  F..  e.  Feb.  1.S,'65,  m.o.  Sept.  30. '75. 

Powers,  A.  C,  e.  Feb.  18, '65,  m.o.  Sept.  30, '05. 

COMPANY  M. 

Brady,  J.  W.,  c.  Feb.  27, '(U,  m.o.  Sept.  30, '65. 
Delanev,  Thos.,  e.  Feb.  'i/.'Oo,  m.o.  Sept.  :50,'0o. 
Ickes,  W.  J.,  e.  Feb.  27,'C5,  m.o.  Sept.  30,'05. 

Unassigned  Recruits. 

Barrett,  M.  v.  B.,  e.  Nov.  16,'6'2. 

Bowlsby,  John.  e.  Nov.  IS, '02. 

Biggins,  Patrick,  e.  Jan.  12,'63. 

Betty,  Joseph,  e.  Jan.  12,'03. 

Brown,  Edward,  e.  Dec.  19, '6:?. 

Cufaude,  Hugh,  e.  Nov.  14, '04,  m.o.  May  29,'65. 

Crosby,  Hugh,  e.  Jan.  10,'6:i. 

Eibe,  Conrad,  e.  April  4,'6o. 


Howard,  C.  M.,  e.  Nov.  16, '62. 
King,  John,  e.  Oct.  7, '64. 
Strong,  Jason,  e.  Dec.  3, '63. 

12th  CAVALRY. 

Carey,  Edward,  e.  Jan.  1.'62,  in  Co.  E. 

I'na.t.'^igned  Recruits. 
Blanche,  Charles,  e.  Sept.  2S,'G4. 
Cook.  John,  e.  Sept.  2.S,'64. 
James,  Thos.,  e.  Sei)t.  28, '04. 
Layhe,  Michael,  e.  Sept.  28, '64. 
McGovern,  John,  e.  Sept.  '28,'0-l. 

14tli  CAVALRY. 

COMPANY  A. 

Polland,  J.  P.,  e.  Nov.  31, '62,  missing  in  action 

Aug.  3, '04. 
Kolb,  John,  e.  Sept.  11, '62,  d.  dis.  Dec.  5, '63. 

COMPANY  B. 

Amnion,  John. 

Baldwin,  Erwin,  e.  Feb.  10. '64,  m.o.  July  31, '65. 

COMPANY   C. 

Farrier. 
Johi)  Buxton,  e.  Nov.  1,'62,  d.  dis.  June  S,'65. 

Privates. 

Highland,  Culberton,  e.  Sept.  17,'62,  died  at 
Andersonville  Pris.,  Nov.  17,'64,  No.  grave 
12,070. 

Pippin,  R.,  e  Jan.  26,'G3.  m.o.  July  31, '6.5. 

Pippin,  Thos.,  e.  Jan.  22, '03,  m.o.  July  31, '65. 

Pippin,  -Arnold,  e.  Feb.  22,'t'>4.  m.o.  Julv  31, '05. 

Rittenour,  J.  P.,  e  Sept.  22,'02.  in  Co.  G. 

Miller.  Henry,  e.  Sept.  14, '02,  in  Co.  K. 

COMPANY  M. 

SergeaTit. 
Benj.  Kaunnan,  e.  Sept.  15,'62,  died  Feb.  9,'64. 

Corporals. 

John  Probasco,  e.  Sei)t.  15,'62,  m.o.  July  31, '65. 
J.  J.  Ferguson,  e.  Sept.  15, '62,  m.o.  July  31, '65. 

Privates. 

Casev,  J.  M.,  e.  Sept.  15, '62,  m.o.  July  31, '65. 

Stinlev,  Wm.  J.,  e.  Sept.  15,  '02. 

Kellogg,  David,  e.  Oct.  0,'64. 

Burk,  Thomas,  e.  Sept.  27, '6-1. 

Hass,  Jacol),  e.  Oct.  5, '03,  in  Co.  D.,  17th,  m.o. 

Dec.  20, 'Cm. 
Howard,  D.  ^i.,  e.  Jan.  15,'61,  in  Co.  D,  17th,  m. 

o.  Dec.  '20, '05. 
Vorhees,  David,  e.  Jan.  28,'64,  in  Co.  D,  m.  o. 

Dec.  20, '05. 

ARTILLERY. 

Gillett,  Chas.  S.,  e.  Dec.  30,'63,  in  bat.  F.,  1st 

kid.  Aug.  3,'64. 
Richardsdii,  Thos.,  e.  July  3,'62,  tr.  to  V.R.C. 
Betterliiig,  Geo.,  e.  April  19,'01,  in  bat.  A.  2d 

Art.,  il.  <lis. 
Wehner,  Henry,  e.  July  17, '61,  in  bat.  A,  2d 

An.,  (lied  Feb.  14,'02,  wnds. 
Brown,  James,  e.  Sepi.  •23.'64,  in.  bat.  G.  'Jd  Art., 

m.o.  May  30, '65. 

20th  U.  S.  (COLORED  INFANTRY.) 

Corsley,  Wm.  H.,  e.  Sept.  21, '6-1,  in  Co.  B.,m.o. 

Sept.  30,'(iu. 
Hall,  Geo.  M~e.  Sept.  '21, '64,  in  Co.  B. 


382 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


COMPANY  G. 

Ashby,  Wm.  J.,  e.  Sept.  21,'64,m.o.  Nov.  e.'Oo. 
Ashbv,  Miirehall,  e.  Sept.  21, '04,  m.o.  Sept.30,'()5. 
Ashbv,  Wm.  H.,  e.  Sept.  21, '04,  m.o.  Sept.30,'05. 
Day,  iMorgan,  e.  Sept.  30,'e4,  died  Sept.  G,'60. 
Heiirv,  Wm.,  e.  Jan.  27, '05. 
Lewis,  Edward,  e.  Sept.  2.s,'64,  m.o.  May23,'05. 
Price,  Wilson,  e.  Sept.  30,'e4. 
Tumbleton,  Thos.  M.,  e.  Sept.  30,'64. 
McGee,  Benj.,  e.  Mar.  7,'65. 


1st  ARMY   CORPS. 

Davis,  Noah,  N.,  e.  Feb.  21, '0.5,  m.o.  Feb.  21, '06. 

(Jrabtree,  A.  J.,  e.  Feb.  2S,'0.3,   m.o.  Feb.  2S,'0.5 

Carr,  Taos.,  e.  Feb.  28,'65,  m.o.  Feb.  28,'66. 

McClure,  J.  A.,  e.  Feb.  27,'65. 

Work,  Husli  A.,  e.  Feb.  24,'6.5,  m.o.  Feb.  24,'n.5. 

Sandburn,  W.  H.,  e.  Feb.  3,'05,  m.o.  Mar.  3,'O0. 

Crooks,  Lawsoii,  c.  Mar.  6,'6.5. 

Powers,  (,'ha.s.,  e.  Feb.  28,'0.5,  m.o.  Feb.  2S,'66. 

Schermere,  A.,  e.  Mar.  23,'e5,  m.o.  Mar.  23,'eC. 

Hill,  Thos.,  e.  Mar.  29,'6.5,  m.o.  Mar.  27,'66. 

Harsh,  Phillip,  e.  Mar.  30,'tw,"ui.o.  Mar.  29,'00. 

Simno,  Francis,  e.  April  0.5. 

Gibbs,  W.  J.,  e.  April  5, '65,  m.o.  April  13, '66. 

Hess,  Peter,  e.  April  5,'65,  m.o.  April  13, '66. 

Steinkoff,  G.,  e.  April  5,'65,  m.o.  April  13, '06. 

Bliss,  James,  e.  June,  '65. 

Dean,  Henry,  e.  Sept.,  '64. 

Donelson,  James,  e.  Feb.,  '04. 

Havs.  R,,  e.  Sept.,  '04. 

Newkirk,  I.  N.,  e.  Oct.,  '04. 

Price,  Geo.,  e.  Sept.,  64. 

Scott,  John,  e.  Sept.,  '64. 

Wilson,  Charles,  e.  Sept.,  64. 

Young,  Charles,  e.  June,  '65. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Privates. 

Montgomerj-,  Samuel,  e.  Mar.  18, '62,  v. 
Newbauks,  C.  H.,  e.  Mar.  29,'05,  m.o.  Oct.  15,'65. 
Stanton,  Mrchael,  e.  Oct.  12,'04,  recruit. 
Linton,  A.  R.,  e.  Mar.  12,'64,  kid.  by  R.R.  acci- 
dent, July  29, '04. 
Wanttand  John,  e.  Mar.  5,'64,  m.o.  Aug.  12,'05. 
Wood,  John,  e.  Dee.  21, '04,  m.o.  Aug.  12,'05. 
Burns,  Peter,  e.  Oct.  6, '64,  recruit. 
Femes,  M.,  e.  Oct.  6,'64.  rejected  by  board. 
Long,  J.  C,  e.  Oct.  0,'64,  rejected  bv  board. 
Dodson.  R.  S.,  e.  Feb.  22,'65,  v.,  m.o."  Julv  31, '66. 
Dod.son,  M.,  e.  Feb.  22.'6.5,  v.,  m.o.  July31,'65. 
Smith,  William,  e.  Sept.  3,'61. 
Myers,  Henry,  e.  Mar.  6, '.52,  v.,  m.o.  Julv  12,'05. 
Rouse,  T.  J.,  e.  April  2,'02,  m.o.  April  12,'65. 
EdmLston,  J.,  e.  Sept.  10,'61,  m.o.  June  11, '62, 

dis. 
CoUins,  N.  M.,  e.  Sept.  20, '64,  Co.  E.,  73d  inf., 

m.o.  June  12, '65. 
Morris,  B.  J.,  e.  Aug.  5,'02,  Co.  F.,  73d  inf.,  d. 

Jan.  13, '63,  dis. 
Horton,  N.,  e.  Feb.  9,'64,  73d  inf.,  Co.  K. 
Newberry,  A.,  e.  Sept.  29,'04,  73d  inf.,  Co.  K. 
Clegg,  J.  C,  e.  Aug.  13,'02,  77th  inf.,  Co.  IL, 

kid.  Vicksburg,  Mav  19, '63. 
Poga,  A.  B.,  e.  Aug.  9,'02,  77th  inf.,  Co.  H.,  ra. 

o.  June]7,'05'  pri.s.  war. 
Stewart,  W.  H.,  e.  Aug.  12,'02,  77th  inf.,  Co.  H., 

d.  May  27, '03,  dis. 
Hauck,  John,  e.  77th  inf..  Co.  K.,  as  recniit. 
Bagler,  J.  R.,  e.  Aug.  12,'02,  81st  inf.,  Co.  D.,  m. 

o.,  Aug.  5, '65. 
Wilson,  David,  e.  Feb.  41, '65,  81st  inf.,  Co.  K., 

recruit. 
Groff,  Joseph  E.,  e.  Aug.  1,'62,  85th  inf.,  Co.  I., 

m.o.  June  5, '65. 
Price,  Fredrick,  e.  Feb.  5,'63,  2d  oav.,  unas- 

signed  recruit.  X> 


Hayner,  Christian,  e.  Dec.  17,'63,  unassigned 

recruit,  cav. 
Clark,  Lewis,  e.  Dec.  10,'64,  3d  cav.,  Co.  A.,  re- 
cruit, m.o.  Oct.  10,'05,  as  sergt. 
Ansell,  Joseph,  e.  Oct.  11, '64,  3d  cav.,  Co.  D., 

m.o.  Oct.  10,'C5. 
Dalbv,  Milo,  e.  Oct.  10,'fri,  3d  cav.,  Co.  E.,  m.o. 

Oct.  10,'05. 
McCance,  G.  R.,  e.  April  12,'65,  3d  cav.,  Co.  E., 

m.o.  Oct.  10, '65. 
Morris,  Geo.,  e.  Feb.  13,'65,  3d  cav.,  Co.  E.,  m. 

o.  Oct.  10, '0.5. 
Larish,  Da\id,  e.  '01,  in  sappers  and  miners, 

kid.  in  battle. 
Moody,  Albert,  e.  '61,  in  sappers  and  miners, 

m.o.  at  close  of  war. 
Ramige,  W.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  85th  inf.,  Co.  K.,  m. 

o.  June  5,'65. 
Speicht,  M.,  e.  Aug.  15,'62,  85th  inf.,  Co.  K., 

died  Oct.  30, '62. 
Eaton,  F.  L.,  e.  Aug.  11, '62,  8Cth  inf.,  d.  as  hos. 

steward. 
Chauncy,  W.  W.,  e.  July  18,'62,  86th  inf.,  Co. 

H.,  d.  Dec.  28, '02,  dis. 
Howland,  C.  A.,  e.  Oct.  13,'64,  92d  inf.,  Co.  K., 

recruit. 
Sloan,  J.  L.,  e.  Aug.  1,62,  94th  fnf.,  Co.  F.,  m.o. 

July  17, '65. 
Cathar,"  William,  e.  Mar.  3,'65,  97th  inf.,  m.o. 

Julv  29, '05. 
Hand,  Wm.  B.,  e.  July  26,'62,  99th  inf.,  Co.  A., 

m.o.  Julv  31, '65. 
Hand,  WiUis,  e.  July26,'62,  99th  inf.,  Co.  A., 

m.o.  Julv  31, '65. 
Fitzpatrick,  John,  e.  Mar.  9,'65,  103d  inf.,  Co. 

E.,  m.o.  Julv  24, '65. 
Vanmeter,  J.  B",  e.  Julv  22,'62,  106tli  inf.,  Co. 

C,  m.o.  Julv  12,'0.5. 
Vanmeter,  S.  G."  e.  July  2,'62,  106th  inf.,  Co.  C, 

m.o.  July  12, '65. 
Smith,  James,   e.  Jan.  23, '64,  unassigned  re- 
cruit 113th  inf. 
Holmes,  Samuel,  e.  Sept.  22,'64,  113th  inf.,  Co. 

D.,  recruit,  m.o.  Aug.  3, "65. 
Nale,  William,  e.  Sept.  22, '64,  113th  inf.,  Co.  D., 

recruit,  m.o.  Aug.  3,'65. 
O'Conor,  Peter,  e.  Sept.  22,'&4,  113th  inf.,  Co. 

D.,  m.o.  Aug.  3,'65. 
Thompson,  J.  W.,  e.  Sept.  22,'&4,  113th  inf.,  Co. 

D.,  m.o.  Aug.  3, '65. 
Carter,  Wm.,  e.  Oct.  6,'64,  115th  inf.,  Co.  K., 

died  Camp  Butler,  Jan.  8, '65. 
Lee,  Chas.  K.,  e.  Sept.  27, '64,  in  116th  inf.,  re- 
cruit, Co.  C,  m.o.  Jan.  7,'65. 
Hamilton,  Pa.schal,  e.  Oct.  11,'64,  116th  inf.,  Co. 

E;.,  recruit. 
Smith,  J.  K.  P.,  e.  Sept.  20,'62,  116th  inf.,  Co. 

F.,  m.o.  June  7,'05. 
Harbinson,  S.  J.,  e.  Aug.  12,'01,  v.,  2d  cav.,  Co. 

B.,  accidentally  kid.  Oct.  10,'65. 
Collison,  Madison,  e.  Oct.  1,'64,  2d  cav.,  Co.  B., 

d.  June  12, '65. 
Jones,  WilUam,  e.  Oct.  1,'64,  2d  cav.,  Co.  D.,  d. 

June  12, '65. 
VanMeter,  Newton,  e.  Feb.  20,'Cl,  v.,  2d  cav., 

Co.  D.,  m.o.  Nov.  12, '05. 
Kemp,  Abraham,  e.  Mar.  25, '64,  2d  cav.,  Co. 

K.,  m.o.  Nov.  22, '65. 
Hodges,  Wm.  J.,  e.  Feb.  28,'65,  Co.  H.,  14th  regt. 
Hammond,  J.,  e.  Feb.  28,'05,  Co.  K.,  14th  regt. 
Wells,  Marcus  P.,  e.  May  24,'ei,  in  Co.  K.,  16th 

inf.,  died  Mav  26,'02. 
Hodgson,  Hugh  D.,  e.  Dec.  14, '63. 
Cadwell,  W.,  e.  June  17,'61,  in  Co.  F.,  19th  inf. 
Ketz,  Fred.,  e.  Mar.  8,'65,  in  Co.  A.,  20th  inf., 

m.o.  July  22, '65. 
Scholotour,  John,  e.  Mar.  8,'65,  in  Co.  A.,  20th 

inf.,  m.o.  Julv  10, '05. 
Miller,  Wm.  H..  e.  June  13,'61,  in  Co.  E.,  20th 

inf.,  died. 
Kelly,  Thos.,  e.  Jan.  23, '65,  in  Co.  F.,  20th  inf. 
Kelly,  James,  e.  Jan.  23, '65,  never  reported. 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY, 


383 


Donghert\',  James,  e.  Jan.  16,'65. 

Rotze,  Fre<l.,  e.  Mar.  .s,'65. 

Bviiuin,  IsiUic,  e.  Sept.  •J9,'G4,  m.o.  Aupr.  t.'GS. 

Bond,  C.  C  e.  Feb.  2.s,'65,  m.o.  Nov.  6,'(>.5. 

Brown,  Jackson,  e.  Aug.  'iO.'Gl,  v.,  in  Co.  G., 

3:kl  inf. 
Davis,  Jonathan,  e.  Oct.  7,'G4,  in  Co.  H.,  o3d  inf. 
Oliver,  R.,  e.  Feb.  1.'),'(;.5,  in  Co.  1,  drowned. 
Kagan,  H.  W.,  c.  Oct.  7,'64,  in  Co.  I,  m.o.  Oct. 

Carr.'Mark,  e.  Sept.  7,'61,  v.  in  Co.  I.,  34th  inf., 

missing  in  action. 
Sullivan,  C..  e.  Dec.  30, 'G3,  in  Co.  I.,  34th  inf., 

m.o.  July  12, '(■).'). 
Muller,  J.  B.,  e.  Aug.  30,'61,  in  Co.  G.,  39th  inf., 

d.  Julv4,'63,  dis. 
Neef,  Fred.,  e.  Aug.  30,'fil,  in  Co.  G.  39th  inf. 
Heintz,  P.  H.,  e.  Aug.  30,'61,  v.  in  Cy.  G.,  39th. 


inf. 
Kuchule,  M.,  c.  Sept. 
Leatherwood,   Alex., 

43d  inf.,  died  May 


1,'61,  in  Co.  G.,  43d  inf. 
e.  April  5,'G5,  in  Co.  K., 
9,T». 
Spradley,  A.  J.,  c.   April  r>,'&o,  in  Co.  K.,  43d 
inf.,"  m.o.  May  11, 'G5. 


Roberts,  Newman,  e.  Oct.  1,'6-1,  in  Co.  E.,  120th 

Inf.,  died  Mav  2,'G.\ 
Bloonishine,  Fred.,  Dec.  8,'C3. 
JlcCullertv,  James,  e.  Oct.  10,'G4. 
Anderson",  \Vm.,  e.  Feb.  22,'65,  in  Co.  B.,  12Gth 

Inf..  m.o.  July  12,'G5. 
Henderson,  \Vm.,"  e.  April  5.'65,  in  Co.  E.,  12Gth 

Inf.,  m.o.  Julv  12, 'G.'). 
Mueller,  A.  II.,  A"pril  5,'G,"i,  in  Co.  E.,  126th  Inf., 

m.o.  July  12, 'G.'). 
Peninger,  Washington,  e.  March  21, 'G5. 
James,  John  T.,  e.  Mav20,'G4,  in  Co.  G.,  134th 

Inf.,  Oct.  2.'^,'G4. 
Robison,  Geo.  F.,  e.  Mov  20,'G4,  in  Co.  G.,  134h 

Inf.,  m.  o.  Oct.  25,'G4. 
Willard,  Erasuis  II.,  e.  June  21, '64,  in  Co.  E., 

:!Sth  Inf.,  is  1st  lieutenant. 
Zanies,  Samuel  A.,  e.  T*Iav  1G,'64,  in  Co.  I,  442d 

Inf.,  m.o.  Oct.  2G,'G4. 
Armstrong,   Thos.,  e.    Nov.  1.5, '64,  in  Co.  K., 

144th  Inf.,  m.o.  Julv  14, '65. 
Houghton,  Tnos.  B..  e.  Feb.  3,'65,  in  Co.  A., 

150th  Inf.,  m.o.  Jan.  16,'GG. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  TAZEWELL  COUNTY  BAK. 

As  the  prosperity  and  well  being  of  every  community  depends 
upon  the  wise  interpretation,  as  well  as  upon  the  judicious  framing 
of  its  laws,  it  must  follow  that  a  record  of  the  members  of  the  Bar, 
to  whom  these  matters  are  generally  relegated,  must  form  no  unim- 
portant chapter  in  the  county's  history.  Upon  a  few  principles  of 
natural  justice  is  erected  the  whole  superstructure  of  municipal  law 
tending;  to  relieve  the  wants  and  meet  the  desires  of  all  alike.  But 
where  so  many  interests  and  counter  interests  are  to  be  protected  and 
adjusted,  to  the  judiciary  is  presented  many  interesting  and  complex 
problems.  But  change  is  every-where  imminent.  The  laws  of 
yesterday  do  not  compass  the  wants  and  necessities  of  the  people  of 
to-day.  The  old  relations  do  not  exist.  New  and  satisfactory  ones 
must  be  established.  The  discoveries  in  the  arts  and  sciences;  the 
invention  of  new  contrivances  for  labor ;  the  enlargement  of  indus- 
trial pursuits,  and  the  increase  and  development  of  commerce,  are 
without  precedence,  and  the  science  of  the  law  must  keep  pace 
with  them  all ;  nay,  it  must  even  forecast  events  and  must  frame  its 
laws  as  will  most  adequately  subserve  the  wants  and  provide  for  the 
necessities  of  the  new  conditions.  Hence  the  lawyer  is  a  man  of 
the  day.  The  exigencies  he  must  meet  are  those  of  his  own  time. 
His  capital  is  his  ability  and  individuality.  He  cannot  bequeath 
to  his  successors  the  characteristics  that  distinguished  him,  and  at 
his  going  the  very  evidences  of  his  work  disappear.  And  in  com- 
piling this  short  sketch  one  is  astonished  at  the  paucity  of  material 
for  a  memoir  of  those  who  have  been  so  intimately  connected  with 
and  who  exerted  such  an  influence  upon  the  county^s  welfare  and 
progress.  The  pecvdiarities  and  the  personalities  which  form  so 
pleasing  and  interesting  a  part  of  the  lives  of  the  members  of  the 
Bar,  and  which,  indeed,  constitute  the  charm  of  local  history,  are 
altogether  wanting.  Unlike  the  fair  plaintiff  in  Bardell  vs.  Pick- 
wick, we  have  no  pains-taking  sergeant  to  relate  "  the  facts  and  cir- 


HISTOTIY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  385 

cumstances  "  of  the  case.  The  Court  records  give  us  the  facts,  but 
the  circumstances  surrounding  and  giving  an  interest  to  the  events 
are  wanting. 

Tazewell,  like  all  pioneer  counties,  suffered  much  in  the  stability 
of  her  judiciary  owing  to  the  numerous  contests  concerning  the  loca- 
tion of  the  county-seat  and  the  consequent  bitterness  and  local 
prejudice  attending  the  various  removals.  The  county-seat  was 
first  located  at  Mackinaw,  March  22nd,  1827.  Tazewell  county, 
at  that  time,  for  judicial  purposes,  formed  a  part  of  the  Second 
Circuit.  The  first  term  of  the  Circuit  Court  ever  held  in  this 
county  was  at  Mackinaw,  May  12th,  1828,  and  presided  over 
by  the  Hon.  Samuel  J.  Lockwood.  The  first  case  docketed  was 
entitled  Bryan  and  Morrison  vs.  Wm.  Eads,  action  of  debt.  The 
first  indictment  presented  was  against  William  Herbert  for  assault 
and  battery. 

Samuel  J.  Lockwood. — The  Hon.  Samuel  J.  Lockwood  was  one 
of  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Illinois  and  assigned  to 
circuit  duty  in  the  Second  Circuit.  He  was  a  man  of  good  ability 
and  discharged  his  duties  very  acceptably. 

Stephen  T.  Logan.  —  The  Hon.  Stephen  T.  Logan  was  the  next 
presiding  Judge  for  several  years  and  afterwards  was  Judge  in  the 
Sangamon  Circuit.  He  now  resides  in  Springfield,  Illinois,  having 
retired  from  active  life.  He  was  one  of  the  ablest  lawyers  in  the 
State,  and  one  whose  ability  and  legal  knowledge  placed  him  in  the 
front  rank  of  his  profession.  The  Judge  had  a  mania  for  whittling, 
and  Court  never  moved  smoothly  until  the  Sheriff  had  placed  a 
number  of  white  pine  shingles  beside  the  wool-sack,  when  the 
evolution  of  law  and  pine  shavings  proceeded  Avith  equal  dignity 
and  composure. 

John  Pearson.  —  The  Hon.  John  Pearson  succeeded  Judge  Logan. 
He  is  spoken  of  as  a  man  of  good  ability  and  a  good  Judge,  but 
was  not  popular  with  the  people  on  account  of  his  inability  to 
accommodate  himself  to  their  ways  and  primitive  civilization.  The 
court-houses  were  rude  buildings  with  but  few  of  the  conveniences 
considered  necessary  at  the  present  time,  and  Judge  Pearson,  not 
content  with  the  chair  provided  for  the  Court,  refused  to  sit  until 
a  rocking-chair  was  procured  for  his  use,  which  desire  for  personal 
comfort  led  to  a  great  deal  of  unfavorable  comment  among  the 
people. 

Jesse  B.   Thomas.  —  The   Hon.  Jesse  B.  Thomas   was   the   next 


386  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

Judge  and  presided  for  several  years.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
active  men  ever  upon  the  bench.  He  allowed  no  delays,  and  his 
executive  ability  is  highly  praised.  At  one  term  of  Court  in  this 
couutv  he  cleared  the  docket  of  some  500  cases  and  did  much  to 
avoid  the  delays  so  tedious  to  litigants.  Judge  Thomas  was  Presi- 
dent of  the  first  Constitutional  Convention  of  the  State,  and  in 
whatever  position  called  served  with  distinction. 

William  Thomas.  —  The  Hon.  William  Thomas  served  as  Judge 
but  few  terms  owing  to  some  change  in  the  judicial  circuit,  and  was 
scarcely  identified  with  the  legal  interests  of  this  county. 

Samuel  H.  Treat.  —  The  Hon.  Samuel  H.  Treat  next  came  on 
this  Circuit  and  served  until  1848,  when  the  Judges  were  elected  in 
accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  new  constitution  then  adopted. 
Judge  Treat  was  afterwards  appointed  to  the  bench  of  the  United 
States  Court,  at  Springfield,  which  position  he  still  holds.  He  is  a 
close  observer  of  men  and  times,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  ablest 
and  most  upright  judges  in  our  entire  judiciary. 

David  Davis.  —  The  Hon.  David  Davis  was  elected  Judge  of 
this  Circuit  in  1848,  and  so  remained  until  1857.  On  first  coming  to 
Illinois  Judge  Davis  settled  in  Pekin,  but  shortly  afterwards  re- 
moved to  Bloomington.  Early  in  Lincoln's  administration  he  was 
appointed  to  the  United  States  Supreme  Court  from  which  he  re- 
signed in  1877,  being  elected  in  that  year  to  the  United  States 
Senate  from  Illinois.  He  was  much  inclined  to  indolence  while 
Judge  of  this  Circuit,  and  required  a  great  stimulus  to  exertion,  but 
he  discharged  very  acceptably  the  onerous  duties  of  his  office. 

James  Harriott.  —  The  Hon.  James  Harriott  was  elected  to  suc- 
ceed Judge  Davis  in  1857.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1849,  having 
previously  served  a  term  in  the  State  Legislature  from  the  district 
surrounding  Jerseyville.  He  was  the  first  Judge  of  the  old  21st 
Circuit,  including  the  counties  of  Tazewell,  Mason,  Menard  and 
Cass.  He  filled  the  office  for  over  10  years  and  was  highly  respected 
for  his  sterling  good  sense  and  discernment,  and  was  well  liked  by 
the  Bar  and  the  people.  He  died  at  his  home  in  Pekin  in  the  year 
1869. 

Charles  Turner.  —  The  Hon.  Charles  Turner  was  elected  over 
Judge  Harriott  in  1867.  Judge  Turner  came  to  this  State  from 
Ohio,  1851,  and  practiced  law  until  1862,  when  he  entered  the  army, 
serving  three  years  and  attaining  the  rank  of  Brev.  Brig.  General. 
On  his  return  he  again  pursued  the  practice  of  law,  and  was  elected 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  387 

CountyTrcasurer  in  1865,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  the  Judgeship 
in  1867,  and  served  until  1873,  when  the  circuit  was  changed  from 
the  21st  to  the  12th. 

John  Burns.  —  Hon.  John  Burns  in  1873  was  elected  over  Judge 
Turner,  and  is  now  one  of  the  three  Judges  of  what  is  known  as 
the  8th  Circuit,  being  composed  of  the  counties  of  Tazewell,  Peoria, 
Woodford,  Marshall,  Putnam  and  Stark.  His  term  expires  in  June 
of  this  year,  and  he  is  now  (April,  1879)  a  candidate  for  re-election. 
He  is  an  able  lawyer,  an  upright  judge,  and  has  proven  very  accept- 
able to  the  people  of  this  circuit. 

Among  the  lawyers  who  were  prominently  known  at  this  Bar 
during  and  previous  to  the  time  when  Judge  Treat  held  Court  at 
Tremont  were,  Lincoln  and  Douglas,  whose  names  and  history  have 
become  a  part  of  that  of  our  country ;  George  Farquhar,  at  one 
time  Secretary  of  State ;  John  T.  Stewart,  now  of  the  firm  of 
Stewart,  Edwards  &  Brown,  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  for  many  years 
in  Congress ;  Daniel  Stone  and  Thomas  Nealc ;  A.  F.  Hubbard, 
during  1826  ad  interim  Governor  of  the  State,  and  who  precipitated 
the  celebrated  case  of  Ewing  vs.  Farquhar,  which  called  into  ques- 
tion the  construction  of  Art.  3  of  Sec.  18  of  the  then  Constitution; 
Edward  Baker,  Senator  from  Oregon,  who  was  killed  at  Ball's  Bluff 
during  the  war  for  the  Union ;  Col.  John  J.  Hardin,  killed  during 
the  Mexican  War  at  Buena  Vista ;  Wm.  A.  McDougal,  afterwards 
United  States  Senator  from  California;  Judge  Dunmur,  David  Pick- 
ett, Alexander  Herring,  A.  L.  Davidson,  W.  H.  Purple,  O.  H. 
Merryman  and  others  whose  history  is  coeval  with  that  of  the  early 
days  of  the  county. 

Among  those  of  a  later  day  who  have  either  died  or  removed  from 
the  county  are  the  following : 

Echcard  Jones,  who  came  to  this  county  about  1830  and  was 
among  the  first  Circuit  Clerks.  He  was  a  captain  in  the  Mexican 
War,  a  man  of  fine  education,  a  natural  lawyer,  and  in  the  days  of 
the  strict  common  law  pleadings  was  without  a  peer  at  the  local 
Bar.  He  died  at  an  early  age,  the  victim  of  those  habits  which  are 
too  frequently  the  accompaniment  of  brilliant  and  distinguishing 
qualities  of  mind. 

B.  F.  James,  who  was  County  Judge  in  1850,  in  1852  moved  to 
Chicago,  but  now  lives  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

W.  D.  Briggs,  who  was  among  the  first  County  Judges,  was  a  fine 
business  lawyer  and  a  man  well  liked.     He  died  in  1854. 
25 


388  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Wm.  Furguerson,  a  very  able  and  talented  man,  but  was  unfortu- 
nately killed  in  a  duel  in  California. 

Ashiel  Gridley  and  Wm.  Holmes,  who  moved  to  Bloomington, 
some  years  since. 

A.  H.  Saltonstall,  who  practiced  several  years  in  Tremont,  and 
died  in  1855. 

William  B.  Parker  and  his  son  Edward  Parker,  men  of  fine  edu- 
cation and  good  abilities,  but  who  lacked  the  perseverance  so  neces- 
sary to  the  success  of  a  lawyer.  They  died  respectively  in  the  years 
1873  and  1874. 

Samuel  W.  Fuller,  who  came  from  the  East  in  1851,  and  was 
elected  to  the  State  Senate  in  1856.  In  1858  he  removed  to  Chicago, 
where  he  resided  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1873.  Mr.  Fuller 
was  an  able  and  accomplished  lawyer,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death 
had  a  reputation  second  to  none  in  the  State. 

Samuel  P.  Bailey  settled  in  Pekin  about  1830  and  practiced  law 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1869.  Mr.  Bailey  was  an  omnivorous 
reader,  and  was  probably  the  most  widely  read  lawyer  at  the  Bar, 
but  he  lacked  practical  application  and  could  in  no  way  utilize  the 
immense  stores  of  his  knowledge ;  and  the  learning  which  would 
have  given  him  the  highest  place  as  an  advocate,  was  rendered  val- 
ueless because  it  availed  him  but  little  in  the  practical  discharge  of 
the  duties  of  his  profession. 

Richard  W.  Ireland  came  to  Pekin  about  1848  or  9  and  was  Clerk 
of  the  County  Court.  At  different  times  in  his  life  he  was  associated 
with  prominent  attorneys  as  a  partner  and  was  a  very  successful 
office  lawyer.  He  removed  to  Tremont  a  short  time  previous  to  his 
death,  in 'l 869. 

James  Roberts  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  Missouri,  in  1849,  but 
removed  to  Pekin  in  June,  1852.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  abilities,  to 
which  he  united  the  most  studious  habits.  He  prepared  his  cases 
with  the  most  painstaking  accuracy,  and  his  knowledge  of  the  law 
was  such  as  could  only  be  gained  by  the  severest  application.  He 
built  up  one  of  the  largest  and  most  lucrative  practices  ever  con- 
trolled by  any  one  lawyer,  but  his  career  was  cut  short  at  the  early 
age  of  33  years  by  his  death  from  overwork.  He  practiced  in  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  being  engaged  in  the  cases 
concerning  the  patents  of  the  Illinois  Harvesters,  which  at  that 
time  attracted  great  attention. 

Hon.  Sabill  J),  Puterbaugh  wag  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Pekin,  and 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  389 

in  1857  formed  a  partnership  with  Samuel  W.  Fuller,  and  after  its 
dissolution  he  removed  to  Peoria  where  he  still  resides.  He  was 
elected  Judge  in  that  circuit  for  one  term  of  six  years.  He  is  the 
author  of  Puterbaugh's  Pleadings  and  Practice,  a  work  of  merit 
and  which  is  in  general  use  throughout  the  State. 

Joseph  Hanna  came  to  this  county  from  McLean  about  1859  as 
a  partner  of  Hon.  J.  B.  Cohrs,  under  the  name  of  Cohrs  & 
Hanna.  Mr.  Hanna  was  a  young  lawyer  of  great  promise,  but  on 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war  he  enlisted  in  the  army  and  was  killed 
at  Fort  Donelson. 

Richard  W.  Williams,  one  of  the  finest  educated  men,  and  one  of 
the  best  speakers  at  the  Bar,  came  from  the  South  to  Pekin  in  1866, 
He  died  suddenly  in  the  summer  of  1873. 

Abram  Bergen  came  to  Pekin  in  1862,  and  shortly  afterwards  was 
appointed  States  Attorney  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  absence 
of  Major  Fullerton  in  the  army.  In  1865  he  moved  to  Minnesota, 
and  was  there  elected  to  the  State  Senate.  He  again  moved,  going 
to  Kansas,  and  from  there  was  appointed  to  a  judgeship  in  New 
Mexico,  but  finding  the  position  distasteful  he  resigned  and  returned 
to  Kansas,  where  he  now  resides.  Mr.  Bergen  is  an  excellent  law- 
yer, and  the  various  distinguished  offices  he  has  filled  mark  him  as  a 
man  of  no  ordinary  ability. 

Cassius  G.  Whitney  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1869,  and  was 
elected  States  Attorney  of  the  21st  Circuit  in  1868.  In  1872  he 
removed  to  Cass  county,  taking  a  very  prominent  part  in  the  county- 
seat  contest  between  Virginia  and  Beardstown,  which  was  finally 
decided  in  favor  of  Virginia,  where  Mr.  Whitney  now  resides.  He 
is  a  young  man  of  talent  and  a  leading  lawyer  in  his  county. 

Charles  Tinney  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1870,  practiced  in 
this  county  awhile  and  then  removed  to  Virginia,  and  is  now  the 
junior  partner  in  the  firm  of  Whitney  &  Tinney. 

Frank  Purple  read  with  Messrs.  Roberts  &  Green  and  after  his 
admission  to  the  Bar,  in  1869,  became  a  partner  in  the  firm.  He 
finally  removed  to  Peoria  and  has  since  forsaken  the  law  for  other 
pursuits. 

Thomas  W.  Mehan  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1868;  was  elected 
to  the  office  of  City  Attorney  for  one  term  and  remained  here  until 
1876,  when  he  removed  to  Mason,  and  is  now  States  Attorney  for 
that  county. 

William  A.  Mehan  v^as  admitted  in  1870.  He  still  resides  in  this 
county  though  not  engaged  in  active  practice. 


390  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

JSIias  C.  Brearley  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1861  in  the  State  of 
New  Jersey.  He  practiced  in  Pekin  several  years  in  the  firm  of 
Brearley  &  Henry,  then  at  Jacksonville  and  Washington  City. 
He  is  now  located  in  Leadville,  Colorado. 

M.  31.  Bassett  was  admitted  in  1870,  and  removed  to  Peoria 
where  he  is  still  engaged  in  the  practice. 

Henry  P.  Finnigan  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1868.  He  had 
served  as  Circuit  Clerk  in  this  county.  He  removed  to  Lincoln, 
Nebraska,  about  1870,  where  he  resided  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
in  1878. 

Albert  J.  Ware  came  to  this  Bar  in  1868,  and  was  for  some  time 
associated  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Prettyman  &  Ware.  He 
practiced  here  until  the  spring  of  this  year  when  he  removed  to 
Leadville,  Colorado,  his  present  home. 

George  B.  Foster  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1869,  and  practiced 
in  Pekin  until  1877,  when  he  moved  to  Peoria  and  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Johnson  &  Foster. 

The  Bar  of  the  county  has  always  maintained  a  high  standard  of 
legal  excellence,  and  that  it  has  not  diminished  will  be  seen  by  the 
present  able  representation. 

Hon.  B.  S.  Prettyman  came  from  New  Castle,  Delaware,  in  1831, 
and  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  1845.  Mr  Prettyman's  inter- 
ests have  always  been  identified  with  those  of  Pekin,  which  has  been 
his  home  since  coming  to  this  county.  He  is  an  able  lawyer  and  in 
the  matter  of  real  estate  law  has  scarcely  an  equal  in  the  State. 

Wm.  A.  Tinney  came  to  this  State  from  Kentucky  in  1833,  and  in 
1834  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  sheriff,  which  he  held  until  1840, 
but  was  beaten  in  "the  coon-skin  campaign."  He  then  removed  to 
Washington  where  he  opened  a  country  store.  In  1846  he  enlisted 
for  the  Mexican  war.  On  his  return  he  opened  the  Eagle  House, 
and  at  one  time  owned  and  conducted  the  Bcmis  House.  In  1861 
he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  also  Police  Magistrate, 
which  he  still  retains.  In  1865  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  but  has 
practiced  but  little,  being  principally  occupied  in  the  discharge  of 
the  duties  of  his  office. 

Judge  David  Kyes  was  Sheriff  of  the  county  in  1852.  At  the 
expiration  of  his  terra  he  moved  to  Washington  where  he  carried  on 
a  grocery  store  until  1857,  when  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar.  In 
1860  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature,  and  in  1865  to  the 
office  of  County  Judge,  which  he  hel4  for  12  years.     He  is  now  en- 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  391 

gaged  in  the  practice  of  the  law,  having  discharged  the  duties  of  his 
various  offices  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  his  constituents. 

Hon.  Ccesar  A.  Roberts  came  to  Tazewell  county  from  Missouri 
in  1850,  and  practiced  medicine  up  to  1858.  In  1859  Mr.  Roberts, 
in  company  with  a  large  number  of  the  citizens  of  Tazewell,  was 
attracted  to  Colorado  by  the  promising  mining  prospects.  At  a 
convention  on  the  11th  of  July  the  same  year,  and  of  which  Mr. 
Priscoif,  the  present  Mayor  of  Denver,  was  president,  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  and  drafted  a  code  of  mining  laws,  many  of  which  are 
still  in  force,  and  was  then  elected  Recorder  of  Claims  in  the  district 
surrounding  Central  City.  Later  in  the  same  year  he  returned  to 
Illinois,  and  in  1860  was  admitted  to  the  Bar.  In  1864  he  was 
States  Attorney  for  the  21st  Circuit,  and  in  1870  became  a  member 
of  the  State  Legislature  and  served  through  the  long  session  of  the 
27th  General  Assembly,  engaged  in  revising  the  statutes  in  accord- 
ance with  the  new  constitution  of  1870. 

Judge  Wm.  Don  Maus  came  to  Illinois  from  Pennsylvania  and 
was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1857.  He  was  appointed  Master  in 
Chancery  by  Judge  Harriott,  and  filled  that  office  for  ten  years,  or 
during  the  entire  term  of  that  Judge  on  the  bench.  In  1863  he 
was  elected  County  Judge,  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Wm. 
Tackaberry,  then  recently  deceased. 

Nathaniel  W.  Green  came  to  Illinois  from  New  Jersey  and  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1856.  He  practiced  in  Delavan,  in  this  coun- 
ty, until  1865,  when  he  removed  to  Pckin  and  became  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Roberts  &  Green.  Although  frequently  solicited,  Mr. 
Green  has  refused  to  accept  any  official  position,  and  has  confined 
himself  exclusively  to  the  practice  of  the  law. 

Hon.  John  B.  Cohrs  was  born  in  South  Carolina,  and  at  an  early 
age  removed  to  New  York  where  he  received  a  collegiate  education. 
He  then  came  to  McLean  county  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  but 
shortly  afterwards  sold  his  farm,  read  law  in  Bloomington,  Illinois, 
and  was  admitted  in  1859,  when  he  came  to  this  county  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Cohrs  &  Hanna.  In  1864  he  was  elected  to  the 
State  Senate.  He  is  now  a  prominent  candidate  for  the  Judgeship 
in  this  Circuit. 

Hon.  Abial  B.  Sawyer  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1861.  He  has 
made  a  specialty  of  Real  Estate  and  Collection  law.  In  1877  he  was 
elected  Mayor  of  Pekin,  which  he  held  one  term. 

Capt.  Wilbur  F.  Henry  came  from  Ohio  to  Illinois,  and  was  ad- 


392  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

mltted  to  the  Bar  in  1866;  is  a  graduate  of  the  Ohio  State  and 
Union  Law  College.  He  served  three  years  in  the  Army  and  was 
Captain  of  Company  "B,"  108th  Illinois  volunteers;  was  Master 
in  Chancery  from  September  1867  to  1873,  and  was  States  Attorney 
for  this  county  from  1872  to  1876. 

William  S.  Kellogg  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  this  county  in  1869 
and  practiced  until  1876,  when  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Circuit 
Clerk,  in  which  capacity  he  now  acts. 

Collins  J.  Elliott  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1862.  He  has  sever- 
al times  filled  the  office  of  City  Attorney,  and  is  still  engaged  in  the 
law  practice  in  Pekin. 

Henry  T.  Spoonhoff  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  Holland,  in  1834. 
He  came  to  America  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  this  county  in 
1862. 

Gurdon  T.  Saltonstall  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1866,  and  in 
1877  was  appointed  Master  in  Chancery  for  this  County  by  Judge 
Burns,  which  position  he  still  holds. 

Judge  A.  W.  JRodecker  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1868,  and  in 
1877  was  elected  County  Judge  as  successor  of  Judge  Kyes.  Judge 
Rodecker  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  School  Inspectors  for  7 
years,  and  to  his  energy  and  ability  may  be  attributed  much  of  the 
excellence  of  the  public  schools  of  Pekin' 

John  H.  Pirkey  was  born  in  Virginia  and  came  to  Illinois  at  an 
early  age.  In  1862  he  enlisted  in  the  Army  under  the  "  600,000 
call,"  and  served  three  years.  In  1875  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar 
in  the  State  of  Missouri.  Shortly  afterwards  he  came  to  Illinois 
and  engaged  in  school  teaching,  and  in  1879  he  was  admitted  to  the 
Bar  in  this  county.  Mr.  Pirkey  has  been  principal  of  the  public 
schools  for  several  years,  but  contemplates  soon  to  engage  in  the 
active  practice  of  his  profession. 

James  Haines,  Sr.,  came  to  Pekin  about  1849  and  was  admitted  to 
the  Bar  in  1850.  He  practiced  several  years  when  he  engaged  in 
the  Banking  and  Insurance  business,  and  since  then  he  has  not 
resumed  the  practice  of  the  law. 

William  T.  Stansberry  came  to  this  State  from  Ohio,  in  1848,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1849.  He  has  engaged  but  little  in 
the  practice,  having  turned  his  attention  to  mercantile  pursuits. 

Cornelius  Mihigan  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1876. 

Hon.  William  R.  Hall  was  first  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  this  State 
in  1871,  and  went  to  Missouri  but  returned  to  the  Bar  of  this  county 


HISTORY   OF   TA2EWELL   COUStTV.  393 

in  1871.      He  was  elected  City  Attorney  for  one  term,  and  is  a 
member  at  present  of  the  House  of  Representatives  from  this  district. 

W.  L.  Preityman  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1871,  and  was  elect- 
ed to  the  office  of  States  Attorney  for  this  County  in  1876. 

George  C.  Rider  came  from  New  York  to  Illinois  in  1870,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1873.  He  was  first  elected  to  the  office 
of  City  Attorney  in  1873,  which  office  he  has  filled  for  5  years,  and 
has  now  entered  upon  his  fourth  term. 

Chsar  A.  Roberts,  Jr.,  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  this  State  in 
June,  1878. 

The  Bar  at  Delavan  is  represented  by  Mr.  M.  D.  Beecher,  who 
was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1869 ;  by  W.  R.  Curran,  who  came  to 
this  county  from  Livingston  county  in  1876,  and  by  Edward 
Reardon,  who  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1876,  and  associated  with 
Mr.  W.  R.  Curran  under  the  name  of  Curran  &  Reardon.  And  at 
Washington,  Illinois,  by  Matthew  Craig,  who  was  admitted  to  the 
Bar  in  1870;  by  J.  W.  Dougherty,  who  was  admitted  in  1875  and 
acted  as  Master  in  Chancery  in  this  county  for  four  years,  and  by 
Mr.  William  Dougherty,  who  was  admitted  in  1877,  but  who  is  now 
engaged  in  teaching  in  the  College  at  Quincy,  Illinois, 

Thus  closes  the  complete  roll,  as  we  believe,  of  judges  and  attor- 
neys who  have  presided  at  the  courts  of  Tazewell  county  or  pleaded 
at  its  Bar.  * 

COURT  DAYS. 

Among  the  notable  days  in  the  early  history  of  the  county,  was 
court  day.  The  convening  of  Court  was  one  of  the  events  of  the 
year.  On  that  day  nearly  everybody  gathered  at  the  county-seat. 
If  a  settler  happened  not  to  be  on  a  jury,  or  a  witness,  or  a  suitor, 
he  felt  it  his  bounden  duty  to  "  go  to  Court,"  to  see  and  hear  what 
was  going  on.  It  answered  the  place  of  the  shows  and  circuses  of  a 
later  day,  and  perhaps  was  as  instructive  if  not  as  entertaining. 
When  Court  was  over,  in  the  evening  the  Judge,  lawyers  and  citi- 
zens congregated  in  the  bar-rooms  of  the  taverns,  where  stories 
were  told  and  the  evening  spent  in  conversation.  These  seasons 
were  accounted  the  most  enjoyable  of  pioneer  life,  and  when  we 
consider  the  men  who  were  there  to  edify  and  please  the  crowd,  with 
their  stories  and  anecdotes,  we  may  well  consider  court  days  as  pos- 
sessing an  interest  of  no  little  merit.  There  was  Lincoln  and 
Douglas,  two  of  the  greatest  statesmen  the  world  has  ever  known. 


394  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

and  both  of  whom  possessed  an  inexhaustible  fountain  of  anecdotes. 
It  is  said  the  immense  fund  of  anecdotes  possessed  by  the  late  Pres- 
ident Lincoln  was  largely  derived  from  collections  made  while  "  on 
the  circuit."  Then  there  was  Baker,  Stewart,  Lockwood,  Farquhar, 
the  comical  Hubbard,  Hardin,  Treat,  Logan  and  Davis,  and 
others  who  could  relate  as  good  a  story  as  ever  was  heard.  Who 
would  not  love  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  such  men  and  listen  to  their 
arguments,  their  general  conversation  and  their  stories.  Abraham 
Lincoln  was  attending  Court  at  Tremont,  in  1842,  when  Gen.  Shields 
sent  him  the  challenge  to  fight  their  famous  duel.  Many  of  the 
older  citizens  remember  this  exciting:  occurrence. 

In  speaking  of  the  Circuit  Courts  in  the  very  earliest  settlement 
of  this  part  of  the  State,  before  Tazewell  county  was  organized, 
Nathan  Dillon  said:  "In  those  days  (1824)  when  we  could  not  get 
the  store  room  of  Hamlin  or  Allen,  or  the  dwelling  house  of  John 
Dixon,  we  held  our  courts  on  the  river  bank ;  not  being  as  wealthy 
or  strong  handed  as  in  Sangamon,  we  had  to  do  without  a  court- 
house. Judge  Sawyer  was  our  circuit  Judge,  and  it  was  some  time 
before  we  could  scare  up  a  jury.  At  that  date  there  was  not  a 
cabin  on  the  site  of  the  city  of  Pekin,  and  perogues  were  the  only 
crafts  we  had  to  freight  our  whisky,  salt  and  iron  from  the  State  to 
Peoria." 

Nathan  Dillon  was  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  many  years  in  the 
early  history  of  the  county,  and  in  an  action  for  debt  always  ren- 
dered decision  in  favor  of  the  plaintiff.  He  did  so  on  the  grounds, 
as  he  would  say,  "  that  if  the  defendent  had  never  owed  the  plaintiff 
he  certainly  would  not  have  sued  him."  That  was  his  logic,  which 
overruled  good  evidence  to  the  contrary. 

'squire  tinney  as  an  instructor. 

At  the  June  term  of  the  County  Commissioners'  Court  the  Judges 
placed  'into  the  hands  of  a  young  aspirant  of  the  legal  profession 
the  following  commendation : 

"  Whereas,  J.  Farnham  is  a  gentlemen  of  respectability,  honest, 
and  of  good  repute ;  and,  whereas,  he  is  desirous  of  practicing  in 
Court,  therefore,  he  is  recommended  to  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme 
Court  as  a  man  worthy  to  be  admitted  to  practice  in  said  Court." 

Armed  with  this  document  Farnham  was  admitted.  No  doubt 
he  was  a  promising  young  sprig  of  the  law,  or  else  we  believe  the 
Commissioners  had  refused   to  grant   him  a  recommend.     But  he 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEAVELL   COUNTY.  •  395 

had  some  practical  knowledge  to  gain,  and  this  essential  part  of  his 
education  'Squire  Wni.  A.  Tinney  undertook  to  supply.  It  is  true 
he  received  but  one  lesson  from  the  'Squire,  but  let  us  hope  that  it 
was  so  eifective,  and  made  so  strong  an  impression  upon  his  mind, 
that  he  never  needed  another. 

It  was  in  a  suit  for  debt  that  Farnham  received  this  lesson. 
'Squire  Tinney  was  at  the  time  Sheriff  of  the  county,  and  had  levied 
upon  a  fine  team  and  carriage  belonging  to  the  defendant  in  the 
suit.  He  proceeded  to  call  a  jury  of  disinterested  persons  to  decide 
the  matter.  The  defendant  had  secured  the  services  of  Farnham 
to  defend  his  interests.  The  latter,  being  but  just  admitted  to  the 
bar,  endeavored  to  show  off  his  legal  knowledge,  and  consequently 
was  a  great  stickler  to  red  tape.  As  might  have  been  expected,  he 
used  the  privilege  of  objecting  to  one  of  the  jurymen.  This,  of 
course,  delayed  the  case  for  several  days,  for  it  must  be  remembered 
a  petit  jurv  could  not  be  gathered  so  quickly  as  at  the  present  time. 
The  Sheriff  was  put  to  considerable  trouble  in  impaneling  another 
jury,  but  finally  the  case  was  again  opened  when  Farnham  objected, 
as  usual.  Of  course,  this  was  mere  pettifogging,  and  merely  done 
to  provoke  and  harass.  A  third  jury  w^as  called,  and  Farnham 
began,  "I  object" — but  forbearance  could  endure  no  more,  and 
Sheriff  Tinney  gathered  up  a  chair  and  laid  the  legal  gentlemen 
sprawling  upon  the  floor.  That  trial  was  ended.  Farnham  soon 
thereafter  sought  the  exhilerating  atmosphere  of  Oregon,  and  was 
never  heard  of  afterwards  by  any  of  the  Tazewell  county  Bar. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

BOYNTON  TOWNSHIP. 

THIS  township  is  situated  in  the  southern  portion  of  Tazewell 
county.  In  point  of  acres  under  cultivation  it  is  not  surpassed 
by  neighboring  townships,  and  when  we  take  into  consideration  the 
fact  that  Boynton,  but  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  contained  but 
little  tillable  land,  the  result  is  marvellous.  It  was  attained  only 
through  unflagging  energy  on  the  part  of  its  enterprizing  citizens 
and  an  admirable  system  of  tile  drainage.  The  first  settlement  was 
made  by  Joseph  Grant  on  Section  9,  in  1839;  the  first  birth,  in 
1842,  w^as  Albert,  son  of  Robert  Houston,  who  settled  here  about 
the  year  1840.  Benjamin  Roe  also  came  during  that  year,  G.  W. 
Clamon  located  6  years  later.  Among  those  who  settled  prior  to 
1852,  we  find  Samuel  Falor,  John  Blair,  Andrew  Kerr,  and  Wm. 
Benton.  In  1850  Wm.  Milner,  Charles  and  Richard  Holden  and 
John  T.  Scates,  Wm.  and  Peyton  Alexander,  John  Jacobus  and 
others.  In  1854  the  township  was  organized  and  the  following 
persons,  some  of  whom  are  now  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the 
township,  met  at  the  residence  of  James  Huston  as  a  committee  on 
organization :  James  Crawford,  Wm.  Wooters,  Daniel  Bennett, 
Ira  Judy,  Wm.  Burton,  John  T.  Scates,  John  Jacobus,  Philip 
Wade  and  others  were  present.  The  majority  of  the  citizens  assem- 
bled on  this  occasion  declared  in  favor  of  township  organization. 
Many  were  the  names  suggested  with  which  to  christen  their  town- 
ship, in  consequence  of  which  a  ballot  was  taken.  After  the  lapse 
of  considerable  time  spent  in  discussion,  it  finally  received  the  name 
of  Boynton,  in  honor  of  an  Eastern  gentleman  of  that  name. 

There  is  a  post-office  kept  in  the  center  of  the  township.  Mail  is 
received  three  times  a  week.  The  character  of  the  schools  and 
school-houses  are  good,  and  every  improvement  in  the  township  adds 
its  testimony  to  the  enterprise,  thrift  and  culture  of  the  people. 
Among  the  representative  farmers  of  Boynton,  those  who  make  its 
history  and  mold  its  destiny,  we  call  attention  to  the  following 
gentlemen : 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  399 

E.  Atkinson,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  Sec.  14 ;  P.  O.,  Boynton. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1844.  During  the 
same  year  his  parents  moved  to  Tazewell  county,  where  Mr.  A.  has 
since  resided,  and  where  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah 
Farmer,  a  daughter  of  John  H.  Farmer  of  Logan  Co.,  Kentucky. 
Two  children  blessed  this  union  —  Emma  A.  and  Martha  Jane. 
Mr.  Atkinson  has  witnessed  many  changes  in  the  beautiful  county  of 
Tazewell,  wrought  by  the  swift  hand  of  Time.  In  this  Township 
he  has  acquired  a  farm  property  of  80  acres  and  few  are  of  a  more 
hospitable  disposition  than  he. 

George  Bcnhler  was  born  in  Baden,  Ger.,  near  the  banks  of  the 
historic  river  Rhine,  on  the  16th  of  Feb.,  1832;  turned  to  farm  life 
from  his  earliest  days.  He  acquired  a  good  common  school  educa- 
tion, and  at  the  age  of  25  crossed  the  ocean ;  after  a  short  delay  in 
New  York  made  his  way  to  Chicago,  and  thence  to  McLean  Co. 
111.,  and  finally  to  Tazewell  Co.,  where  he  first  procured  employment 
as  a  farm  hand.  He  worked  early  and  late  to  procure  enough  to  get 
a  start  in  life.  In  1865  he  was  married  to  Miss  Delilah  Burton, 
daughter  of  Wm.  Burton,  of  this  township.  In  1867  Mr.  B.  suc- 
ceeded in  purchasing  an  80-acre  tract  of  land  on  sec.  9,  which  he 
has  improved  greatly  by  tiling.  Of  his  marriage  with  Miss  Burton 
five  children  were  born,  four  of  whom  are  living  —  Esther,  John, 
Emma  and  William.     Post-office  address,  Boynton. 

Christian  Beaver,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  Sec.  6 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan. 
Although  not  ranking  among  the  original  pioneers  of  this  county, 
Christian  Beaver  is  worthy  of  more  than  a  passing  notice.  He  was 
born  in  Adams  Co.,  Ohio,  in  the  year  1808.  His  father,  Michael 
Beaver,  was  a  native  of  Penn.,  and  in  an  early  day,  at  a  time  when 
Daniel  Boone  ruled,  in  a  measure,  the  destinies  of  Kentucky, 
Michael  Beaver,  then  but  a  youth,  accompanied  his  parents  to  the 
then  wilds  of  Kentucky.  When  we  take  into  consideration  the  fact 
that  not  a  steamboat  plowed  our  AVestern  waters,  and  Kentucky  the 
home  of  wild  beasts  and  still  wilder  men,  this  was  indeed  a  bold 
step  on  the  part  of  these  daring  pioneers.  He  resided  many  years 
in  Kentucky,  and  in  1808  located  in  Ohio  at  a  time  when  Ohio 
was  the  home  of  the  red  men,  and  was  inhabited  by  few  white 
men,  save  the  hunter  and  trapper  in  search  of  new  scenes  and  inci- 
dents. During  his  19th  year  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  with  his 
parents,  moved  to  Fountain  Co.,  Indiana,  where  the  head  of  the 
family  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  We  now  follow  the 
fortunes  of  him  whose  name  heads  this  column  and  from  whorn 
our  narrative  is  obtained.  In  1831  he  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Lydia  Heuston,  a  native  of  Indiana.  Here  Mr.  Beaver 
continued  to  reside  until  1862.  One  year  previous  Mrs.  Beaver 
was  laid  at  rest  in  Fountain  Co.  Of  this  marriage  thirteen  chil- 
dren were  born,  6  of  whom  are  living,  Daniel,  Sarah,  Mary,  Samuel, 
Simon,  Phoebe,  Asa,  Ann,  Abraham,  Jacob,  Mahala,  Eliza,  Ellen. 
In  1862   Mr.  Beaver  was  married  to  Miss  Phrana  Livingood,  a 


400  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

native  of  North  Carolina.  One  child  blessed  this  union  —  Christian. 
During  the  year  above  mentioned  Mr.  B.  located  in  Boynton  town- 
ship, where  he  now  resides. 

John  Beezley,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  Section  21 ;  P.  O.,  Boynton ; 
was  born  in  Shelby  Co.,  O.,  on  the  15th  of  April,  1843.  He  is  the 
oldest  son  of  William  Beezly,  a  native  of  Clark  Co.,  O.,  now  a 
resident  of  Iowa  and  a  farmer.  John  came  to  Illinois  —  Logan 
Co. —  in  1859,  and  was  quietly  pursuing  his  farm  duties  when  the 
war  broke  out.  He  then  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Co.  F.,  38th  III. 
Infantry.  He  participated  in  the  battles  of  Perryville,  Stone  River, 
Chickamauga,  Franklin,  Nashville  and  in  Sherman's  Atlantic  Cam- 
paign. He  was  promoted  for  meritorious  conduct,  March  23,  1864, 
to  1st  Lieutenant,  which  he  served  till  he  was  mustered  out  April  9, 
1866.  When  Gen.  Rosecrans  had  charge  of  the  army  of  the  Cum- 
berland he  organized  a  corps  of  honor  to  which  Mr.  B.,  as  a  veteran, 
belonged.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  Logan  Co.  and  engaged  in 
farming  until  he  came  to  Boynton,  in  1868.  In  1867  he  was  mar- 
ried in  DeWitt  Co.  to  Mattie,  daughter  of  Edward  and  Margaret 
Morris,  natives  of  England  and  Virginia,  respectively.  Three 
children  were  born  of  this  marriage  —  Jennie  May,  Margaret  A.  and 
Alice  G. 

L.  C.  Blair,  farmer  and  stock  raiser.  Section  18;  P.  O.,  Delavan. 
The  subject  of  this  biography  is  a  native  of  Tazewell  Co.,  where  he 
was  born  in  1851.  His  lather,  J.  J.  Blair,  was  a  native  of  New 
York  State ;  he  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  there  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Clark.  About  1850  he  came  West  and  settled  in  Taze- 
well Co.,  where  he  followed  farming  until  his  decease,  which  occurred 
in  1858.  Mrs.  Blair  survived  her  husband  several  years,  being  laid 
at  rest  in  the  Delavan  Cemetery  in  1866.  The  survivors  of  the 
family  are  seven  in  number  —  Emily,  Allie,  Winfield,  Anna,  Bessie, 
L.  C.  and  Susan.  L.  C.  Blair  grew  to  mature  years  in  this  Co., 
where,  in  1876,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rosa  E.  Verbryck, 
by  whom  he  had  one  child  —  Warren.  The  homestead  property 
consists  of  120  acres. 

Daniel  Brenneman,  farmer  and  stock  raiser.  Sec.  3 ;  P.  O.,  Hope- 
dale.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  wealthiest 
agriculturalists  of  Boynton  township.  He  was  born  in  Germany, 
in  the  year_  1804.  His  father,  Jacob  Brenneman,  was  a  well-to- 
do  farmer  in  his  native  land,  and  on  the  old  farm  homestead 
young  Daniel  grew  to  manhood,  and  there  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Jutzic.  In  1832  he  first  landed  in  America,  and  subsequently,  for  a 
period  of  22  years  lived  in  Warren  Co.,  O.,  where  he  resided  until 
the  spring  of  1854,  when  he  located  in  McLean  Co.  In  1855  he 
settled  in  Boynton  township.  By  this  union  they  had  seven  sons 
and  six  daughters,  namely  —  Jacob,  Mary,  Peter,  deceased,  Eliza, 
Joseph,  Phoebe,  deceased,  Ella,  John,  Christian,  deceased,  Anna, 
William,  Amelia,  and  Edward.  Mr.  B.  began  his  agricultural 
career  in  poverty,  but  after  a  long  and  successful  career  he  now  en- 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  401 

ioys  the  fruits  of  a  well  spent  life.  Mr.  Brenneman  lias  succeeded, 
*bv  the  characteristic  energy  of  the  German  people,  in  acquiring  a 
farm,  consisting  of  320  acres  in  Boynton  township. 

Jacob  Brenneman,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  Sec.  4 ;  P.  O.,  Hope- 
dale.  Jacob  Brennaman  ranks  among  the  more  opulent  farmers  of 
Bovnton  township.  He  is  a  native  of  that  portion  of  Germany 
ceded  to  Prussia  at  the  close  of  the  war  of  18(36,  and  was  born  in 
1827.  Five  years  thereafter  his  parents,  whom  we  shall  find  occa- 
sion to  mention,  concluded  to  cast  their  lot  in  America,  and  after  the 
usual  voyage  landed  in  Baltimore.  They  remained  but  a  short 
time  when  they  moved  near  Cincinnati,  where  young  Jacob  received 
a  liberal  education.  On  the  20th  of  Nov.,  1853,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Jacobinia  Jutzic.  It  was  during  the  spring  of 
1854  that  Mr.  B.  moved  flirther  west,  coming  to  McLean  Co.,  111. 
He  remained  there  until  1855,  when  he  became  a  permanent  resi- 
dent in  Tazewell  Co.,  locating  in  Boynton.  Like  nearly  all  settlers 
at  this  time  his  means  were  limited :  so  much  so  that  he  did  not 
purchase  property  till  1856,  when  he  bought  160  acres  on  Sec.  9. 
Since  this  period,  when  the  financial  horizon  appeared  none  the 
brightest,  Mr.  B.  has  prospered,  even  far  exceeding  his  most 
sanguine  hopes  of  a  quarter  century  ago.  At  the  present  writing  he 
is  the  owner  of  520  acres  of  land  unsurpassed  in  the  county.  For- 
tune has  smiled  bountifully  upon  him,  but  it  has  by  no  means 
dwarfed  his  naturally  enterprising  spirit  of  liberality.  Of  the  mar- 
riage above  referred  to  seven  children  were  born,  six  of  w^iom  are 
living  and  whose  names  are  —  Maria  L.,  Julia  A.,  Albert  I.,  Amelia 
E.,  Minnie  S.  and  Wm.  C.  Mr.  B.  represents  this  township  in  the 
Board  of  Supervisors. 

Joseph  Brenneman,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  1 ;  P.  O.,  Hope- 
dale.  Although  of  German  parentage,  as  the  name  implies,  yet  he 
was  born  in  Warren  Co.,  O.,  Nov.  22,  1833.  There  he  passed  his 
early  youth  and  grew  to  manhood.  The  year  1854  found  the  fami- 
ly enroute  for  the  fertile  prairies  of  Illinois,  where,  in  Tazewell  Co., 
and  this  township,  they  settled  on  farm  property.  It  was  here  he 
embarked  in  life  for  himself  and  has  proven  himself  the  possessor  of 
good  business  ability.  He  ranks  among  the  liberal  and  progressive 
farmers  of  the  county.  In  1858  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Eliza  Ensmann,  daughter  of  Peter  Ensmann,  of  Bureau  Co., 
111.  In  1865  Mr.  B.  made  his  first  purchase  of  farm  property, 
consisting  of  160  acres  in  Boynton,  where,  and  in  Hopedale,  he 
now  owns  300  acres.  The  marriage  refered  to  has  been  blessed 
with  three  children  —  Otitia  F.,  William  A.,  and  Sidney. 

Wm.  M.  Burton,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  8 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan. 
William  Burton  is  a  well  known  agriculturalist  of  Boynton  town- 
ship, and  among  the  early  pioneers  of  this  Co.  He  was  born  in 
Adams  Co.,  Ohio,  in  March,  1811,  where  he  received,  so  to  speak,  a 
round  log-cabin  education,  and  passed  his  boyhood  amid  the  associ- 
ations  of  pioneer   life.     Hearing   many  glowing   accounts   of  the 


402  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

fertility  of  Illinois,  thither  he  directed  his  footsteps  in  1837,  and  first 
located  in  Peoria,  here,  however,  he  remained  but  a  short  time,  as 
the  following  morning  he  proceeded  on  foot  to  the  village  of  Peru. 
Shortly  after  he  went  to  Groveland,  where  he  secured  employment 
as  a  rail-splitter,  where  he  afterwards  married  Miss  Rebecca  Staples, 
a  daughter  of  Joshua  vStaples,  of  New  York  State.  Mr.  B.  made 
his  first  purchase  of  land  in  1850,  in  Boynton  township,  consisting 
of  160  acres. 

Robert  Collins,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  28 ;  P.  O.,  Boynton. 
Robert  Collins  was  born  in  Ohio,  April  5,  1841,  and  spent  his 
boyhood  days  upon  the  old  farm  homestead.  His  father,  Barnabus 
Collins,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  an  early  day  came 
to  Ohio,  where  he  married  Miss  Aimee  Miller,  by  whom  he  had  six 
children,  of  whom  Rob't  is  the  fourth.  He  came  to  Boynton  in 
1865  and  first  secured  employment  as  a  farm  hand.  He  purchased 
his  present  farm  of  80  acres  in  1869.  When  the  war  broke  out  he 
enlisted  in  Co.  B,  106th  Ohio  Infantry,  and  was  honorably  discharg- 
ed in  1864  and  returned  to  his  home  in  Tazewell. 

James  Crmrford,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  16,  P.  O.,  Boynton. 
Mr.  C.  is  a  well  known  resident  and  prominent  farmer  of  the  town- 
ship. He  was  born  in  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  29,  1832.  He  is  the 
third  child  of  David  Crawford,  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  who  came 
to  America  during  the  autumn  of  1830.  He  was  then  married, 
having  united  his  fortunes  with  Miss  Margaret  Alexander.  He  set- 
tled at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and  afterwards  moved  to  Iowa  where  he 
died,  leaving  to  the  care  of  his  estimable  wife  five  children  —  Mary 
A.,  Margaret,  David,  Samuel  and  James.  The  latter  grew  to  man- 
hood in  the  States  of  Ohio  and  Indiana,  and  during  the  spring  of 
1851  directed  his  footsteps  to  Tazewell  Co.,  where  he  first  Avorked  as 
a  farm  hand,  receiving  therefore  50cts.  per  day.  In  1855  he  was 
married  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Samuel  Falor,  of  Penn.  Of 
this  marriage  seven  children  were  born,  all  of  whom  are  now  living. 
—  Margaret  J.,  Emma,  Samuel,  Eliza  A.,  Byron,  Clara  and  Mary 
Mr.  C.  has  succeeded  well  in  the  agricultural  walks  of  life.  In 
1876  he  served  the  township  as  Assessor. 

Henry  Curtis,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  18;  P.  O.,  Boynton. 
The  above  named  gentleman  was  born  in  Fountain  Co.,  Ind.,  April 
26,  1839.  He  is  the  oldest  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  Curtis. 
Henry  Curtis,  Sr.,  is  a  native  of  New  York  State  and  came  to 
Tazewell  Co.  at  an  early  day,  and  in  1854  located  in  this  township. 
Henry,  whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of  this  article,  grew  to 
manhood  in  Boynton  township,  and  on  Feb.  11,  1864,  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Mary  E.  Matthews,  daughter  of  Eli  W.  Matthews, 
deceased.  Their  children  number  four  —  Ida  A.,  Angie  M.,  Ruble 
E.,  and  Florence.  Mr.  C.  ranks  among  the  more  liberal,  progressive 
farmers  of  the  township,  and  owns  240  acres  of  well  improved  and 
tilled  land.     He  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

Robert  W.  Darah,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  9 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  403 

He  is  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  where  he  was  born  August  15th, 
1833.     His  fother  was  born  in  Pennsylvania;  was  a  stone  mason 
by  occupation,  who  acquired  his  trade  in  New  Jersey,  where  he 
married   Miss   Martha  Severns,  of  that  State.     Of  eight   chiklren 
born  of  this  marriage   the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  the  eklest.     He 
lived  with  his  parents  in  N.  J.  until  he  was  fourteen,  when  he  went 
with  them  to  Indiana,  where,  fourteen  months  later,  the  head  of  the 
family  passed  away  from  earth.    Upon  Robert,  then  scarcely  sixteen, 
devolved  the  support  of  a  mother  and  a  family  of  eight  children. 
With  a  resolution  beyond  his  years  he  rented  a  farm  and  for  many 
years  "roughed  it,"  living  in  a  log  cabin  and  enduring  all  the  hard- 
ships of  pioneer  life.     After  working  hard  for  37|cts.  a  day,  and 
board,  when   the  day's  labor  was  done   the   youth   applied    himself 
diligently  to  his  studies,  acquiring  thereby  a  liberal  education,  that 
subsequently  turned  to  good  account.     On  attaining  his  majority  he 
secured   a   school,  which    he    taught    for   several   winters,   farming 
during  the  summer  season.     While  engaged  in  the  latter  the  war 
broke  out,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  F.,  52  Ohio  Inf  and  afterwards  to  the 
53d.     He   remained   until   after   the    battle   of  Shiloh,    where   he 
escaped  with  a  slight  wound.    When  the  smoke  from  the  guns  of  the 
ever-to-be-remembered  Shiloh  had  cleared  away  he  was  discharged, 
and  returned  to  his  home  in  Indiana,  where  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Amanda  Freeman.     In  1864  he  moved  to  Logan  Co.,  111.,  and  in 
1870  located  in  this  township. 

James  Donley,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  8 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan. 
The  whole-souled  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  page  was  born 
near  Rochester,  in  the  State  of  New  York,  on  the  30th  of  April, 
1829.  At  an  early  day  his  parents,  George  and  Elizabeth  Donley, 
settled  in  Jefferson  Co.,  Ohio,  where  the  head  of  the  family  found 
employment  in  a  woolen  factory.  Young  Donley  grew  to  man- 
hood in  Ohio,  and  at  an  early  age  also  secured  employment  in  a 
woolen  mill.  In  1852  Mr.  D.  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  M. 
C.  McCary.  In  1854  he  set  out  for  Illinois,  and  first  found  em- 
ployment in  McLean  Co.,  subsequently  settling  in  Delavan  town- 
ship, Tazewell  county,  where  he  rented  farm  property.  At  the  end 
of  two  years  he  purchased  the  property  of  Milner  Brown,  consisting 
of  160  acres,  the  property  he  now  owns,  brought  to  a  high  state  of 
cultivation.  Of  the  marriage  above  mentioned  six  children  are 
now  living  —  Lizzie,  Samuel,  Mary  B.  D.,  Frank,  Laura,  and  Nellie. 
Samuel  Donley,  farmer  and  stock  raiser.  Sec.  15;  P.  O.,  Boynton. 
Samuel  Donley  is  a  native  of  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  where  he  was 
born  in  1855;  is  oldest  son  of  James  Donley,  a  patron  of  this  work. 
Samuel  grew  to  the  mature  years  of  manhood  in  this  county.  In 
1878  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Florence  Ireland,  a  daugh- 
ter of  a  well  known  farmer  of  this  township. 

Michael  Fanning,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  16 ;  P.  O.  Boyn- 
ton. Michael  Fanning,  as  the  name  implies,  is  a  native  Irishman, 
and  ranks  among  the  more  generous  agriculturalists  of  this  town- 


404  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

ship.  He  was  born  in  the  County  of  Tipperary,  Ireland,  about 
1815.  Growing  to  manhood  in  Ireland,  he  acquired  a  good  com- 
mon-school education  at  such  odd  times  as  the  duties  of  the  farm 
would  permit.  While  still  a  young  man  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  for 
the  New  World,  landing  in  New  York  City  during  the  Spring  of 
1835,  and  for  sometime  worked  in  the  Metropolitan  City  at  SOcents 
per  day.  From  thence  he  went  to  Savannah,  Georgia,  where  he 
hired  as  a  steamboat  hand,  thence  to  New  York  and  Pittsburgh, 
from  whence  he  took  passage  on  the  Wisconsin,  the  only  steamboat 
then  plying  the  Illinois  River,  for  Pekin,  then  but  a  small  place, 
that  Mr.  F^  decribes  in  the  following  manner :  Landing  from  the 
boat  I  discoverd  but  few  dwellings,  mostly  log  cabins,  on  what  is 
now  the  main  street.  The  village  probably  contained,  at  this  time 
about  25  inhabitants,  mostly  Frenchmen  and  Southerners.  Mr. 
F.  afterward  made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Tharp,  Wm.  Mosley,  and 
others,  many  of  whom  have  passed  the  dark  river.  In  1851  Mr. 
F.  joined  an  expedition  enroute  for  California.  After  some  months 
of  weary  travel  he  reached  the  golden  coast,  where  he  remained 
some  13  months  and  became  quite  successful  as  a  miner.  Return- 
ing to  Tazewell  Co.,  he  again  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  a  time. 
In  1852  he  was  married  to  Miss  Bridget  Ann  Phcan,  of  Ireland. 
During  this  year  Mr,  F.  leased  property  until  enabled  to  purchase. 
He  is  now  the  owner  of  280  acres,  and  one  of  the  most  generous  of 
men.  Of  this  marriage  eight  children  were  born,  seven  of  whom 
are  living  —  James,  Thomas,  AVilliam,  Mary,  Sarah,  Ellen  and 
Louisa. 

Henry  Fehrmann,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  27 ;  P.  O., 
Boynton.  He  was  born  in  Germany,  July  28,  1837.  In  his  native 
land  he  followed  farming  and  received  a  liberal  education.  In 
Julv,  1868,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  for  the  New  World,  landing  in 
the  city  of  New  York.  From  that  city  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  thence 
to  Waterloo,  Monroe  Co.,  111.,  where  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for 
space  of  the  two  years.  From  there  he  went  to  Macoupin  Co.,  and 
finally  brought  up  in  Tazewell  Co.,  Boynton  township,  where,  Oct. 
5,  1874,  he  was  married  to  Susan  N.  Rosenthall,  by  whom  he  has 
one  child — Henry  J. 

John  Freeman,  deceased,  was  born  in  New  York  State.  In  his 
22nd  year  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  Fowler.  Of 
this  marriage  eleven  children  were  born,  nine  of  whom  are  living. 
Early  in  life  Mr.  Freeman  became  a  convert  to  religion,  and  his 
hospitable  home  was  always  open  to  all  of  God's  people,  and  many 
happy  meetings  were  held  at  his  residence.  Over  38  years  ago  this 
consistent  Christian  cast  his  lot  with  the  Church  of  Christ.  His 
lather  was  a  soldier  during  the  struggle  for  National  Independence, 
in  1776.  In  religious  matters  John  Freeman  took  a  deep  interest, 
and  on  all  occasions  it  pleased  him  greatly  to  hear  the  word  of  God 
read,  and  it  was  his  custom  frequently  to  call  his  family  around  him 
and  have  some  one  read  a  chapter  in  the  Bible,  and  lead  in  family 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  405 

prayer.  Shortly  before  his  death  he  called  his  family  around  him, 
and  commending  all  to  God,  passed  peacefully  away.  Thus  ended 
the  life  of  one  whose  eventful  career  furnishes  a  moral  for  the  ris- 
ino-  generation.  The  funeral  discourse  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  J. 
I.  Judy,  from  Rev.  xxii,  14.  There  were  gathered  together  on 
this  solemn  occasion  many  relatives  and  friends  of  this  veteran  in 
the  Lord's  service,  who  attentively  listened  to  the  pastor,  whose  lips 
uttered  a  just  tribute  to  one  whose  life  had  not  been  in  vain. 

Franklin  Freeman,  farmer,  sec.  11 ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale.  This  whole- 
souled  gentleman  was  born  in  Butler  Co.,  O.,  Dec.  25,  1833. 
There  he  passed  his  youth.  He  then  removed  to  Indiana  where  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Lucinda  Bartholomew.  Four- 
teen vears  ago  Mr.  F.  came  to  Boynton  township,  where  he  owns 
80  acres  of  choice  land.  The  marriage  referred  to  has  been  blessed 
with  four  children,  only  two  of  whom  are  now  living  —  Ashian  and 
Effie  M. 

Joseph  Gilchrist,  was    born    in    Logan    Co.,  111.,  Feb.   10,  1853. 
His  father,  James  Gilchrist,  was  a  prominent  agriculturist  of  that 
county;  was  born  in  Scotland;  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  was 
there  married  to  Miss  Jane  Clark.     In  an  early  day  he  crossed  the 
ocean  for  America,  and  directed  his  footsteps  to  Logan  Co.,  where 
he  became  prominently  identified  with  agricultural  affairs.     He  died 
at  the  age  of  58  years,  universally  respected.     Mrs.  G.  died  many 
years  prior  to  her  husband,  and  their  remains  lie  interred  in  Union 
Church  cemetery.     Joseph  grew  to  manhood  in  Logan  Co.,  received 
a  good    common-school  education  and    became  identified  with  the 
farming  and  stock  raising  interests  from  his  earliest  years.     At  the 
age  of  19  he  was  married  to  Miss  INIartha  Chenoweth,  by  whom  he 
had  three  children  —  Charles  E.,  Burtie  W.  and    Pearl.     In  1877 
Mr.  G.  moved  to  Boynton  and  resides  on  sec.  25;  P.  O.,  Boynton. 
Jacob  Hauler,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  9  ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale. 
Few  have  succeeded  better  in  life  than  the  genial  gentleman  whose 
name  stands  at  the  top  of  this  column.     He  is  a  native  of  Germany, 
where  he  was  born  in  1824,  and  there  passed  his  childhood,  youth 
and  grew  to  manhood.     Attaining  his  majority  he  concluded  to  seek 
his  fortune  in  the  New  World,  and  accordingly  sailed  for  America, 
arriving  during  the. summer  of  1845  in  New  York  city,  where  he 
remained  a  short  time,  and  then  proceeded  to  Ohio  where  he  pro- 
cured employment  as  a  farm  hand,  and  there  married,  in  1853,  Miss 
Mary  Brenneman,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Brenneman,  a  well-known 
resident  of  this  township.     For  seven  years  Mr.  Hauter  worked  in 
Ohio,  and  then  plunging  still  further  westward,  he  located  in  Put- 
nam county.  111.,  where  he  remained  three  years,  when  he  moved 
and  settled  in  Boynton  township,  where,  in  1858,  Mr.  H.  made  his 
purchase    of   land    in    Illinois,    consisting    of  160    acres,    now   the 
property  of  Jacob  Brenneman,  Esq.     At  the  present  writing  Mr.  H. 
is  the  owner  of  245  acres  of  land  unequaled  in  this  Western  country, 
on  which  he  erected  four  years  ago  a  handsome  farm  residence. 
26 


406  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Francis  Ireland  is  numbered  among  the  progressive  agriculturists 
of  the  township.  He  was  born  in  Salem  township,  AVarren  Co.,  O., 
Sept.  18,  1830,  where  at  the  old  farm  homestead  he  also  passed  the 
days  of  his  childhood  and  grew  to  manhood.  During  the  winter 
seasons  he  succeeded  in  acquiring  a  good  common  school  education, 
and  then,  perhaps,  laid  the  foundation  for  future  success  in  life.  In 
1853  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ruth  Coddington,  daughter 
of  Wm.  Coddington,  of  Ohio.  In  1856  Mr.  C.  concluded  to  move 
farther  west  and  eventially  located  in  Delavan  township,  this  Co., 
and  soon  after  moved  to  Boynton,  where  he  erected  a  small  frame 
building  in  which  he  suffered  many  inconveniences  during  the  win- 
ter, sometimes  finding  nearly  as  much  snow  inside  the  dwelling  as 
outside.  The  fare  at  this  time,  humble  as  it  was,  however,  was 
enjoyed  by  the  family  and  the  occasional  visitor.  Times  proved 
very  discouraging,  and  not  until  the  flush  war  times  did  Mr.  I. 
begin  to  prosper  in  his  new  home,  since  then  he  has  been  extremely 
fortunate.  They  have  four  children  —  Florence,  William  F.,  John- 
athan  and  Monroe.  Mr.  I.  holds  the  position  of  Road  Com.,  and 
takes  a  deep  interest  in  educational  matters. 

Thomas  J.  Ireland,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  10 ;  P.  O.,  Boyn- 
ton. Thomas  Ireland  was  born  iji  Ohio,  May  17,  1832.  He  is  the 
eldest  son  of  James  Ireland,  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  who  moved 
to  Ohio  during  its  early  settlement,  and  where  he  united  his 
fortunes  to  Miss  Naiicy  Coyle,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children. 
James  Ireland  became  an  exceedingly  prosperous  farmer  in  Ohio, 
where,  in  the  year  1852,  he  was  laid  at  rest.  His  estimable  wife 
still  survives  and  resides  in  Indiana.  Thomas  left  Ohio  in  his 
twentieth  year  and  made  his  way  to  Shelby  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he 
turned  his  attention  to  farming.  In  1 855  he  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Ann  Coddington,  daughter  of  Wm.  Coddington  of  War- 
ren Co.,  O.  Of  this  marriage  seven  children  were  born,  only  three 
of  whom  are  living,  whose  names  are  —  Allen,  James  and  Cora. 
Ten  years  ago  Mr.  I.  disposed  of  120  acres  of  land  he  had  in 
Indiana  and  set  out  for  Illinois,  and  located  in  this  township,  where 
he  has  since  been  identified  with  the  farming  interests.  Mrs. 
Ireland  died  in  1870,  and  was  laid  away  in  Orendorff  cemeterv.  In 
1874  Mr.  I.  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  E.  Pultz,  of  Ind.,  by 
whom  he  had  two  children — Katie  and  Edgar. 

Frederick  A.  Intzi,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  2 ;  P.  O.,  Hope- 
dale.  The  above  named  gentleman,  as  is  well  known,  keeps  pace 
with  the  present  times,  and  is  a  progressive  farmer  of  Boynton 
township.  He  was  born  in  Butler  Co.,  Ohio,  on  the  26th  of  Dec. 
1841,  where  he  lived  upon  the  farm  homestead  until  attaining  his 
majority _,  when  he  became  employed  as  clerk  in  a  general  furnishing 
store,  and  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  he  ran,  so  to  speak,  a  Yankee  notion 
wagon.  In  1868  he  acee})ted  a  situation  as  traveling  agent  for  farm 
machinery.  He  remained  with  this  firm  but  a  short  time,  as  the 
game  year  found  hini  a  resident  of  this  township,  where  he  was 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEAVELL   COUNTY.  407 

united  in  marriage  during  the  autumn  to  Miss  Amelia  Brenneman, 
a  daughter  of  Daniel  Brenneman,  whom  we  have  mentioned,  by 
whom  he  had  five  children  —  Laura,  William,  Augusta,  Edward 
and  Emma.  Since  his  residence  here  INIr.  Intzi  has  acquired  a  prop- 
erty of  80  acres  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation  through  an 
admirable  system  of  under-drainage. 

J.  I.  Judy,  minister  of  the  Gospel  and  farmer,  sec.  25 ;  P.  O., 
Boynton.  The  courteous  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  biogra- 
phy is  a  native  of  ISIackinaw,  Tazewell  Co.,  where  he  was  born  on 
the  16th  of  Sept.,  1832.  His  father  Daniel  H.  Judy,  a  well-remem- 
bered and  prominent  citizen  of  this  county,  is  worthy  of  more  than 
a  passing  notice,  although  owing  to  a  limited  space  we  cannot  enter 
into  particulars  of  his  eventful  and  energetic  life.  He  was  born  in 
Greene  Co.,  Ohio,  and  made  his  way  to  Tazewell  Co.  prior  to  the 
deep  snow.  Like  all  pioneers  he  suifered  many  inconveniences,  but 
made  the  best  of  his  humble  lot  and  lived  an  exemplary  Christian 
life.  He  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  Hittle  Grove 
Christian  Church.  At  an  advanced  age,  he  resides  on  his  farm  near 
Atlanta,  Logan  Co. 

James  I.  Judy,  whose  sketch  we  here  append,  passed  his  boyhood 
days  amid  pioneer  associations,  and  at  the  early  age  of  16  w^as  con- 
vinced of  the  necessity  of  leading  a  Christian  life,  and  since  this 
period  has  been  proniinently  identified  with  the  Church  and  Sun- 
day-school. In  1853,  he  crossed  the  plains  for  the  gold  fields  of 
California,  and  after  a  year  of  moderate  success  returned  to  his 
old  home  in  Illinois;  during  the  autumn  of  1854  moved  to  Atlanta, 
and  entered  into  the  mercantile  business.  During  this  time  he  was 
married  to  Mary  E.  Campbell,  daughter  of  G.  R.  Campbell  of  Ky. 
In  1855  Mr.  J.  settled  on  his  present  form,  and  here  he  has  lived 
and  labored  for  the  salvation  of  souls  during  all  those  years,  and 
no  one  meets  with  more  universal  respect  than  Elder  Judy.  In 
order  to  show  to  some  extent  the  estimation  in  which  he  is  held,  we 
copy  the  following :  ^'A  visit  to  Haw  Grove  and  a  visit  to  the  Sun- 
day-schooL''  —  After  school  the  house  began  filling  with  people. 
Elder  Judy  preached  his  last  sermon  for  the  old  year.  We  never 
heard  a  more  beautiful  address  than  he  gave  his  attentive  listeners. 
At  night  he  bade  his  congregation  larewell,  although  we  know  it  is 
not  final.  He  has  won  to  himself  a  place  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people  that  cannot  be  filled  by  another.  He  is  accomplishing  much 
good  in  the  world.  Surely  his  life  would  seem  just  begun,  and 
God  in  his  infinite  goodness  and  mercy  seemed  to  be  blessing  him 
in  every  way,  and  tlie  sincere  wishes  of  the  people  are  for  his  future 
success  and  return  to  Haw  Grove." 

Michael  Judy,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  26 ;  P.  O.,  Boynton. 
Mr.  Judy  ranks  among  the  more  liberal  fiirmers  of  this  township. 
He  was  born  on  the  old  homestead  of  his  parents,  John  and  Chris- 
tiana Judy,  near  Hittle  Grove,  April  22,  1837.  John  Judy,  the 
head  of  the  family  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  a  farmer  by  occupa- 


408  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

tion.  While  a  young;  man  he  wended  his  way  to  111.  and  was 
among  the  first  to  settle  at  Hittle  Grove,  this  county.  This  period 
of  time,  about  1826,  marked  an  era  in  the  settlement  of  this  coun- 
ty. Indians  were  then  a  numerous  and  powerful  people  and  tliose 
few  adventuresome  settlers  suffered  many  inconveniences  from  their 
depredations.  In  subsequent  years,  Mr,  J.  who  is  mentioned  in  our 
township  history  became  a  prosperous  and  respected  farmer.  He 
died  in  Aug.  1861,  in  the  65th  year  of  his  age  and  his  ashes  repose 
amid  the  scenes  of  his  early  labors.  Michael  grew  to  manhood  in 
Hittle  township,  received  a  common  school  education,  or  in  other 
words  a  log-cabin  education.  In  Livingston  Co.  Feb.  8,  1858,  Mr. 
Judy  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elvira  Steers,  a  daughter  of 
Hugh  Steers,  of  Ky.  They  have  five  children  —  Charles,  John, 
Christian,  Hartzel  and  Hattie.  Eleven  years  ago  Mr.  J.  moved 
to  Boynton  where  he  purchased  250  acres  of  land. 

S.  A.  Knott  is  the  oldest  son  of  Wm.  Knott,  one  of  the  original 
pioneers  and  wealthy  men  of  the  county.  He  was  born  in  Randolph 
Co.,  Ind.,  1847.  He  was  but  five  years  of  age  when  his  parents 
settled  in  Delavan  township,  this  county,  where  they  remained  some 
eight  years,  when  they  came  to  this  township,  where  our  subject 
attained  his  majority.  In  February,  1862,  he  mas  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Mrs.  Sarah  Jane  Pence,  daughter  of  Thomas  Pence,  of  Ohio. 
Of  this  marriage  two  children  were  born — Viola  R.  and  Maggie 
Cordelia.  Mrs.  Knott  passed  from  earth  on  the  26th  of  Sept.,  1865. 
In  1869,  on  the  4th  of  March,  Mr.  K. united  his  fortunes  with  Miss 
Clarissa  Ellen  Morley,  daughter  of  'Squire  Morley,  a  well-known 
resident  of  this  county,  and  who  has  held  numerous  offices  of  trust 
and  respectability.  Of  this  marriage  four  children  have  been  born — 
Elmer,  Ernest,  Troy  E.  and  Elizabeth  A.  Mr.  K.  is  engaged  in 
farming  on  sec.   13;  P.  O.,  Delavan. 

Nicholas  Martin,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  3  ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale. 
The  above  named  gentleman  is  worthy  of  more  than  a  passing  notice. 
He  was  born  in  France  on  the  15th  of  March,  1834.  Growing  to 
manhood  upon  the  farm  homestead  he  acquired  a  liberal  education. 
At  the  age  of  20  he  concluded  to  better  his  fortune  in  America,  and 
accordingly  sailed  for  this  country  during  the  spring  of  1854.  Land- 
in  New  York  city  he  remained  there  but  a  short  time,  when  he  made 
his  way  to  Illinois,  locating  in  the  town  of  Pekin,  this  Co.,  and  first 
worked  as  a  farm  hand.  In  1855  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Catherine  Lytwiler,  by  whom  he  has  five  children — Barbara,  Joseph, 
Mary  M.,  Emma  and  Catherine. 

Daniel  B.  Meeker,  farmer,  sec.  1 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan.  Mr.  M.  is  a 
well-known  resident  and  prominent  farmer  of  Tazewell  Co.  He 
was  born  in  Essex  Co.,  N.  J.,  on  the  19th  of  August,  1819.  His 
father,  Benjamin  Meeker,  was  a  native  of  Ncav  Jersey,  as  was  also 
Phoebe,  his  wife.  In  1859  he  first  set  foot  in  Tazewell  Co.  He  has 
passed  the  greater  portion  of  his  life  in  the  AYest.  He  is  well  known 
for  liberality  and  kindly  manners,  and  )\q,b  been  financially  successful 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  409 

In  1841,  while  in  New  Jersey,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Eliza,  daughter  of  John  N.  Baldwin,  of  N.  J.,  and  now  a  wealthy 
citizen  of  Delavan  township,  and  ujiwards  of  80  years  of  age.  Six 
children  blessed  the  union  of  Mr.  Meeker  and  Miss  Baldwin — Celia, 
born  Sept.  3,  1845;  Anna  K.,  born  June  6,  1853;  Charles  B.,  Dec. 
22,  1855;  E.  W.,  Nov.  25,  1859;  Harvey  C,  Dec.  20,  1862,  and 
John  E.,  Sept.  23,  1866. 

Peter  J.  Nafziger  was  born  in  Germany  Aug.  31,  1829,  and  is  the 
oldest  son  of  Jacob  N.,  a  farmer  in  his  native  land.  During  the 
infancy  of  Peter  the  elder  Naifzigcr  thought  he  could  better  his  for- 
tunes in  America.  He  accordingly  crossed  the  Atlantic,  during  the 
spring  of  1831.  He  landed  with  his  flimily  in  New  York  city,  and 
from  there  moved  to  Ohio,  where  he  resided  six  years.  He  then 
moved  to  Woodford  Co.,  111.,  where  he  now  lives,  and  is  in  the  far 
decline  of  life,  being  over  four  score  years  of  age.  Peter  grew  to 
manhood  in  Woodford  Co.,  where  he  acquired  a  common  school 
education.  In  1854  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Magdalena 
Naffzigcr,  by  whom  he  has  eight  cliildren  —  John  W.,  Jacob  A., 
Henry  E.,  Samuel,  Joseph,  Daniel,  Kate  and  Barbara.  Eight  years 
ago  Mr.  N.  disposed  of  his  property  in  Woodford  Co.  and  came  to 
Boynton,  where,  on  sec.  1,  he  owns  80  acres  of  valuable  land.  P. 
O.,  Boynton. 

Andrew  Peters,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  2 ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale. 
Andrew  Peters  was  born  in  Pa.  on  the  23d  of  April,  1826.  During 
his  infancy  his  parents  moved  to  Ohio,  Guernsey  Co.,  where  young 
Andrew  passed  his  boyhood  upon  the  farm  homestead.  In  1854  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  N.  Egger,  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
Egger.  In  1858  Mr.  Peters  came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Tazewell 
Co.,  Boynton  township,  where  he  bought  120  acres  in  Boynton  and 
adjoining  township. 

John  E.  Powell,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  15;  P.  O.,  Boynton. 
He  is  a  native  of  Logan  Co.,  111.,  where  he  was  born  May  19, 1838 ; 
is  the  oldest  son  of  Wm.  Powell,  a  native  of  Green  Co.,  O.  He 
acquired  a  liberal  education,  and  while  a  young  man  made  his  way 
to  this  county,  where  he  taught  school  and  secured  employment  as 
clerk.  While  residing  in  this  county  he  married  Eliza,  daughter  of 
Sanford  Quisenbery,  who  was  among  the  early  settlers  of  Tazewell. 
In  1850  he  settled 'in  Logan  Co.,  where  he  held  many  responsible 
local  offices,  and  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  John 
passed  his  boyhood  in  Logan  Co.'  Left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  he  came  to  Tazewell  Co.,  where  he  has  since  lived,  with  the 
exception  of  some  years  spent  as  a  farm  hand  in  Logan  Co.  In 
1862  he  purchased  160  acres  of  land  in  this  township  and  is  now  the 
owner  of  375  acres. 

Bryan  Reardon,  fiirmer  and  stock  dealer,  sec.  22  ;  P.  O.,  Boynton  ; 
is  a  native  of  Ireland.  He  was  born  July  14,  1836,  and  is  the  oldest 
son  of  Daniel  and  Margaret  (Keefe)  Reardon.  Daniel  Reardon  was 
a  farmer  in  Ireland,  where  he  married  Margaret  Keefe,  who  bore 


410  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

him  nine  children.  In  1850  the  family,  inchuling  Bryan,  sailed  for 
America,  and  in  due  course  of  time  landed  in  New  York  city,  from 
whence  they  proceeded  to  Providence,  R.  I.,  where  they  remained 
until  1857,  when  they  came  to  this  township.  One  year  previous, 
however,  our  subject  came.  He  was  then  unmarried,  and  secured 
employment  as  a  farm  hand.  In  1860,  with  other  members  of  the 
family,  he  purchased  360  acres  of  land.  In  1867  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Fleming,  daughter  of  Edward  Fleming,  a 
native  of  Ireland.  Thev  have  five  children  —  Edward,  Michael, 
Daniel,  Bryan  and  Wene.  For  several  years  Mr.  R.  held  the  posi- 
tion of  Town  Clerk,  and  for  ten  years  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Capt  John  Reardon,  sec.  14;  P.  O.,  Delavau.  Capt.  R.,  a  well 
and  favorably  known  agriculturist  of  this  county,  is  a  native  of 
Thomastown,  in  the  County  Tipperary,  Ireland,  wliere  he  was  born 
in  1840.  His  father,  Daniel  Reardon,  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  1850, 
and  eventually  settled  in  Rhode  Island,  where  our  subject  passed 
his  boyhood  days,  and  became  employed  in  one  of  the  numerous 
cotton  mills  that  dot  the  little  State.  In  1875,  John,  Bryan  and 
Thomas  Reardon  directed  their  footsteps  to  Illinois,  and  located  at 
Delavan.  Here  they  became  employed  as  farm  hands,  and  in  time 
became  farmers.  In  August,  1862,  when  the  great  civil  war  had 
reached  a  fever  heat,  Mr.  R.,  true  to  his  adopted  country,  and  the 
stars  and  stripes,  assisted  in  the  organization  of  Co.  H,  115th  111. 
Inf.  Although  he  enlisted  as  a  private,  he  was  appointed,  at  organ- 
ization, second  lieutenant.  Proceeding  to  the  front,  he  participated 
in  some  the  great  battles  of  national  renown.  He  was  promoted  to 
first  lieutenant,  and  soon  to  captain.  After  the  war  he  returned  to 
this  county,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Although  of  a  retiring 
disposition,  he  was  once  nominated  for  the  office  of  sheriff  of  this 
county,  and  was  twice  elected  Supervisor.  In  1870  he  married  Miss 
Mary  Murphy.     They  have  three  children,  Nellie,  Geniere  and  John. 

Daniel  Reardon,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  14 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan  ; 
was  born  in  the  county  of  Tipperary,  Ireland.  During  his  child- 
hood his  parents  moved  to  America,  as  elsewhere  given,  and  settled 
in  Rhode  Island,  eventually  settling  in  Tazewell  Co.  Here  young 
Reardon  grew  to  manhood,  and  received  a  good  common  school 
education.  In  1860,  since  the  decease  of  his  father,  and  the  neces- 
sary division  of  property,  our  subject  received  240  acres,  in  the 
township.  In  drawing  this  sketch  to  a  close,  we  can  say  of  the 
Reardon  boys,  that  few  in  Tazewell  Co.  have  succeeded  better  in  life. 

Samuel  Roles,  although  not  among  the  earlier  residents  of  Taze- 
well Co.,  is  worthy  of  more  fhan  a  passing  notice.  He  was  born  in 
Luzerne  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1818.  Of  his  father,  James  Roles,  but  little 
is  known.  He  was  an  Englisman  by  birth,  and  on  moving  to  this 
country  settled  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  married  Miss-  Esther 
Miller,  by  whom  he  had  13  children,  of  whom  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  the  sixth  child.  Growing  to  manhood  in  Pennsylvania 
Samuel  early  became  apprenticed  to  learn  the  blacksmithing  trade, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  411 

and  subsequently  worked  as  a  journeyman  for  many  years.  In 
1841  he  was  married  to  Miss  Surah,  dauij;hter  of  George  Davison, 
of  Pennsylvania.  On  moving  to  this  county,  which  he  did  in  1854, 
he  farmed  for  one  year,  when  he  purchased  a  shop,  and  when  his 
skill  as  a  workman  became  known  he  received  a  large  patronage. 
In  1859  he  received  the  iirst  jiremium  at  the  Logan  County  Fair, 
for  skill  disylayed  as  a  nail  worker  and  horse  shoer.  At  the  present 
writing  he  resides  on  his  farm,  on  sec.  23 ;  P.  O.,  Boynton. 

Lewis  Scarborough,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  15;  P.  O.,  Dela- 
van;  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1836,  his  father,  Thomas  Scar- 
borough, was  also  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  He  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  and  married  Miss  Charity  Burroughs,  a  daughter  of 
Andrew  Burroughs,  bv  whom  he  had  9  children,  6  of  whom  are 
living — Mary  Ann,  who  married  John  Fish,  and  now  resides  in 
Pennsylvania;  Wilson  T.,  who  married  Miss  Sarah  Hunt,  and  now 
resides'  in  Trenton,  Jersey  Co. ;  Howell,  who  married  Miss  Rebecca 
Dallas,  and  now  resides  in  Mercer  Co.,  N.  J. ;  Comelia,  who  married 
Francis  Duffield,  and  now  resides  in  Trenton ;  Jacob,  who  married 
Mary  Servas,  and  resides  in  Pennsylvania  ;  Lewis  grew  to  manhood 
in  Xew  Jersey,  where  he  followed  farming,  and  where  he  was  united 
in  marriage  in  the  year  1860,  to  Miss  Margaret  Snedeker,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Jas.  W.  Snedeker.  In  1871  Mr.  S.  moved  to  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  resided  until  his  removal  to  Boynton  township,  Tazewell 
county,  two  years  ago. 

John  Scoff,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  22 ;  P.  O.,  Boynton.  He 
was  born  at  Delavan,  Tazewell  Co.,  111.,  May  2,  1850;  is  the  oldest 
son  of  John  and  Mary  Scott,  natives  of  Scotland  and  Ohio,  respec- 
tively. George  grew  to  manh<iod  in  this  county  ;  received  a  good 
common  school  education  ;  in  1874  was  married  to  Miss  Alice  Paul, 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Paul.  They  have  one  child  —  Clara, 
born  in  March,  1877. 

Kennard  Siailei/,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  28 ;  P.  O.,  Boyn- 
ton;  was  born  in  Adams  Co.,  Ohio,  on  the  23d  of  October,  1834. 
He  is  the  oldest  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Fliza  (Shields)  Smiley.  His 
father  was  born  in  Kentucky,  and  in  an  early  day  moved  to  Ohio, 
where  he  married  and  there  })assed  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
Kennard  grew  to  manhood  in  Ohio,  where  he  received  a  common 
school  education.  While  employed  upon  the  farm  homestead,  the 
war  broke  out  and  Mr.  Smiley  enlisted  in  Co.  E,  179th  Ohio  Infant- 
ry, for  one  year,  proceeded  to  the  front  and  participated  in  the 
famous  battle  of  Nashville;  was  honorably  discharged  when  the 
war  closed ;  returned  to  Ohio,  where  he  remained  but  a  short  time, 
as  the  same  year  of  his  return  to  his  Ohio  home  found  him  a  resi- 
dent of  Tazewell  Co.,  111.  Here  he  was  married,  Oct.  3,  1872,  to 
Miss  Catharine  Sparts.  Their  children  are  William  and  Franklin. 
During  the  autumn  of  1870,  Mr.  S.  purchased  his  present  farm. 

John  Lufcr,  tlirmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  1  ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale ; 
was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  March  27,  1825.     He  is  the  son  of 


41 2  ttlSTOEY   OF  TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 

John  Luter,  who  is  now  upwards  of  eighty  years  of  age  and  a  resi- 
dent of  this  township.  John  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  land  and 
where,  owing  to  the  excellent  government  of  the  German  people,  he 
received  a  liberal  education  at  such  times  as  the  duties  of  the  farm 
would  permit.  For  a  short  time  he  served  in  the  regular  army  of 
Bavaria.  On  the  6th  day  of  Nov.  1851,  John  Luter  and  parents 
landed  in  the  city  of  New  York  and  from  thence  came  direct  to 
Tazewell  Co.  where  he  has  since  resided,  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  in  Boynton  township.  He  own  240  acres  of  land  the 
greater  portion  of  which  is  tile-drained.  In  1837  Mr.  L.  was  mar- 
ried to  Magdalena  Gute  by  whom  he  has  eight  children  —  John, 
Andrew,  Crist,  Jacob,  Amos,  Barbara,  Lizzie  and  Susan. 

William  H.  Woolf,  farmer,  sec.  22;  P.  O.,  Boynton.  He  was 
born  in  West  Chester  Co.  N.  Y.  Oct.  25,  1837.  He  is  the  third 
child  of  a  family  of  four.  His  father,  Andrew  Woolf,  was  a  native 
of  N.  Y.  and  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  married  in  that  State  to 
Miss  Mary  Devoe.  Wm.  passed  his  boyhood  in  New  York  State 
and  on  attaining  his  majority  came  to  111.  and  located  in  this  town- 
ship, where  he  has  since  resided.  In  1867  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Mary  Reed,  daughter  of  John  and  Rebecca  Reed,  by 
whom  he  has  two  children  —  Letitia  and  James. 

William  Wooters,  was  born  in  Muskingum  Co.,  O.,  July  24,  1828. 
He  is  the  second  son  of  Nathan  and  Deborah  Wooters.  Nathan 
Wooters  was  born  in  Maryland  and  moved  to  Ohio  in  an  early  day, 
where  he  followed  farming,  and  moved  to  Indiana  about  the  year 
1835,  wUere  our  subject  grew  to  manhood.  In  1850  he  made  his 
way  to  Illinois,  and  located  in  this  county,  where  he  has  since  resided, 
following  agricultural  pursuits.  In  1857  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Isabel  Rouse,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  Rouse.  Of  this 
marriage  three  children  were  born.  Mrs.  W.  died  Sept.  17,  1865. 
In  1876  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Lightwine.  They  have 
two  children  —  Nellie  M.  and  Walter.  Mr.  W.  is  a  farmer  and 
stock  raiser,  resides  on  sec.  29 ;  P.  O.,  Boynton. 

George  Zehr,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  2 ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale. 
George  was  born  in  Germany  in  an  early  day,  probably  about  1813. 
He  crossed  the  Atlantic  for  the  New  World,  and  first  located  in  New 
York  State.  Afterwards  he  moved  to  Ohio,  where  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Barbara  Lytwiler,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Lyt- 
wiler.  In  1846  tie  located  in  Green  Valley,  Tazewell  Co.,  thence 
removed  to  Hopedale  township,  where  he  rented  farm  property. 
He  is  now  the  owner  of  over  300  acres,  and  takes  a  leading  position 
among  the  farmers  of  the  county.  Of  the  marriage  above  referred 
to  five  children  are  living  —  Joseph,  Christopher,  Malinda,  Barbara 
and  Peter.  Christopher,  who  has  passed  the  years  of  his  life  in  this 
county,  was  born  in  1855;  married  in  1877,  Miss  Anna  Kaufman,  a 
daughter  of  Christian  Kaufman,  of  Germany. 

James  Zumwalt  takes  a  leading  position  among  the  agriculturists 
of  this  township.     He  resides  upon  sec.  30 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan.     He 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  413 

was  born  in  Fountain  Co.,  Ind.,  on  the  8th  of  October,  1847.  His 
father,  Henry  Zumwalt,  deceased,  was  born  in  Harrison  Co.,  Ky., 
in  1810.  In  an  early  day  he  moved  to  Indiana,  where  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Nancy  Davidson.  Their  children  were  — 
Wm.,  John,  Daniel,  George,  Levi,  Edwin,  Mary,  Emma,  Sarah, 
Hattie,  Alice  and  Susannah.  In  1851  Mr.  Z.  moved  to  Tazewell 
Co.,  where  he  purchased  farm  property.  He  died  in  May,  1875,  and 
was  laid  at  rest  in  the  Patterson  cemetery.  A  handsome  monument 
marks  the  spot.  It  should  be  stated  in  this  sketch  that  Mr.  Z.  was 
united  in  marriage  three  times.  His  first  marriage  we  have  men- 
tioned. His  second  wife  was  Miss  Elizabetli  Pearson;  his  third 
wife  Mary  Dilly.  James  and  John  own  the  farm  property,  which 
consists  of  some  500  acres.  James  entered  the  army  at  the  last  call 
for  troops.     John  enlisted  for  three  years. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  served  the  township  since  its  organ- 
ization in  the  various  official  capacities  named,  with  the  year  of  hold- 
ing the  position  : 

SUPERVISORS. 

Philo  Baldwin 1854  .John  N.  Snedeker 1866 

R.  B.  Marley 1855-56  William  Slaughter 1867 

Andrew  KeVr.  resigned.  John  Reardon 1868 

Stephen  K.  Hatfield 1857  William  Slaughter 1870-72 

Ellis  Dillon 1859  John  F.  Beezley 1873 

Wm.  Lafever 1860-61  Wm.  Morehead 1874 

Ellis  Dillon 1863  .John  F.  Beezlev 1875-78 

R.  B.  Marley 1864  Jacob  Brenneman 1879 

John  Shurts 1865 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

Wells  Graves 1854  Bryan  Reardon 1873-74 

Samuel  Graves 1855-57  Wm.  Coddington 1875 

John  W.Graves 1859-60  Bryan  Reanlon 1876 

J.  D.  Woolf 1863-68  Wrn.  Coddington 1877 

John  F.  Beezley i. 1870-71  Bryan  Reardon 1878 

John  W.  Graves 1872  Hiram  Morehead 1879 

ASSESSORS. 

Andrew  Kerr 1855-56  Jacob  Brenneman 1870-71 

Jesse  Evans 1857  John  F.  Beezley. 1872 

John  Shurts 1859  Jacob  Brenneman 1873 

Wm.  Morehead 186tV61  Thomas  T.  Heaton 1874-75 

John  Shurts 1863  .James  Crawford 1876 

Henry  Carpenter 1864  Henry  M.  Shipton 1877 

Joseph  Brenneman 1865-66  Wm.  Coddington 1879-79 

Wm.  Morehead,  sr 1867-68 

COLLECTORS. 

Jacob  Baker 1854-54  James  Morehead 1871 

Jacob  Blake 1856  AVesley  J.  Martin 1872 

T.  T.  Heaton 1857  John  D.  Woolf 1873 

Wm.  Slaughter 1859  Wm.  Coddington 1874 

E.  T.  Orendorff. 1860-61  Bryan  Reardon 1875 

Henry  Carpenter 1863  Wm.  Coddington 1876 

R.  Weller 1864-65  Edward  Reardon. 1877 

Joseph  Ball 1866  M.  Fredeker 1868 

Reuben  Wells 1867-68  Samuel  Donley 1879 

Kersey  Cook 1870 


414  HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

CINCINNATI  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  comprises  a  fine  body  of  land.  During  the  grow- 
ing season  of  the  year,  when  the  various  cereals  of  this  latitude  are 
waving  in  summer's  breezes,  it  is  said  that  more  grain  can  be  seen 
growing  here  than  in  any  section  of  similar  size  in  Illinois.  There 
are  no  swamps,  no  marshes,  or  anything  to  obstruct  a  free  and  easy 
cultivation  of  the  soil.  The  vast  tract  of  prairie  land  in  Spring 
Lake,  Sand  Prairie  and  Cincinnati  townships,  were  known  in  the 
early  day  as  the  sand  prairie.  It  includes  all  the  territory  from  the 
bluffs  to  the  river  bank.  The  soil  is  very  sandy,  hence  the  name, 
sand  prairie.  About  the  year  1834,  Commodore  Morris,  of  the  U. 
S.  Navy,  came  from  the  East  and  entered,  on  behalf  of  himself  and 
the  officers  of  the  Navy,  a  large  portion  of  this  prairie  for  speculat- 
ing purposes.  They  expected  a  large  influx  of  settlers  and  a  sudden 
rise  in  the  price  of  the  land  of  this  section.  That  their  bright  hopes 
were  not  fully  realized  the  history  of  the  following  dozen  years 
clearly  proves.  There  were  at  that  time  a  few  settlers  here  and  there 
over  the  township,  but  they  wore  scarce  and  far  between.  As  the 
officers  of  the  navy  owned  a  large  portion  of  the  remainder  and  held 
it  at  such  high  figures,  it  could  not  be,  and  was  not,  purchased  by 
actual  settlers.  These  gentlemen  held  this  land  and  paid  taxes  upon 
it  until  about  1845,  when,  seeing  no  marked  increase  in  value  and 
no  immediate  prospect  of  any,  they  commenced  selling,  and  by  1848 
had  disposed  of  about  all  of  it.  They  paid  the  regular  price,  $1.25 
per  acre,  for  it,  held  it  for  over  ten  years,  and  commenced  its  sale 
at  $2  per  acre.  ,It  soon  advanced  to  $2.50,  $2.75  and  $3  per  acre, 
and  ere  they  had  disposed  of  it  all  it  went  up  to  $10  to  $15  per  acre. 
During  the  following  decade  it  advanced  rapidly,  and  when  the  rail- 
road found  its  way  through  its  sandy  prairie  it  tilled  up  rapidly  with 
a  good  and  thrifty  class  of  agriculturists,  and  to-day  it  will  compare 
favorably  in  kind  of  improvements  and  value  with  any  section  of 
our  great  State. 

There  are  two  streams  in  the  township,  one  of  which  is  of  consid- 
erable size,  and  both  of  them  have  cut  some  queer  freaks.  The 
•larger  is  the  Mackinaw  river.  It  enters  the  township  near  the  center 
of  section  19  and  flows  in  a  northeasterly  course  to  the  Illinois. 
Near  the  southwestern  corner  of  section  8  it  divides  and  what  is 
known  as  the  main  stream  courses  northward  and  has  its  outlet  on 
section  5,  and  the  "  cut-off"  strikes  the  river  from  section  9.  What 
was  formerly  the  main  river,  after  leaving  the  place  of  forking,  on 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  415 

section  8,  is  now  scarcely  a  brook,  and,  indeed,  is  dry  much  of  the 
time.  The  cut-off,  which  a  few  years  ago  was  the  smaller,  now  car- 
ries the  main  current.  Another  of  its  freaks  is  noticed  of  late  years. 
A  short  distance  from  the  place  where  it  enters  the  township,  a  branch 
has  started  from  it  and  flows  over  the  prairie  through  Spring  Lake 
township,  to  the  Illinois,  Several  years  ago  there  was  noticed  a  low 
flat  place  through  this  portion  of  the  prairie,  but  no  indication  of  a 
running  stream.  The  strong  current  of  the  Mackinaw,  however,  is 
enabled  to  force  its  way  through  the  sandy  soil  of  this  region  and 
make  a  stream  where  it  will. 

The  other  principal  stream  is  known  as  Lost  creek.  It  derives 
its  name  from  the  fact  of  it  losing  itself  in  the  sandy  soil.  It  will 
course  along,  a  clear,  flowing  stream,  and  soon  disappear.  In  some 
places  not  a  drop  of  water  can  be  seen  on  the  surface  during  the 
entire  summer  season.  It  again  comes  to  the  surface  and  forms  a 
current. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  township,  on  section  12,  and  section  1 
of  the  old  part  of  the  township,  is  a  beautiful  lake.  It  is  known 
as  Bailey's  lake.  It  is  situated  about  one-hundred  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  ground  upon  which  the  business  portion  of  Pekin  is 
built.  It  has  no  visable  outlet,  but  it  is  supposed  that  there  is  a 
bed  of  clay  leading  from  it  to  the  Illinois,  through  which  the 
water  finds  its  way  to  that  river.  This  theory  is  partly  substantia- 
ted by  the  flow  of  water  in  wells  that  are  sunk  in  what  is  supposed 
to  be  this  channel.  For  instance,  there  is  a  well  near  the  freight 
depot  of  the  Pekin  Lincoln  and  Decatur  Railway,  which  has  afford- 
ed water  for  twenty  years,  and  is  only  ten  feet  in  depth.  Mr.  W. 
S.  Rankin  has  a  well  higher  up  and  about  one-hundred  yards  from 
the  above,  which  is  thirty-nine  feet  deep.  About  midway  between 
these  two  wells  is  another,  which  affords  water  at  the  depth  of 
twenty  feet.  It  is  supposed  these  wells  are  on  the  line  of  the  chan- 
nel, the  shallowest  being  better  located  and  not  as  high  up  as  the 
others.  In  other  places  water  is  not  found  short  of  one-hundred 
feet. 

The  timber  along  the  bluffs  in  this  township  is  of  young  growth. 
We  are  told  by  old  settlers,  who  were  acquainted  with  this  section, 
that  where  the  timber  is  now  thick  and  trees  as  high  as  forty  feet, 
they  have  seen  the  deer  grazing,  nothing  to  obstruct  the  view  for 
miles  save  a  cluster  of  bushes  here  and  there. 

In  the  eastern  portion  of  the  township  are  some  coal  mines  which 


416  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

afford  a  good  article  of  fuel.  Norman  C.  Hawley  has  an  extensive 
mine  in  operation  here.  The  P.  L.  &  D.  Railway  have  construct- 
ed a  track  from  the  main  line  to  his  mines,  a  distance  of  about  half 
a  mile. 

In  1850,  on  the  eve  of  adapting  the  township  mode  of  conducting 
affairs,  the  commission  appointed  to  divide  the  county  into  town- 
ships, laid  off  Cincinnati  a  full  congressional  township,  which 
included  36  sections.  Subsequently  the  northern  tier  of  sections 
was  cut  off  and  added  to  Pekin  township.  In  this  portion  of  the 
township,  near  where  the  P.  L.  &  D.  Railway  shops  are  now 
located,  Jonathan  Tharp  settled  in  1824.  He  was  the  first  settler 
both  in  the  city  of  Pekin  and  in  this  township,  in  that  that 
section  he  located  upon,  was  afterwards  included  in  Pekin.  Jacob 
Tharp  Sr.,  came  in  1826  and  erected  the  second  house,  south  of  the 
corner  of  Broadway  and  Court  streets.  Jonathan  Tharp  laid  his 
farm  off  into  town  lots,  and  named  his  prospective  village  Cincin- 
nati, whence  the  present  name  of  the 'township.  Pekin  was  laid  off 
and  the  two  places  so  close  together,  were  known  as  Pekin  and 
Cincinnati.  Finally  they  were  united  under  the  name  of  Pekin. 
Willian  Woodrow  then  came,  about  1824,  and  settled  on  the  south- 
east quarter  of  section  36.  It  is  said,  he  had  the  pick  and  choice 
of  any  of  the  land  on  the  sand  prairie,  as  he  made  the  first  selection, 
and  decided  upon  that  quarter.  Robert  T.  Copes  came  and  located 
on  section  26.  Aaron  Hackett,  his  son,  Dr.  Hackett,  and  son-in- 
law,  by  the  name  of  Conover  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Hinges, 
settled  on  section  14.  Joseph  Haines,  who  came  in  1827,  located 
on  section  13.  Alfred  Haines,  son  of  Joseph,  erected  his  cabin  on 
section  14.  This  was  among  the  most  thickly  settled  portions  of 
the  county  at  that  time.  Samuel  and  Hugh  Woodrow  came  in 
1835,  and  settled  upon  section  35.  These  were  about  all  the  set- 
tlers for  many  years  in  this  township.  It  was  settled  up  slowly 
until  1848,  Avhen  a  new  start  was  given  to  settling  the  township,  by 
the  sale  of  the  land  held  by  the  naval  officers,  and  the  opening  of 
the  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal. 

William  Woodrow  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania;  removed  in 
early  life  to  Ohio,  and  came  to  Tazewell  county  in  1824,  locating  in 
Cincinnati  township,  where  he  remained  until  1863,  when  he  went 
to  Knox  county,  where,  Wednesday,  Aug.  15th,  1866,  in  the  74th 
year  of  his  age,  he  died. 

The  township  is  now  occupied  by  a  good  thrifty  class  of  agricult- 


ELIZABETH    BEpUEAlTH 


JOHN    BEQUEAITH. 


CINCINNATI    TOWNSHIP. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  417 

uralists.  Among  those  which  are  especially  identified  with  its 
history,  and  who  take  a  deep  interest  in  all  matters  for  the  public 
weal,  we  will  mention  the  following : 

Gerd  AJfi,  of  Germany,  came  to  this  county  in  1865.  He  was 
born  in  Hanover  in  18'25.  His  parents,  Joiin  and  Gretchel  Alfs, 
were  Germans.  He  was  educated  in  his  native  country.  He  was 
married  to  Mary  Hendricks.  They  have  eight  children.  Mr.  Alfs 
is  engaged  in  firming  very  extensively  in  this  township.  He 
resides  on  section  10;  post-office  address,  Pekin.  In  politics  Mr. 
A.  is  liberal  in  his  views. 

Bennett  Bailey,  a  native  of  Coshocton  Co.,  Ohio,  came  to  this 
county  in  1843  and  resides  on  section  16  of  this  township.  His 
parents  were  Thomas  Baily  of  Ohio  and  Rachel  (Smith)  Bailey  a 
native  of  Green  county,  Penn.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
and  select  schools.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  School  Director, 
Commissioner,  Assessor,  etc.  On  23rd  of  February,  1863,  he  was 
united  in  the  bond  of  wedlock  with  Mary  A.  Seiwell.  They  are 
the  parents  of  seven  children.     Their  names  and  dates  of  birth  are 


Aug.  29,  1874;  Talitha  C,  born  Aug.27,  1876  and  Ella,' born  Dec. 
22,  1878.  Politically,  Mr.  Bailey  is  identified  with  the  Democratic 
party.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Sarah  Jane  Bailey  was  born  in  Union  county,  Penn.  She  is  the 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Sarah  (Haas)  Blooni,  of  Pennsylvainia, 
and  came  to  this  county  Jan.  1,  1849  and  in  January  1850,  married 
Jonathan  Bailey,  of  Ohio.  This  union  was  blessed  with  three  chil- 
dren. William  was  born  Nov.  18,  1850,  Theodore,  born  Oct.  16, 
1852,  and  Mary  born  Sept.  25,  1855.  She  is  the  wife  of  John 
Worth  and  resides  at  Peoria,  111.  William,  married  Mollie  Dalby 
and  at  present  resides  in  Pekin.  Theodore  married  Miss  Ella  Cope- 
land  and  resides  near  the  old  homestead.  Mrs.  Bailey  formerly 
belonged  to  the  Lutheran  Church  but  at  present  attends  the  Metho- 
dist.    She  resides  on  section  31.     Her  post-office  address  is  Pekin. 

Leonard  A  Beck,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  was  born  in  Franklin  Co., 
Pa.,  in  1840.  His  parents  were  John  and  Margaret  (Sweavel), 
natives  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany.  Mr.  Beck  came  to  Taze- 
well county  in  1846,  and  is  self-educated.  He  resides  on  section 
27,  where  he  is  engaged  in  farming.  Nov.  16,  1865,  he  was  joined 
in  matrimony  with  Mary  Sherrer.  Their  children  are  Annie  E., 
born  Feb.  28,  1869;  Mary,  born  Sept.  2,  1873;  Philip  S.,  born 
May  13,  1876,  and  John,  born  March  21,  1878.  In  politics  Mr. 
B.  is  identified  with  the  Democratic  party.  Post-office  address, 
Pekin. 

James  C.  Bequeaith,  was  born  in  this  township,  in  1853,  June  6. 
He  received  his  education  in  this  county,  and  is  engaged  in  agricul- 


418  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

tural  pursuits.  Dec.  24,  1873,  he  was  married  to  Clara  Jane  Iliff, 
of  Marshall  county,  Iowa.  John  M.,  their  first  child,  was  born 
March  9,  1875,  and  March  26,  187G,  AVilliam  Wesley  was  b()rn. 
The  former  is  not  living.  Mr.  Bcqucaith  is  a  Republican  in  political 
views.     Post-office  address,  Pekin. 

John  Bequenith,  farmer,  residence,  section  18;  was  born  in  Knox 
Co.,  O.,  in  1820.  At  the  age  of  twelve  he  was  brought  from  Indi- 
ana, whether  his  parents  had  moved  five  years  previous.  His  father, 
Joseph  Bequeaith,  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  his  mother,  Elizabeth 
Conkle,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  July  29,  1846.  Mr.  B.  was 
married  to  Elizabeth  King.'  Their  children  are — Anna,  born  in 
1848,  since  deceased;  Emma  L.,  born  March  11,  1851,  James  C, 
June  6,  1853;  Alice  A.,  April  29,  1855;  Laura  J.,  April  9,  1858; 
Louis  C,  Feb.  2,  1866.  Mrs.  Bequeaith  is  the  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Elizabeth  (Beninger)  King.  Her  fiither  was  a  native  of  Mary- 
land, and  died  in  1861,  at  the  age  of  70,  and  her  mother  was  born 
in  Westmoreland  county.  Pa.,  and  died  in  1864.  Mrs.  B.  was  born 
in  New  Philadelphia,  Ohio.  Her  parents  came  to  this  county  in 
1844,  and  it  has  been  her  home  since.  She  is  a  member  of  the 
American  Reformed  Church,  and  made  a  profession  of  religion  at  the 
age  of  17.  Their  children  —  James  and  Laura  Jane  Loid,  are 
married  and  live  near  the  parental  roof;  Emma  L.,  Owen  and  Alice 
A.  Iliff,  live  in  Marshall  county,  111 ;  the  youngest,  Louis,  lives 
with  his  parents.  Mr.  B.  owns  800  acres  of  land,  and  is  a  success- 
ful farmer.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

WilUam  Fletcher  Copes,  farmer,  sec.  35;  post-office  address, 
Pekin;  born  in  McLean  county,  111.,  in  1828.  He  is  the  son  of 
Robert  T.  Copes  and  Mary  D.  Tharp,  of  Ohio.  Was  brought  to 
this  county  when  a  child  of  two  summers,  where,  in  the  common 
schools,  he  received  his  education.  He  has  held  the  offices  of 
Deputy-Sheriff,  Constable  and  Town  Clerk  for  about  twenty  years. 
Mary  Woodrow,  his  wife,  and  to  whom  he  was  married  in  1851,  has 
born  him  six  children  —  Laura  A.,  born  in  1853,  Clara  E.,  born  in 
1855 ;  Ira  O.,  born  in  1857  ;  Mary  A.,  born  in  1859,  since  deceased; 
Adaline  A.,  also  deceased,  was  born  in  1861 ;  Ella  A.,  born  in 
1863.  Mr.  C.  united  with  the  Methodist  Church  in  1844.  He 
votes  with  the  Republicans. 

Charles  W.  Corey,  farmer  and  dairyman,  sec.  9;  was  born  in 
Ithica,  Tompkins  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1827.  His  parents,  David  and 
Elizabeth  (Williams)  Corey,  were  from  Orange  Co.,  N.  Y..  Mr. 
C.  came  from  New  York  to  Mason  county,  111.,  and  from  there  to 
this  county  in  1864.  He  received  his  education  in  Ithica  and 
Newfield,  N.  Y.  He  was  married  to  Eliza  Sutton,  in  1855.  Her 
father's  name  was  Benjamin  Sutton,  her  mother's  Elizabeth  Roub, 
natives  of  New  Jersey.  They  moved  to  Michigan,  where  Mrs.  C. 
was  born,  thence  moved  to  Cass  county,  111.,  in  1834,  where  her 
father  was  almost  the  first  settler.  ^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Corey  are  the 
parents  of  five  children  — C.  Wilbur,  born  Nov.  7,  1856,  died  Jan. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  419 

6,1873;  Victoria  D.,  born  Aug.  5,  1859;  Charles  L.,  born  Jan.  7, 
1864;  Rupert  D.,  born  Nov.  16,  1866;  and  Catharine  S.,  born 
Nov.  1,  1868.  Mr.  C.  joined  the  M.  E.  Church  in  1852.  His  wife 
has  been  a  member  since  1862.  The  entire  family,  from  oldest 
down  to  youngest,  are  strictly  temperance  in  principle  and  practice. 
Republican.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Andreio  Crooks,  farmer,  son  of  AVilliam  and  Elizabeth  Crooks,  of 
Maryland,  was  born  in  Washington  county.  Pa.,  in  1809.  All  the 
advantages  for  an  education  he  enjoyed  was  attending  subscription 
schools  three  months  in  the  year.  Mr.  C.  came  to  this  county  Oct. 
17,  1864,  and  resides  upon  section  36.  His  son,  Alexander,  served 
four  years  and  ten  months  in  the  late  war,  in  the  90th  Ohio.  Mr. 
C.  was  united  in  marriage  with  Elizabeth  Anderson,  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, in  1832.  They  are  the  parents  of  fourteen  children,  ten  of 
whom  are  living.  Their  names  are  Mary  J.,  Matilda,  Terrisa  H., 
(deceased),  Henry  H.,  William,  Thomas  A.,  Alexander,  Robert  H., 
Franklin  P.,  D.  H.,  I^ouis  A.,  James  B.,  Andrew  and  Samuel. 
Mr.  C.  united  with  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  Church,  in  1832, 
and  belongs  to  that  religious  denomination  at  the  present  time. 
Post-office  address,  Pekin. 

John  Eidmann,  who  is  rather  extensively  engaged  in  farming  in 
this  townshij),  and  who  lives  on  section  32,  is  a  native  of  Hesse 
Darmstadt,  Germany.  He  came  to  Tazewell  county  Feb.  6,  1848. 
His  parents  were  Frederick  and  Catherina  Elizabeth  (Weyruch) 
Eidmann.  Mr.  Eidmann  has  held  the  offices  of  Supervisor,  School 
Director,  etc.  In  1858  he  was  married  to  Margaret  Sherrer,  of 
Hesse  Darmstadt.  By  her  he  had  three  children  —  John,  born  in 
'1863;  Margaret,  born  in  1865,  and  George,  born  in  1868.  In  1871 
he  was  united  in  marriage  to  his  present  wife,  Christina  Edenmiller, 
who  has  borne  him  three  children  —  Mary  Ellen,  born  in  1874; 
Emma  M.,  born  in  1876,  and  Frances,  born  in  1878.  In  politics 
Mr.  E.  is  a  Republican.     P,  O.  address,  Pekin. 

John  Gainer,  farmer,  post-office  address,  Pekin,  was  born  in  Wit- 
tenburg,  Ger.,  April  13,  1830,  and  came  to  this  country  in  May, 
1834.  His  parents  were  George  and  Mary  Maria  Gainer,  of  Ger- 
many. He  was  educated  in  common  schools  and  embarked  in  the 
agricultural  pursuit,  and  resides  on  section  25.  He  does  not  belong 
to  any  church,  but  inclines  to  Presbyterian  belief.  In  1867  he  chose 
for  his  wife  Anna  Fredcrika  Reiling.  Emma  Elizabeth,  John 
Martin  and  Mary  Alice  Magdalcua  arc  their  children. 

Gainalid  W.  Hatch,  farmer,  and  who  resides  upon  section  5;  was 
born  in  Medina  county,  Ohio,  in  1839.  His  parents  were  Hiram 
and  Amanda  Hatch,  of  Ontario  county.  When  a  young  man  of 
fourteen  years  of  age  he  came  to  Tazewell  county,  and  four  years 
later,  1857,  was  married.  He  is  the  parent  of  three  sons  —  William 
M.,  George  H.  and  Albert  Eugene.  Mr.  H.  is  identified  with  the 
Democratic  party.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

John  Christopher  Hawkins  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Coleman,  a 


420  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

native  of  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  May  20,  1857.  Mrs.  H.'s  parents 
were  John  Coleman,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Rhoda  Johnson, 
of  Ohio.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hawkins  have  seven  children  living,  two 
dead.  Their  names  and  dates  of  birth  are  as  follows  :  Emma,  born 
Aug.  11,  1859  (deceased),  Elnora,  born  May  11,  1861  (deceased), 
Margaret,  born  Aug.  13,  1863,  Dallas,  Nov.  11,  1865,  William, 
April  9,  1868,  Mary,  Nov.  25,  1869,  John,  May,  1872,  Kate,  Nov. 
5,  1974,  James,  Nov.  13,  1876. 

John  Christopher  Hawkins  was  born  in  Hampshire  county,  Va., 
in  1831.  His  parents  were  William  and  Mary  (Orr)  Hawkins.  He 
came  to  this  county  in  1831  and  was  educated  in  the  free  and  sub- 
scription schools  of  the  county.     P.  O.,  Pekin. 

N.  C.  Hawley.  In  1837,  June  6,  Gideon  and  Elizabeth  Hawley, 
while  residing  in  this  township,  had  born  unto  them  a  son,  Norman 
C,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Vermont, 
and  his  mother,  Elizabeth  (Caldwell)  Hawley,  was  born  in  Kentucky. 
This  couple  came  to  the  State  in  1819,  and  were  among  the  earliest 
settlers  in  Tazewell  county.  Mr.  H.  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools.  Jubilee -College,  Peoria,  and  Wesleyan  University, 
Bloomington.  He  has  been  quite  successful  in  life,  and  now  owns 
one  thousand  acres  of  land,  much  of  which  is  underlaid  with  a  fine 
vein  of  coal,  which  he  is  working.  April  1,  1867,  he  married  Miss 
Mary  E.  Martin,  of  Logan  county.  Their  children  number  four  — 
James  M.,  Gideon  L.,  Prairie  Ellen  and  Freddie  S.  Politically  Mr. 
H.  may  be  found  with  the  Republican  party.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Adam  Heilmann,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Ger- 
many. His  parents  were  Adam  and  Margaret  (Weidman)  Heilmann. 
He  came  to  this  county  in  December,  1852;  was  educated  in  the' 
select  schools  of  Germany.  He  has  a  fine  farm.  He  was  married  to 
Elizabeth  Repper  in  1854.  They  have  three  sons  — Charles,  born 
May  23,  1855;  Philip,  born  Feb.  14,  1857,  and  Leonard,  born  Oct, 
9,  1859.  Mrs.  Heilmann's  parents  were  Adam  and  Eve  (Fornof) 
Repper,  who  came  to  this  county  from  Germany  the  year  after  Mr, 
H,  did,  and  engaged  in  farming.  Mrs.  Repper  has  been  deceased 
for  fifteen  years,  and  her  husband  for  two  years.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Michael  Hollywood,  miller  and  fiirmer,  came  direct  from  Ireland, 
(where,  in  Armagh  county,  in  1842  he  was  born),  to  this  county 
in  1852.  His  parents  were  Daniel  and  Margaret  (McShaul) 
Hollywood.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  this 
county..  He  is  a  widower.  Mr.  H.  owns  and  runs  a  saw-mill  in 
this  township,  which  does  mostly  custom  work.  He  saws  at  this 
mill  an  average  of  150,000  feet  of  lumber  per  year.  It  has  been 
run  by  him  for  fourteen  years,  and  is  a  great  convenience  to  this 
section  of  the  county.  Black  walnut  and  oak  are  the  kinds  of 
wood  that  are  mostly  sawed  here.     P.  O.,  Pekin. 

August  Kastens,  a  native  of  Brunswick,  Gr.,  born  in  1839 ;  came 
to  Tazewell  County  in  1832.  He  lives  on  section  13,  where  he  is 
engaged  in  farming ;  post-office  address,  Pekin.     He  is  the  son  of 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEAVELL,     COUNTY.  421 

James  P.  Martin,  retired  farmer,  is  worthy  a  notice  in  this  vol- 
ume. His  generosity  and  public  spirit  in  all  worthy  matters  are 
unquestioned.  He  was  born  in  the  county  of  Donegal,  Ireland, 
Sept.  15,  1804.  His  father  was  Alexander  Martin  and  Avas  born  in 
the  same  county  in  1782  ;  but  little  is  known  of  his  early  life.  He 
was  raised  a  farmer-boy  and  on  attaining  his  majority  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  McCorkle.  She  was  born  in  the  same 
county,  and  was  a  daughter  of  James  McCorkle.  There  were  born 
of  this  marriage  nine  children,  four  of  whom  grew  to  mature  years : 
AVilliam,  deceased ;  Alexander  K.,  married  Miss  Hoblett,  of  Logan 
county;  Mary  A.  married  David  Gibbs,  and  now  a  resident  of 
Iowa.  Alexander  Martin,  who  is  deceased,  was  a  man  of  unusual 
force  of  character  and  energy ;  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  landed 
in  Philadelphia,  from  where,  with  his  family,  he  proceedad  to  Bed- 
ford county  and  there  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life,  as  also  did  his 
wife.  Our  subject,  James  P.,  received  a  good  common  school  edu- 
cation, and  at  the  age  of  25  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ellen 
Skeen,  of  Westmoreland  county.  Pa.  Previous  to  his  marriage,  he 
learned  the  trade  of  weaver,  and  for  a  while  worked  at  this  vocation 
in  Pa.  and  Ohio.  He  then  turned  his  attention  to  farming,  and  in 
1845  settled  in  Logan  Co.,  111.,  where  he  purchased  a  farm.  He 
resided  there  till  1850,  when  he  located  upon  the  Delavan  Prairie 
in  this  county,  where  he  purchased  land  at  from  90  cts.  to  $30  per 
acre,  amounting  in  all  to  1100  acres.  This,  by  the  exercise  of  unu- 
sual energy,  he  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  and  planted 
25  miles  of  hedge  fence,  which  is  still  in  a  thriving  condition.  For 
many  years  he  was  the  largest  hedge-grower  in  the  State,  and  took 
a  just  and  an  especial  pride  in  advancing  and  improving  the  agri- 
cultural districts  of  Tazewell  county.  He  bent  his  powerful  energ- 
ies to  the  accomplishment  of  this  one  laudable  object  and  well 
did  he  succeed.  His  life-work  speaks  in  language  both  stron- 
ger and  more  fitting  than  we  can  express  in  words.  Eight 
children  have  blessed  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin,  five  of 
of  whom  grew  to  maturity ;  William  H.,  married  Miss  Jane  Quin- 
senberry ;  Thomas  A.,  married  Miss  Alice  Mountjoy,  and  is  now  a 
resident  of  Kansas ;  James  A.,  married  Caroline  Hoblett ;  George 
B.,  married  Matilda  Merrill,  and  now  lives  in  Missouri;  Mary  E., 
married  Mr.  Hawley,  a  prominent  farmer  of  this  township.  In 
1862  Mr.  M.  made  an  equal  division  of  his  pr()})erty  among  his 
children,  and  after  a  life  of  great  activity  and  unusual  success, 
determined  to  rest  from  labor,  as  consistent  with  his  wealth  and  time 
of  life  and  spend  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  quietude.  At 
present  he  is  living  with  his  son-in-law%  Norman  C.  Hawley, 
a  man  who  is  prominently  identified  with  the  interests  and  wellfare 
of  Tazewell  county  and  of  whom  we  speak  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
In  drawing  this  sketch  to  a  close  we  cannot  refrain  from  referring 


422  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

to  Mrs.  M.  as  a  pioneer  wife  aud  mother.  She  was  born  in  Penn. 
in  1811,  and  is  a  fine  type  of  the  pioneer  woman.  She  has  been  an 
ernest  worker  in  the  Christian  Church  for  nearly  40  years.  She 
was  formerly  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Chnrch.  Mr.  Martin 
is  also  a  consistant  member  of  that  Church  and  is  respected  and  es- 
teemed by  all  who  know  him.  There  are  but  few  men  living  in  the 
county  who  have  done  more  to  advance  its  interests  than  Mr.  James 
P.  Martin.  The  very  fact  of  his  accumulating  in  a  short  life  time 
such  a  vast  property  as  he  has  is  the  best  evidence  in  the  world  of 
a  well  spent  life.  It  is  a  source  of  pleasure  for  the  biographer  to 
meditate  upon  a  life  thus  useful  and  passed,  that  while  he  did  much 
good  in  his  strong  and  vigorous  manhood  and  while  in  the  decline 
of  life  he  still,  by  example  and  precept,  is  found  battling  for  the 
right  his  works  will  live  long  after  the  last  sad  rites  have  been  paid 
him  by  those  who  loved  and  esteemed  him  life,  and  will  not  forget 
to  honor  his  memory  when  he  is  no  longer  in  their  midst.  Now,  in 
the  evening  of  life,  as  both  Mr.  M.  and  his  good  wife  are  beckoned  to 
that  brighter  and  better  land,  we  realize  that  the  hand  of  the  diligent 
maketh  rich,  and  the  happiness  of  the  Christian  is  worthy  emulation. 
AVe  give  their  portraits  in  this  work. 

William  Coddingfan,  farmer,  sec.  16,  Boynton  township;  P,  O., 
Boynton.  He  is  a  native  of  Warren  Co.,  O.  and  was  born  Nov.  1, 
1838.  His  father,  Wm.  Coddington,  was  a  native  of  Essex  Co., 
N.  J.,  and  was  born  in  1784.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation. 
At  the  age  of  two  his  parents  moved  to  Maryland,  where  he  grew 
to  manhood.  He  married  his  first  wife  in  Pennsylvania.  Her 
name  is  not  now  remembered  by  William,  His  father,  William 
Coddington,  Sen.,  was  married  twice  after:  his  last  wife  and 
mother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  Miss  Nancy  Price.  In 
1808  his  father  moved  to  Chid  where  Wm,  was  born  and  grew  to 
manhood.  He  moved  to  Shelby  Co.,  Ind.,  and  married  Miss  Miner-' 
va  E,  Kellogg,  in  Oct,,  1865,  He  came  to  :^iis  township  from 
Ind.     His  chrfdren  are  Clara  M.,  Lilly,  Wm.  W.  and  Charlie  E. 

Daniel  3f,  Rankin,  deceased,  was  born  in  Lancaster  Co.,  Penn., 
Oct.  31,  1903.  Mr,  R.  attended  the  schools  of  his  native  State, 
where  he  received  a  good  common  school  education.  He  was 
raised  on  a  farm  until  he  was  seventeen  years  old,  when  he  began 
to  learn  the  trade  of  blacksmith ing.  He  was  united  in  marriage, 
July  7,  1825,  to  Miss  Esther  Lefevre,  a  native  of"  Peiln,  Mrs. 
R,  died  Aug;.  6.  1855.  Thev  had  fourteen  children.  Mr.  Ran- 
kin  has  followed  his  wife  to  that  world  from  whence  no  traveler 
returns.  A  portrait  of  Mr.  R.,  and  also  one  of  his  son,  John  S., 
may  be  found  in  this  work. 

August  Kastens,  a  native  of  Brunswick,  Gr.,  born  in  1839 ;  came 
to  Tazewell  county  in  1832.  He  lives  on  section  13,  where  he  is 
engaged  in  farming;  post-office  address,  Pekin.     He  is  the  son  of 


Gf  RD.  AU^^ 


^"^OTHY  UAR\^^^^ 


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-'O/yjy  GA\^^^ 


Cincinnati  Township. 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  423 

Henry  and  Adelhelt  Kastens.  In  1869,  he  was  married  to  Marga- 
ret Baker.  Louis  Henry  and  Rhoda,  are  their  children.  They 
were  born  in  1870  and  1878  respectively.  He  united  with  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Chureii  in  1870. 

Timothy  Larimore,  a  prominent  farmer  in  this  township,  resides  on 
section  26;  was  born  in  Hampshire  county,  Va.,  in  1826.  His 
parents  were  William  and  Nancy  Larimore.  Mr.  Larimore  is  one 
of  the  oldest  residents  of  Tazewell  Co.,  having  come  to  the  county 
in  1831,  where,  in  the  common  schools  he  received  his  education. 
For  the  last  fifteen  years  Mr.  L.  has  held  some  township  office, 
either  Collector,  Supervisor,  or  some  other  position.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Democrat.  In  1857  he  married  Mary  Dillon.  They  have  had 
six  children  born  to  them,  all  of  whom  are  living.  They  are 
William  Edgar,  Arnold  J.,  Effie  A.,  Lillie  I.,  Alpha  E.,  Udie  E. 
Post-office  address,  Pekin. 

Frank  Loyd,  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  having  been  born 
there  in  1827.  He  came  to  Tazewell  county  in  1865.  He  attended 
only  the  common  schools  of  England.  His  ]iarents  were  Frank 
and  Jane  (Ward)  Loyd.  He  was  married  to  Sophia  Porter,  also  a 
native  of  England.  They  are  the  parents  of  three  children  — 
Frank,  who  was  born  in  1854;  Carrie,  born  in  1856;  and  Jennie, 
born  in  1861.  Mr.  Loyd's  present  wife  he  married  in  April,  1871. 
Her  name  was  Elizabeth  Rankin.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Frank  HarJand  Loyd,  farmer,  and  resides  on  section  19  ;  was  born 
in  Yorkshire,  England,  in  1854.  His  parents,  Frank  and  Sophia 
(Porter)  Loyd,  were  also  of  English  birth  and  parentage.  Frank 
came  to  this  country,  with  his  parents,  in  1865.  He  was  married 
Feb.  5,  1879.  In  politics  he  is  Republican.  Pekin  is  his  post- 
office  address. 

Alonzo  McCain  was  born  in  Peoria,  111.,  in  1839.  His  parents, 
N,  H.  and  Harriet  McCain,  were  from  Ohio.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  Peoria.  In  1862,  when  treason 
was  gaining  victories  at  the  South  over  our  Government,  he  enlisted 
in  the  85th  111.  Infantry,  to  help  defend  his  country.  He  served 
three  years  and  three  months,  and  during  this  time  laid  in  i\\e  worst 
prison  pen  of  the  world's  history  for  nine  months  and  ten  days. 
Yes,  for  almost  a  vear  he  was  tortured  with  all  the  fiendishness  the 
ingenuity  of  those  in  charge  of  Andersonville  prison  could  invent. 
Language  can  not  convey  an  idea  of  the  enormity  of  his  suffi^ring. 
Perhaps  the  strongest  way  we  could  put  it  would  be  to  sim])ly  say, 
he  was  confined  in  Andersonville  prison.  He  was  married  Nov.  24, 
1868,  to  Phebe  Davis.  They  have  two  children,  John,  born  Sept. 
5,  1869,  and  A.  E.,  born  January  6,  1871.  Politically  he  is  a 
"  Black  Abolitionist."     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Philip  OH,  farmer,  sec.  13;  P.  O.  address,  Pekin.     Mr.  Olt  was 

born  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  in   1817.     His  parents,  Philip 

and  Catharina  (Schafer)  Olt,  were  also  native  Germans.     At  the  age 

of  thirty-four  he  thought  to  better  his  condition  in  life  by  seeking 

27 


424  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

a  home  in  the  New  World.  He  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  came 
direct  to  this  county,  and  purchased  the  farm  upon  which  he  now 
lives  of  James  Haines.  After  farming  for  four  years  he  moved 
into  Pekin  and  engaged  in  the  butcher  business,  returned  to  his  farm 
and  again  to  Pekin.  He  also  engaged  in  the  brewing  business  at 
Pekin.  In  1856,  after  remaining  from  the  fatherland  for  fifteen 
years,  he  sailed  with  his  family  for  Germany.  He  passed  sixteen 
months  there,  amid  the  pleasant  associations  of  his  earlier  life.  In 
1858  he  was  married  to  Catharina  Sherman.  The  names  of  his 
children  in  order  of  their  births,  are  —  Catharina,  (deceased),  Lena, 
Louisa,  Emma  and  Louis.  Lena  is  the  wife  of  Andrew  Soechtit, 
and  resides  in  Pekin ;  Louisa  is  the  wife  of  Wm.  Horn,  of  Chicago. 

Philip  OR,  Jr.,  son  of  John  and  Margaret  Olt,  and  w^as  born  in 
Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  in  1834.  He  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools  of  Germany,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1852,  and 
engaged  in  farming,  which  pursuit  he  now  follows  on  section  22, 
and  has  been  quite  successful.  In  1856  he  was  married  to  Margaret 
Pepper.  They  have  four  children  —  Catharena,  born  in  1861; 
Margaret,  born  in  1863 ;  Leonard,  born  in  1865 ;  and  Philip,  born 
in  1868.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Robert  Portufield  McClintock  is  a  native  of  this  county,  having  been 
born  here  in  1841.  His  parents,  Robert  and  Mary  Mc  Clintock,  were 
from  Augusta  county,  Va.  All  his  opportunities  for  an  education 
were  in  the  common  schools  of  this  county.  He  resides  upon  sec- 
tion 24,  where  he  is  engaged  in  forming.  In  1872,  Dec.  9,  Char- 
lotte Hafliger  and  he  were  married.  They  have  three  children. 
Cyrus  Eugene  was  born  in  1873,  Letitia  Ann,  born  in  1875  and 
Clara  Mable,  born  in  1878. 

John  S.  Ranki7i  is  a   native   of  Tazewell    county   and    a   son   of 
Daniel  M.  and  Esther  Rankin.     He  received  his  education  in  such 
schools  as  was  offered  him  at  home.     He  is  engaged  in  farming  on 
section  14  of  this  township.     He  is  a  Republican  in  political  views. 
Post-office  address,  Pekin. 

John  N.  ReiUng  was  born  in  the  village  of  Hergeshousen,  Hesse 
Darmstadt,  Germany,  Nov.  17,  1834.  He  came  to  the  L^nited 
States  in  1846  and  settled  at  Gettysburg,  Penn.,  and  came  to  this 
county  in  1867.  The  famous  and  bloody  battle  of  Gettysburg  was 
fought  on  his  farm.  His  parents  were  Wendel  and  Magdalena 
(Seltzer)  Reiling,  natives  of  Germany.  On  the  14th  of  June,  1870, 
Mr.  R.  was  united  in  marriage  with  Catherine  M.  Starck.  Their 
children  are,  John  Edward,  born  May  7th,  1871,  and  Philip  Martin, 
born  March  16th,  1873.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Reiling,  George  and 
Magdalena  (Morehead)  Starck,  were  natives  of  Hess  Darmstadt. 
She  came  to  this  county  June  14,  1870.  She  and  her  husband  are 
members  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  Mr.  R's  post- 
office  address  is  Pekin. 

Gottfried  Schrech,  farmer,  P.  O.,  Pekin ;  was  born  in  Saxe  Coburg, 
Ger.,  March  6,  1821.     His  parents  were  Gottfried  and  Christiana 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  425 

Schreck.  Mr.  S.  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of 
Germany  and  came  to  this  county  July  6,  1855,  and  resides  on  sec- 
tion 12.  His  wife,  Susanah  Eichlieber,  became  such  in  1849. 
Their  children  are  —  Adam  Jacob,  born  in  1853,  Jan.  31,  and 
Elizabeth,  born  ]March  22,  1855.  He  has  been  connected  with  the 
Evangelical  Luthern  Church  since  1858. 

Jacob  Stockcrt  was  born  May  13,  1817,  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Ger- 
many. He  thought  to  better  his  condition  in  life  by  coming  to 
America,  which  move  he  made  in  1854,  arriving  in  Missouri  in  June 
of  that  year.  He  remained  there  but  a  little  time,  ho\\Tver,  when 
he  came  to  Illinois  and  located  in  Tazewell  county.  Mr.  S.  is  a 
well  informed  man  on  the  general  topics  of  the  day.  He  received 
a  liberal  education  in  Germany,  and,  although  devoting  his  attention 
to  farming,  he  takes  a  deep  interest  in  geology,  astronomy  and  other 
kindred  sciences.  He  is  also  a  practical  mechanic,  making  articles 
of  use  and  convenience  for  family  and  farm  use.  Mr.  S.  is  consid- 
erable of  a  philosopher  and  enjoys  tracing  eifects  to  their  causes. 
On  his  farm,  section  12,  are  three  veins  of  coal  which  are  not  over 
fortv  feet  from  the  surface.  He  has  found  relics  of  Indian  and  sav- 
age warfare  on  his  place,  which  goes  to  show  that  the  Indians  once 
had  a  destructive  battle  there.  In  1845  he  was  wedded  to  Mary 
Catharina  Schwim,  who  died  Aug.  5,  1867.  She  bore  him  five  chil- 
dren onlv  one  of  whom,  Jacob  Stockcrt,  jr.  is  now  living.  Mr.  S. 
is  a  member  of  the  Evangelical  Luthern  Church.  Post-office, 
Pekin. 

George  Skvhr,  farmer,  was  born  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  in 
1825.  His  parents  were  George  Nicholas  and  Elizabeth  (Hilbert) 
Stoehr.  He  came  to  this  county  May  25,  1847,  and  resides  on  sec- 
tion 20,  Cincinnati  township.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  his  native  country  and  followed  the  tailoring  business 
there.  Mr.  S.  held  the  office  of  Supervisor  of  his  township  for  six 
consecutive  terms.  He  has  been  twice  married.  In  1852  he  was 
joined  in  marriage  with  Elizabeth  Eidman.  His  second  marriage 
was  to  Mary  M.  Weiroch.  His  children  are  Mary  Ellen,  born  in 
1861;  Alice  L.,  born  in  1863;  Louisa  W.,  born  in  1865;  George 
Henrv,  born  in  1869;  Laura,  born  in  1872,  and  Charles,  born  in 
1875.'  Elizabeth,  the  child  of  his  former  marriage,  is  the  wife  of 
Peter  Meisinger.     Post-office  address,  Pekin. 

Enoch  P.  Walker.  In  1832,  while  Jesse  and  Sarah  Walker  were 
living  in  Shelby  county.  111.,  they  had  born  unto  them  a  son,  whom 
they  christened  Enoch.  Twenty-four  years  thereafter  we  find  he 
was  married  to  Clarissa  Davis,  also  a  native  lUinoisan.  Their  chil- 
dren number  seven  —  five  of  them  living,  two  dead.  Their  names 
are  Thomas  F.,  Sarah,  Annie  J.,  Emma,  Ella,  Harvey  and  Enoch. 
Ella  and  Enoch  sleep  in  their  graves.  ]\Ir.  Walker  is  engaged  in 
farming  upon  section  26.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Jacob  Wcijhrich,  a  native  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  was  born 
in  1832  and  came  to  this  county  in  1857.     His  parents  were  Philip 


426  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

and  Elizabeth  (Stoehr)  Weyhrich.  He  was  educated  in  German 
schools,  and  since  his  coming  here  has  held  the  office  of  School 
Director.  The  same  year  Mr.  W.  came  to  Tazewell  county  he  took 
unto  himself  a  wife  in  the  person  of  Mary  Kulper.  They  are  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  three  of  whom  sleep  with  the  dead.  These 
.are,  Louis,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years,  John,  a  baby  of  four 
months,  and  Catherine  was  taken  from  them,  a  girl  of  eight  sum- 
mers. The  children  living  are  Philip,  born  Oct.  11,  1858;  Eliza- 
beth, born  May  20,  1860;  George,  born  April  2,  1864;  Peter,  born 
Sept.  20,  1868";  Eve,  born  Feb.  18,  1870,  and  Jacob,  born  Nov.  15, 
1874.  Mr.  W.  is  a  member  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran.  Church. 
Post-office,  Pekin. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  township  officials  from  its  organization 

to  the  present  time,  with  dates  of  the  years  served : 

SUPERVISORS. 

Samuel  P.  Bailey 1850-52  John  W.  Coleman 1863-65 

Lemuel  Allen 1853-54  James  S.  Hawkins 1866 

G.H.Rupert 1855-57  Timothv  Larimore 1867-68 

Samuel  P.  Bailev 1858  John  Ei'dman 1869-72 

Samuel  Woodrow 1859  George  Stoehr 1873-78 

James  Hawkins 1860-61  John  Eidman 1879 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

James  R.  Babcock 1854-58  John  H.  Baker 1868-76 

W.  F.  Copes 1859-61  John  H.  Baker. 1877 

F.B.  Chapman 1803-66  T.  Larimore 1878-79 

Wm.  L.  Pratt 1867 

ASSESSORS. 

Thomas  King 1854  G.  G.  McClintock 1865 

Geo.  H.Pike 1855  E.T.Williams 1866 

Samuel  Woodrow 1856  Bennett  Bailey 1867-68 

John  Coleman 1857  G.W.Mitchell 1869 

Samuel  Woodrow 1858  Bennett  Bailey 1870 

John  Coleman 1859  Timothy  Larimore 1871-72 

EnosWest 1860  Leonard  A.  Beck 18?8 

Thomas  A.  Orr. 1861  John  Hatfield 1874-76 

EnosWest 1863  James  S.  Hawkins 1877-79 

Theodore  Tharp 1864 

COLLECTORS. 

EnosWest 1854  Andrew  Arnote 1867 

Joel  White 1855  John  Hatfield 1868 

ApollasCane 1856-58  George  Stoehr 1869 

EnosWest 1859  John  Lohnes 1870 

A.  J.  Arnott 1860  J.H.Baker 1871 

EnosWest 1861  Timothv  Larimore -  1874 

Thomas  A.  Orr 1863-64  J.  H.  Baker 1875-76 

M.  P.  Chapman 1865  T,  Larimore 1877-79 

T.  Larimore I860 


MARY  M.STOEHR. 


GEORGE    STOEH  R 


CINCINNATI    TOWNSHIP 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  427 


DEER  CREEK  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  received  its  name  from  the  creek  which  runs 
through  it,  by  that  name,  and  it  was  christened  by  Major  R.  N. 
Cullom.  James  Allaway  was  the  first  settler  in  the  township,  and 
Major  Cullom  the  next.  Soon  came  John  Small,  James  Harvey,  A. 
Hughes,  Eli  Swarens,  James  Perry,  James  Robinson,  James  Har- 
land,  and  others.  None  of  these  are  living,  and  but  few  of  their 
descendants  now  reside  here.  Juliette  B.,  daughter  of  R.  N.  and 
Betsy  Cullom,  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  township.  The 
day  of  her  birth  was  January  22,  1832.  She  is  the  wife  of  Alvord 
Parker,  of  Sedalia,  Mo.  The  first  death  in  the  township  occurred 
in  November,  1830.  It  was  the  death  of  James,  infant  son  of 
Major  Cullom,  and  twin  brother  to  Governor  Cullom.  The  first 
school  taught  here  was  by  Nancy  Parker,  on  section  27,  in  1835. 
Rev.  William  Brown,  an  M.  E.  preacher,  delivered  the  first  sermon, 
at  the  residence  of  James  Perry,  in  1833.  There  are  now  three 
Churches  in  the  township  —  Baptist,  Presbyterian  and  Methodist. 

Deer  Creek  Baptist  Church  is  located  on  Wm.  Huxtable's  farm, 
section  4.  They  have  good  frame  edifice,  28  by  40  feet,  which  was 
erected  in  1868,  at  a  cost  of  ^2,000.  The  congregation  was  organ- 
ized Jan.  22,  1860,  with  the  following  members:  C.  Shaffer,  W. 
Huxtable,  AV.  Lockwood,  B.  C.  Allen,  W.  Ammerman,  Joseph 
Green  and  their  families,  and  others  to  the  number  of  35.  The 
following  pastors  have  served  the  Church :  Rev.  A.  J.  Ammerman, 
Geo.  Sutherland,  W.  E.  James  and  H.  A.  Nixon.  The  present 
officers  of  the  Church  are  James  F.  Lane  and  \Vra.  Huxtable.  The 
present  membership  is  61,  who  contribute  for  the  support  of  the 
Church  $600  per  year.  They  have  a  Sunday-school,  which  was 
organized  in  1869,  with  an  average  attendance  of  73;  annual  con- 
tribution, $25. 

Deer  Creek  Presbyterian  Church  building  is  a  good  plain  frame, 
located  on  section  8.  The  pastors  who  have  served  this  congrega- 
tion are  W.  L.  Adams,  Rev.  Mr.  Wood,  John  Wilson,  and  the 
present  pastor,  Thomas  Martin.  The  Elders  of  the  Church  are 
Peter  Doward  and  G.  W.  Smith,  The  congregation  raises  $640  per 
year.     They  have  a  Sunday-school,  with  an  attendance  of  68. 

The  Deer  Creek  Methodist  Church  is  located  on  the  northwest 
quarter  of  section  20.     It  is  a  good  frame  edifice. 

There  are  four  whole  and  four  fractional  school  districts  in  the 


428  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

township.  The  character  of  schools  are  good  ;  the  County  Superin- 
tendent pronounces  them  first-class.  The  streams  in  the  township 
are,  the  Mackinaw  river,  Allaway's  branch,  and  Deer  creek.  The 
arcliJBologist  could  find  a  rich  field  for  investigation  in  this  township, 
near  these  streams.  On  section  35  is  a  mound  in  which  has  been 
found  the  remains  of  Indians.  Mr.  Joseph  Dean  dug  into  one  of 
the  mounds  here,  preparatory  to  erecting  a  building.  Among  other 
curious  remains  was  a  grave  of  three  diiferent  departmen*^^,  one 
above  the  other,  and  separated  by  layers  of  clay.  In  the  top  one 
was  one  skeleton,  while  in  the  second  and  third  were  two  each. 
The  bodies  appear  to  have  been  burned,  or  else  the  grave  had  con- 
tained fire  before  their  interment,  for  there  were  ashes  and  coals  in 
the  graves,  and  the  walls  of  the  graves  were  burned  until  red  as 
brick.  The  bones  were  quite  entire.  One  skull  was  perfect,  and 
every  tooth  in  its  place,  and  retaining  their  gloss  as  in  life.  One 
thigh  bone  was  found,  judged  to  be  three  inches  longer  than  that  of 
a  man  six  feet  in  height.  Flint  darts,  or  arrow  heads,  some  ten  to 
twelve  inches  long,  made  of  red  flint,  were  found.  A  stone  hatchet 
with  stone  handle,  solid,  and  which  weighed  six  or  seven  pounds, 
was  found  here.  Also  a  grindstone  about  a  foot  in  diameter,  of 
same  material  as  the  hatchet.  A  material  similar  to  plush  or  red 
flannel  was  found  with  the  skeleton  in  the  upper  grave.  These 
were  exhumed  some  fifteen  years  ago. 

Mr.  Perry  M.  Stephens  tells  of  a  burying  place  here,  where  the 
inmates  of  the  graves  were  hurried  in  a  sitting  posture.  One,  which 
was  found,  had  his  steel  trap  and  gun  by  his  side.  There  was  also 
a  lock  of  hair  done  up  with  a  little  silver  band  and  plate.  Upon 
this  plate  was  a  rude  engraving  of  a  woman.  We  might  surmise 
that  the  individual  consigned  to  this  tomb  was  a  chief,  and  the  lock 
of  hair  was  given  by  his  sweetheart ;  and  the  engraving  represented 
she  whom  he  loved.  These  were  exl»;,'med  near  the  iron  bridge 
over  the  Mackinaw.  .'' 

There  is  a  post-office  in  the  centef  'of  the  township  by  the  name 
of  Deer  Creek.  On  section  32,  John  W.  Osborn  laid  off  the  town 
of  New  Castle,  in  1861.  In  giving  the  history  of  the  township,  we 
would  also  mention  a  few  of  the  p*.,'{3ons  who  have  and  are  making 
its  history.     Among  this  number  we  find 

Eri  Bogardus,  residence,  section  21.  Post-office  address,  Deer 
Creek. 

Abraham  Chaffer,  deceased.  Mr.  Chaffer  was  born  in  Essex  Co., 
Eng.   March    6,   1806.     His   parents,    John    and   Mary   (Stanley) 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  429 

ChaiFer,  were  also  English  by  birth.  When  ready  to  embark  in 
life  for  himself  he  looked  to  the  United  States  for  a  home,  and  a 
field  to  labor  in.  He  accordingly  crossed  the  ocean,  in  1832,  and 
three  years  later  came  to  this  county.  Before  he  left  England  he 
had  learned  the  wheelwright's  trade  and  worked  at  it  until  he  bade 
his  native  land  adieu.  He  came  here  and  engaged  in  farming,  and, 
until  shortly  before  his  death,  he  continued  at  that  pursuit.  He 
died  March  5th,  1874,  respected  and  loved  by  all  who  knew  him. 
He  h  id  retired  from  business  and  moved  into  Washington  only  a 
few  months  before  his  death.  He  held  many  local  official  positions, 
and  had  the  contidance  of  the  whole  community.  Soon  after  com- 
ing to  this  country  he  married  Eliza  Osborn,  in  New  York  City. 
She  died  Dec.  19th,  1845.  He  was  again  married,  Feb.  5,  1847,  to 
Sarah  Huxtable,  who  was  born  Sept.  11,  1817,  in  England,  and 
came  to  this  county  in  1838.  She  lives  with  her  sons,  Daniel,  who 
resides  at  Washington,  and  Elijah,  who  lives  at  the  old  homestead. 
Her  P.  O.  address  is  Morton. 

James  Cornwell  is  the  youngest  subscriber  w^e  have  for  this  work, 
and  was  encouraged  to  interest  himself  in  it  by  his  mother,  Susan 
(Little)  Cornwell.  His  father's  name  was  Price  Cornwell,  both 
his  parents  were  natives  of  Ohio.  James  was  born  in  Belmont 
Co.,  Ohio.,  Aug.  24,  1864,  and  was  brought  to  this  county  in  1872. 
He  is  yet  a  scholar  in  attendance  upon  the  common  schools,  and  has 
a  choice  for  farming.     Residence  sec.  6  ;  P.  O.,  Washington. 

Henry  Danforth,  farmer,  sec.  8;  P.  O.,  Washington;  was  born  in 
St.  Albans,  Vt.,  Feb.  26,  1823.  He  is  the  son  of  Jonathan  R.  and 
Amanda  (Walker)  Danforth,  also  natives  of  St.  Albans.  He  came 
West  when  young,  and  in  1848  located  in  this  county  poor,  but  now 
owns  480  acres  of  fine  land.  He  does  not  believe  in  the  credit 
system  and  has  not  asked  for  credit  for  twenty  years.  Jan.  12, 
1846,  he  was  married  to  Abigail  Hathaway,  of  Swanton,  Vt. 
They  have  had  born  to  them  six  children.  —  Jonathan  R.,  born  Jan. 
19,1847;  Henry  P.,  Dec.  28,  1849;  Byson  W.,  Jan.  23,  1852; 
Louis  J.,  Sept.  13,  1858  ;  James  A.,  April  23,  1861 ;  Mary  A.,  Sept. 
7,  1863.  Jonathan  died  May  7,  1863.  Mr.  D.  united  with  the  M. 
E.  Church  in  1854;  politically.  Republican. 

William   Huxtable,  farn         sec.  4 ;    P.  O.,  Cooper ;  was  born  in 
Devonshire,   Eng.,  Nov.  <21.     His  parents,  George   and  Ann 

(Rottenberry)  Huxtable.  English  people.     They  left  that  coun- 

try, crossed'the  Atlantic '  ^^^^'  were  landed  on  the  shore  of  America 
with   their  eight  chi'  and   by  the   year  1838   arrived   in   this 

county,  where   they  .d  the  remainder  of  their  earth-life.     He 

came  here  a  young  "In,  and  ^  -r  a  period  of  over  forty  years  has 
lived  an  exemplary  life,  honored  and  respected  by  all.  For  a  period 
of  thirty  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  first 
uniting  with  the  Church  at  Tremont.  He  has  served  eight  years  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  given  satisfaction.  His  life  thus  fiir  has 
been  successful.     He  now  possesses  530  acres  of  good  land.     Jan.  1, 


430  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

1846,  he  was  married  to  Barbara  Robison,  daughter  of  James  and 
Isabella  Robison,  of  Elm  Grove.  His  wife  died  and  he  was  again 
married,  in  1879,  Feb.  19,  to  Levina  Culbertson,  daughter  of  Chris- 
topher and  Elizabeth  SchsefFer,  of  Morton. 

John  Sampson,  farmer,  sec.  5  ;  P.  O.  address,  Washington.  Mr.  S. 
was  born  in  Penn.  in  1818,  Dec.  25.  He  is  of  Irish-German  descent. 
He  came  into  Tazewell  Co.  in  1847,  where  he  has  since  lived  a 
respected  citizen  and  kind  neighbor.  He  had  only  such  advantages 
for  an  education  as  the  common  schools  of  pioneer  times  afforded. 
He  is  married  and  the  parent  of  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are 
living. 

John  Small  came  to  this  county  from  Kentucky  in  1833.  He 
was  born  in  Christian  Co.,  of  that  State,  Aug.  20,  1818.  John 
and  Mary  (Mason)  Small,  his  parents,  were  Virginians.  John 
attended  subscription  schools  when  small,  and  has  always  followed 
the  occupation  of  a  farmer,  and  now  resides  on  the  original  home- 
stead of  the  Small  family,  sec.  22,  and  is  engaged  in  farming.  Jan. 
13,  1847,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Nancy  Ramsey,  Avho  was 
born  Aug.  23,  1827,  in  Franklin  Co.,  O.  The  union  has  been 
blessed  with  nine  children  —  Eliza  Ann,  born  Dec.  7,  1847;  Martha 
E.,  Jan.  15,  1850;  Sarah  A.,  Nov.  18,  1851;  Wm.  M.,  Oct.  22, 
1853;  Millard  F.,  Oct.  23,  1855;  James  C,  Nov,  2,  1857;  Robert 
F.,  Nov,  29,  1859  ;  Mary  J.,  Dec.  4,  1861 ;  Clara  L.,  Jan.  20,  1869. 
Post-office,  Deer  Creek. 

Perry  M.  Stephens,  farmer,  sec.  28 ;  P.  O.,  Deer  Creek.  This 
gentleman  is  the  son  of  Milo  and  Sally  (Purdy)  Stephens,  of 
Genesee  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  was  born  in  Muskingum  Co.,  O.,  Aug.  10, 
1820.  When  but  thirteen  years  old  he  was  brought  to  this  county. 
He  learned  the  potter's  trade  and  followed  it  for  some  years.  At 
the  time  we  called  upon  Mr.  S.,  which  was  Mar.  29,  1879,  no  other 
man,  save  Robert  and  John  Small,  had  been  longer  in  Deer  Creek 
township  than  he.  He  has  held  minor  local  offices,  but  has  been  no 
office  seeker.  Jan.  14,  1847,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Jane  Small, 
who  was  born  Oct.  17,  1822.  There  have  been  born  to  them  five 
children  —  Sarah  L.,  born  Sept.  6,  1848;  Margaret  A.,  Nov.  27, 
1850;  Catharine,  Sept.  1,  1853;  John  M,,  Dec.  4,  1857;  Robert  A., 
April  1,  1862.     Two  of  the  girls  are  dead. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  served  the  township,  since  its  organ- 
ization, in  the  various  official  positions  and  during  the  years  named : 

SUPERVISORS. 

Eichard  N.  Cullom 1850-51  James  Mitchell 1865 

E.  H.  Durham 1852  R.  N.  Cullom 1866 

E.  Bogardus 1853  Abraham  Chaffer 1867-68 

Edward  H.  Durham 1854-55  Alex.  Small 1869 

James  Mitchell 185(i-57  Eri  Bogardus 1870-76 

John  Q.  Adams 1858  George  H.  Small 1877-78 

Alex.  Small 1859-63  James  Mitchell 1879 

Eri  Bogardus 1864 


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Delavan, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  433 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

David  H.  Sherman 1854  D.  H.  Sherman 1864 

T.  A.Crane 1855  Tunis  TenEytk 1865-70 

David  H.  Sherman 1856-57  Wm.  A.  Cory 1871-72 

Vivian  Cloud 1858  John  R.  Small 187S-75 

David  H.  Sherman 1859  Wilbur  Allen 1876 

William  R.  Miles 1860  John  R.  Small 1877-78 

T.  A.  Crane 1861-63 

ASSESSORS. 

Joseph  Dressier 1854-55  Vivian  Cloud 1864-66 

Vivian  Cloud 1856  T.A.Crane 1867 

John  Q.  Adams 1857  Dennis  Osborne 1868-70 

Joseph  Dressier 1858-59  Geo.  W.  Smith  1871-74 

Wesley  B.  Harvev  1860  Dennis  Osborne 1875-77 

David  Sherman..". 1861  Wilbur  Allen 1878 

A.  Chaffer 1863 

COLLECTORS. 

Alex.  Small 1854-55  T.  Ten  Eyck 1868 

Joseph  Dressier 1856  P.M.Stephens 1869-70 

Andrew  Muckey 1857  T.  B.  Lane 1871 

David  H.  Sherman 1858  H.  B.  Smith 1872 

Wm.  R.Miles 1S59  George  H.  Small 1873 

Joseph  Dressier 1860  John  Lavten 1874 

H.  C  Cullom 1861  John  R.  Small 1875 

L.  C.  Fisher 1863-64  Wm.  S.  Pierce 1876 

John  Vancamp 1865  John  Minnich 1877 

Henry  Kingman 1866  Wm.  S.  Pierce 1878 

P.  M.  Stephens 1867 


DELAVAN  TOWNSHIP. 

The  history  of  Delavan  is  peculiar  to  itself.  It  began  with  the 
Western  trip  of  Deacon  Jonas  E..  Gale,  which  was  made  in  1836. 
Having  met  Mr.  Wright,  of  Dillon,  in  the  East,  the  latter  invited 
him,  in  case  he  came  West,  to  be  sure  and  make  him  a  visit.  Dea- 
con Gale,  after  making  arrangements  to  settle  at  Alton,  started  for 
home,  with  the  intention  of  visiting  Tazewell  county  on  the  way. 
He  was  struck  with  the  beautiful  prairie  land,  which  then  abounded 
in  all  kinds  of  game,  and  he  conceived  the  idea  of  having  a  colony, 
from  Providence,  R.  I.,  settle  on  these  lands.  At  Tremont  he  fell 
in  with  Mr.  Edward  C.  Delavan,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  who  took  great 
interest  in  the  proposed  colony.  The  result  was,  that  an  organiza- 
tion was  formed,  with  a  capital  of  over  $20,000,  and  20,000  or 
22,000  acres  of  land  were  entered.  Over  fifty  heads  of  families 
agreed  to  come  West  and  settle  upon  these  lands,  or  to  send  a  sub- 
stitute to  do  so.  Accordingly  the  land  was  laid  off  in  160-acre 
farms.     A  town  lot  of  300  square  feet  went  with  each  farm,  as  it 


434  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

was  thought  the  people  would  want  to  live  in  town  in  winter.  The 
farms  were  bid  off  at  auction,  at  Providence,  so  much  being  paid  as 
choice  money,  independently  of  the  regular  price  of  the  land ;  the 
amount,  in  some  cases,  ran  up  to  $1,000.     Henry  R.  Green,  Deacon 

L.  Allen  and Harris  were  the  locating  committee,  and  the  first 

gentleman  named  was  the  financial  agent.  Two  rules  of  the  associ- 
ation were,  that  the  place  should  be  called  Delavan,  and  that  it 
should  be  a  temperance  town.  In  1837,  the  company  sent  out 
carpenters  and  material  to  erect  the  Delavan  House,  which  was  to 
be  divided  into  compartments  suitable  for  family  house-keeping,  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  settlers,  till  they  should  be  able  to  build 
upon  their  own  places.  Part  of  the  material  for  this  building  was 
shipped  from  Providence,  via  New  Orleans  and  Pekin,  part  from 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  part  came  from  the  Mackinaw.  The  material 
for  a  few  dwellings  was  brought  from  the  East.  W.  W.  Grossman, 
with  his  family,  accompanied  the  carpenters,  and  his  wife  saw  no 
white  woman  for  three  months.  She  lived  until  the  winter  of 
1874,  and  was  therefore  a  witness  of  the  entire  growth  of  the  com- 
munity. Mr.  Grossman  still  lives,  and  enjoys  pretty  fair  health  in 
his  old  age.  Gomparatively  few  of  those  who  enrolled  themselves 
as  actual  settlers  came  West,  and  the  growth  cf  the  colony  was  not 
as  vigorous  as  had  been  expected.  The  Deacon  left  Alton  about 
18  months  after  the  first  settlement,  and  has  lived  in  Delavan  ever 
since.  Himself  and  Mr.  Grossman  are  the  only  surviving  members 
of  the  original  colony,  James  Phillips,  another  member,  was 
closely  identified  with  the  place,  died  not  long  ago.  In  1840,  Ira  B. 
Hall  came  to  Delavan  and  opened  the  Delavan  House  as  a  hotel, 
though  some  slight  accommodations  had  been  offered  there  previ- 
ous to  this.  The  stage  line  from  Ghicago  via  Peoria  to  Springfield, 
passed  about  one-half  mile  west  of  the  village,  and  about  four 
months  after  Mr.  Hall  opened  the  hotel,  Delavan  was  made  a  stage 
stand.  The  telegraph  line  was  put  up  in  1850,  and  Delavan  became 
an  important  point.  But  a  little  later,  before  the  G.  &  A.  railroad 
was  built,  the  poles  were  taken  down,  the  stage  withdrawn,  and  the 
place  became  shut  out  from  the  world.  Atlanta  was  the  nearest 
railroad  point,  and  thither  the  people  carried  their  produce,  and 
made  many  of  their  purchases.  This  continued  till  1868,  when  the 
branch  of  the  G.  &  A.  road  was  completed,  and  from  this  time  the 
place  began  to  grow  with  great  rapidity.  The  first  store  was  kept 
by  a  man  named  West,  who  was  also  the  first  postmaster,  and  who 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  435 

was  succeeded  by  Ira  B.  Hall.  It  seems  that  James  Phillips 
bought  out  West  and  kept  a  small  stock  of  goods  for  a  time.  Geo. 
Straut  and Putnam  came  along  one  day  with  a  one  horse  ped- 
dlers' wagon,  and  they  traded  the  horse  and  wagon  with  Phillips 
for  the  goods.  Putnam  kept  the  store,  and  Mr.  Straut,  who  was  a 
blacksmith  by  trade,  went  back  to  St.  Louis  to  work.  After  a  time 
he  returned  to  Delavan,  worked  a  while  at  blacksmithing,  increased 
his  stock  of  goods,  and  was  soon  doing  a  prosperous  business.  Mr. 
Straut  became  interested  in  Mason  City  and  amassed  considerable 
property,  and  now  has  an  influential  voice  in  the  affairs  of  the  C.  & 
A.  railroad. 

At  a  meeting  held  in  April,  1850,  the  township  was  organized, 
and  the  following  officers  were  elected :  Supervisor,  W.  W.  Cross- 
man  ;  town-clerk,  Charles  Grant ;  assessor,  Daniel  Reid ;  collector, 
Geo.  P.  Vincent ;  overseer  of  poor,  W.  S.  Caswell ;  commissioner 
of  highways,  Geo.  Teift,  AV.  S.  Caswell,  Folsom  Dorsett ;  constables, 
Geo.  P.  Vincent  and  John  Reese;  justices  of  the  peace,  W.  S.  Cas- 
well, AV.  C.  Clark;  overseer  of  highways,  Hugh  Reid;  pound- 
master,  Simon  Goodal.  There  is,  perhaps,  nothing  of  general 
interest  in  the  history  of  the  township  till  the  time  of  the  war, 
when  an  event  occurred  which  was  the  cause  of  no  little  excitement. 
It  was  this : 

Some  time  in  1864,  Mr.  James  H.  McKinstry,  who  had  been 
chosen  special  agent  by  the  town  to  provide  volunteers,  in  order  to 
fill  out  the  necessary  quota,  and  thus  avoid  a  draft,  lost  |4,106  of 
the  funds  subscribed  for  this  purpose,  under  the  following  circum- 
stances. Mr.  Mc'K.,  while  at  Springfield  looking  for  men,  learned 
that  a  number  could  be  obtained  at  Alton,  as  Mr.  Stephen  Hobort, 
of  Tremont,  was  going  there,  Mr.  McK.  handed  him  ^4,106  with 
which  to  procure  men  in  that  place.  The  money,  as  it  was  claimed, 
was  stolen  from  Mr.  H.  The  important  question  now  arose  as  to 
who  should  bear  the  loss  —  the  township,  the  parties  who  had  sub- 
scribed the  money,  or  one  of  the  •  gentlemen  who  had  handled  it, 
and  which  one.  In  1865,  at  a  town  meeting,  three  resolutions  were 
adopted.  One  to  re-im burse  Mr.  McK. ;  another  to  refund  money 
subscribed  by  individuals  to  avert  the  draft;  a  third  authorizing 
Mr.  McK.  to  bring  suit  against  Mr.  H.  To  procure  money  for  the 
carrying  out  of  these  resolutions,  a  tax  of  3  per  cent,  on  the  assessed 
valuation,  was  ordered  levied  for  town  purposes.  This  was  meant  to 
include,  also,  the  current  expenses  of  the  town.     But  an  assessment 


436  HISTOKY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

of  fifteen  cents  on  $100  was  amply  sufficient  jor  town  purposes,  and 
an  injunction  was  therefore  issued  from  the  Circuit  Court,  restraining 
the  collection  of  this  tax,  on  the  ground  that  such  a  tax  was  not 
necessary  for  town  purposes.  The  injunction  was  confirmed  by  the 
Supreme  Court,  though  it  provided  that  the  town  was  to  bear  the 
expense  incurred  during  the  litigation,  and  then,  after  two  or  three 
years  of  intense  local  excitement,  Mr.  McK.  was  finally  compelled 
to  bear  the  loss  himself. 

DELAY  AN   TOWN. 

In  1858  the  village  of  Delavan  was  incorporated,  but  opposition 
to  the  movement  was  so  strong  that  the  Trustees  elected  did  not 
qualify,  and  the  incorporation  seems  to  have  fallen  through.  It  was 
organized  Oct.  2,  1865,  when  it  was  voted  to  establish  the  corpora- 
poration  to  include  the  old  town  proper,  and  its  platted  additions. 
The  following  were  the  first  officials  :  Trustees — E.  O.  Jones,  pres- 
ident ;  L.  P.  Flynt,  clerk ;  J.  C.  Appleton,  Stephen  C.  Hobart, 
Wm.  B.  Orrell,  and  P.  Clark ;  city  marshal,  J.  H.  Upham ;  col- 
lector, Wm.  Vaughn ;  treasurer,  D.  L.  Whittemore.  The  village 
was  incorporated  under  the  new  State  law  in  July,  of  1872,  with  the 
following  Trustees :  Theo.  Van  Hague,  president ;  Wm.  H.  Phil- 
lips, clerk ;  P.  D.  Stockwell,  Henry  Kingman,  John  Carr,  Andrew 
Stubbs  and  John  Warne.  In  1874  the  subject  of  license  or  no 
license  came  up,  and  the  board  stood  four  to  two  against  the  grant- 
ing of  license ;  in  '75,  '76  and  '77  licenses  were  granted ;  but  in  '78 
the  board  was  again  four  to  two  against,  and  in  '79  unanimous 
against  authorizing  the  sale  of  liquor. 

Delavan  is  one  of  the  finest  villages  in  the  West.  It  is  well  laid 
out,  is  abundantly  supplied  with  sidewalks,  has  good  drainage,  is 
lighted  by  about  40  street  lamps,  and  has  a  Babcock  Fire  Co.  and  a 
Hook  and  Ladder  Co.  The  stores  are  numerous  and  confined  to 
one  line  of  goods  as  a  rule ;  the  houses  are  neat,  with  well-kept  gar- 
dens, and  the  entire  surroundings  of  the  place,  together  with  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  inhabitants,  show  at  a  glance  that  the 
community  is  composed  of  Eastern  people.  The  place  has  a  graded 
school,  which,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  J.  S.  McClung  and  his  assist- 
ants, has  become  one  of  the  best  schools  of  the  kind  in  the  State.  A 
school  building  was  erected  at  the  time  the  Delavan  House  was  con- 
structed, and  this  building  was  also  used  for  some  time  as  a  church. 
It  is  still  standing.     About  nineteen  years  ago  another  building,  with 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  437 

two  rooms,  was  put  up,  which  was  used  till  1871,  when  a  fine  brick 
edifice  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  not  far  from  $25,000.  It  was  com- 
pleted in  the  fall  and  in  the  following  December  it  was  destroyed  by- 
fire.  An  insurance  of  $22,000  on  the  building  and  furniture  had 
been  secured,  and  a  new  building,  after  the  same  design,  was  erected 
in  1872,  at  a  cost  to  the  district  of  only  $250. 

There  are  four  churches  in  the  place.  The  oldest  one  is  the 
Baptist. 

Baptist  Church  was  organized  Dec.  17th,  1846,  with  Deacons 
Henry  R.  Green,  Jonas  R.  Gale,  and  Joseph  Grant,  John  Daniels, 
Annes  Green,  Cynthia  M.  Gale,  Sarah  Grant,  Eunice  Hall  and  Mary 
Ann  Phillips,  as  constituent  members.  The  pastors,  from  the  organ- 
ization to  the  present  time,  have  been.  Rev.  Nelson  Alvord,  John 
Scrogins,  S.  S.  Martin,  Wm.  C.  Pratt,  R.  Morey,  L.  L.  Lansing 
and  T.  P.  Campbell,  who  is  now  pastor  and  has  served  as  such  since 
January  24,  1872.  The  meeting  house  was  dedicated  April  2,  1854. 
The  parsonage  was  finished  during  the  year  1868,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$2,500.  In  April,  1861,  twenty-three  members  were  dismissed  to 
organize  a  Baptist  Church  at  Green  Valley,  Illinois,  and  on  Septem- 
ber 5,  1868,  nine  were  dismissed  to  organize  a  Baptist  Church  at 
San  Jose,  Mason  Co.,  111.  Two  of  the  former  members,  Daniel 
Drake  and  Chas.  A.  Reese,  are  ordained  Baptist  ministers.  The 
former  has  been  a  missionary  to  the  Telegoos  for  the  last  five  years, 
and  the  latter  is  now  the  pastor  of  a  church  in  Roxbury,  Mass. 
There  have  been  four  clerks  since  the  organization  of  the  Church  — 
J.  R.  Gale,  D.  A.  Cheever,  Daniel  Cheever  (who  served  in  that 
capacity  for  twenty-three  years)  and  A.  B.  Cheever.  The  officers  of 
the  Church  at  the  present  time  are,  Deacons,  Edward  Drake,  W, 
Bower  and  T.  E.  Ward ;  Trustees,  G.  D.  Randolph,  J.  S.  Hemstreet 
and  Geo,  Drake ;  Clerk  of  Church,  A.  B.  Cheever.  The  Church 
now  numbers  about  165  members. 

M.  E.  Church.  The  M.  E.  Church  was  organized  about  1850, 
and  was  at  first  merely  a  circuit  station.  George  Miller  and  John 
Webster  are  said  to  have  been  the  earliest  preachers  in  charge.  The 
first  church  building  was  erected  about  the  year  '52,  and  it  is  still  in 
existence.  A  few  years  ago  a  fine  brick  church  was  built,  and  is  a 
very  commodious  building.  The  church  was  organized  with  about 
20  members,  among  whom  were  the  following :  Samuel  Hall,  Sam- 
uel Briggs,  Jesse  Trowbridge,  John  Fraze  and  Levi  Cheever.  There 
is  a  parsonage  in  connection  with  the  church.  At  present  the  mem- 
bership includes  about  175  persons. 


438  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

Presbyterian.  On  the  19th  of  June,  1855,  Rev.  W.  T.  Adams 
and  Elder  Cantrell  organized  this  church,  consisting  of  twenty-two 
members,  viz  :  Wm.  Dorrence  and  Mary  J.,  his  wife  ;  J.  C.  Duncan 
and  Margaret  M.,  his  wife ;  Mrs.  Jane  Davidson,  J.  H.  McKinstry 
and  Sarah  J.,  his  wife ;  Mrs.  Martha  Crawford,  Wm.  E.  McDowell 
and  Elizabeth,  his  wife ;  Miss  Nancy  E,.  Davidson,  Miss  Sarah  Bell 
Davidson,  Mrs.  Susan  Work,  John  McKinstry  and  Anna  M.,  his 
wife ;  Ralph  Martin  and  Eliza,  his  wife ;  John  Harbison,  Thomas 
McKinstry  and  Mary  A.,  his  wife  ;  Jacob  McCollister  and  Catherine, 
his  wife.  J.  C.  Duncan  and  Ralph  Martin  were  elected  ruling 
Elders,  and  John  McKinstry  and  Wm.  E.  McDowell  were  elected 
Deacons,  all  of  whom,  except  Ralph  Martin  (he  having  been  a  ruling 
member  before),  were  ordained  and  installed  in  their  respective 
offices  by  the  committee  of  Presbytery.  The  Lord's  Supper  was 
administered  for  the  first  time  by  Rev.  W.  T.  Adams,  of  Washington, 
Illinois.  In  July,  1857,  being  a  little  more  than  two  years  after  its 
organization,  the  congregation  began  the  building  of  a  house  of 
worship,  which  was  finally  completed  at  a  cost  of  $4,400,  and  dedi- 
cated, free  of  debt,  in  July,  1859,  being  about  two  years  after  the 
work  was  begun.  In  1872,  the  church  building  was  remodeled  and 
enlarged  at  a  cost  of  $4,600.  The  pastors  of  the  church  have  been 
as  follows  :  Rev.  S.  M.  Templeton,  1856-'67  ;  Rev.  Wm.  Baldwin, 
'67-'89  ;  Rev.  R.  C.  Colmery,  '69-'71 ;  Rev.  J.  A.  Hough,  who  was 
installed  in  April,  1872.     The  church  has  about  175  members. 

Catholic.  The  Catholic  Church  was  founded  by  Father  Mur- 
togh,  in  1868.  The  principal  benefactors  were  Messrs.  Ryan,  Leoni 
and  Reardon.  The  membership  numbers  400.  Pastor,  P.  A. 
Macshaur. 

Delavan  has  two  temperance  societies,  the  Good  Templars  and  the 
Washingtonians,  both  vigorous  organizations.  It  has  a  lodge  of 
Odd  Fellows  —  Siloam,  No.  207,  which  was  organized  in  1856,  with 
the  following  charter  members :  S.  W.  Hall,  E.  J.  Davis,  L.  D. 
Smith,  A.  S.  Stilman  and  E.  O.  Jones.  It  has  also  a  lodge  of  A. 
F.  and  A.  M.,  No.  156,  which  received  its  charter  in  1854.  The 
following  were  the  first  members :  W.  W.  Crossman,  W.  M ;  H. 
S.  Latham,  S.  W. ;  and  A.  P.  Littlefield,  J.  W.  Mr.  Crossman  is  the 
oldest  Mason  in  the  State,  having  been  made  a  Master  Mason  in  1814. 

This  township,  with  its  beautiful  village,  is  inhabited  by  an  enter- 
prising, wealthy  and  cultured  people.  In  these  respects  it  compares 
favorably  with  any  portion  of  the  great  Prairie  State  of  like  popu- 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  439 

lation.     We  give  below  personal  sketches  of  some  of  the  leading 
and  representative  people  of  the  township  and  town. 

Joseph  C.  Applcfon  is  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  three  chiklren, 
of  Rev.  Geo.  W.  and  Mary  (Guild)  Applcton,  natives  of  Mass. 
He  was  born  in  Sterling,  Windham  Co.,  Vt.,  May  18,  1825.  His 
father  was  a  Baptist  minister  and  came  to  Delavan  in  1848,  where 
he  died  three  years  later.  His  mother  passed  from  earth  in  1859. 
Joseph  C.  had  a  good  education  and  has  been  actively  identified 
with  the  county's  history  for  over  twenty  years.  He  has  served 
seventeen  years  as  Justice  of  the  Peace.  He  is  by  trade  a  tailor. 
In  1853  he  was  married,  at  Woonsocket,  R.  I.,  to  Frances  Baken. 
They  have  one  child.     Politically  the  'Squire  is  a  Democrat. 

Andrew  W.  Ball  was  born  in  Irvington,  N.  J.,  Mar.  17,  1834. 
In  1836,  his  father,  Amzi  Ball,  moved  West,  to  Fountain,  Ind.,  where 
he  remained  for  fourteen  years.  In  July,  1851,  he  came  to  Tazewell 
county  and  shortly  afterwards  came  to  Delavan.  His  mother's 
maiden  name  was  Mary  Meeker.  When  a  young  man  Mr.  Ball 
taught  school  during  the  winter  and  worked  in  summer,  and  by  dili- 
gence has  made  life  a  success.  He  is  the  possessor  of  80  acres  of 
land  here  and  nearly  400  in  Champaign  Co.  On  the  27th  of  Dec, 
1855,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Elizabeth  Mosely,  at  Delavan. 
The  union  has  been  blest  with  four  children  —  Arthur  A.  the  eldest, 
was  born  April  7,  1858  and  died  Mar.  5,  1859;  Clarence  H.,  born 
Sept.  26,  1860;  Gertrude  H.,  born  Jan.  22,  1862,  and  Joseph  H., 
born  Mar.  20,  1866. 

Uriah  Briggs,  farmer,  section  7  ;  was  born  in  Ontario  county,  N. 
Y.,  April  9,  1829.  His  parents,  Uriah  and  Mary  (Holcomb) 
Briggs,  were  both  born  in  Ontario  county,  and  were  farmers.  Mr. 
B.  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and  at  the  age  of  twentv- 
one  came  to  this  county.  Before  coming,  however,  he  was  married, 
at  Granger,  O.,  to  Cornelia  Hatch,  of  Medina  county,  O.  This 
memorable  event  of  his  life  occurred  on  the  11th  of  April,  1850, 
and  has  been  blessed  with  four  children  :  Delia  A.,  born  Feb.  9. 
1855,  Adella  M.,  born  June  26,  1862,  died  Mar.  5,  1865,  Jennie  A., 
born  Feb.  15,  1866,  and  Meloin  E.,  born  Dec.  28,  1872.  P.  O., 
Delavan. 

/.  H.  Burlingame,  farmer  sec.  14;  P.  O.,  Delavan;  was  born  in 
Meig  Co.,  O.,  July  13,  1824.  His  parents  were  Edwin  and  Jane 
(Evans)  Burlingame.  When  Mr.  B.  was  a  boy  between  four  and 
five  years  old,  his  parents  moved  to  Muskingum  Co.,  where  he 
received  a  good  common  school  education.  In  1851  he  made  his 
entrance  into  this  county  and  located  at  Delavan.  His  parents 
moved  to  the  same  place  about  two  years  thereafter.  Mrs.  R.  died 
March  25,  1875,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  77.  Mr.  B.  is  still  living 
and  resides  with  one  of  his  children.  He  is  82  years  old.  In 
March,  1869,  this  estimable  couple  celebrated  their  golden  wedding. 
J.  H.  was  married  to  Jane  Allison,  Jan.  1,  1851,  at,  or  near,  Zanes- 


440  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

ville,  O.  They  have  eight  children — Thomas  E.,  born  Feb.  16, 
1853;  Mary  S.,  April  11,  1855;  Sarah  E.,  Sept.  10,  1857;  Jane 
E.,  April  7,  1860,  died  Oct.  23,  1862;  Fannie  P.,  July  30,  1862; 
Louisa  E.,  April  25,  1865;  Charles  H.,  Sept.  3,  1868,  and  Robert 
C,  August  5,  1871,  died  in  1872.  Mr.  B.  is  a  member  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church. 

Robert  W.  Crothers.  Dr.  Crothers  was  born  at»Mt.  Pleasant,  O., 
in  1833,  and  graduated  at  the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  of  Phila- 
delphia, in  1855.  In  1856  he  came  to  Delavan,  where  he  has  since 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  in  which  he  has  been 
eminently  successful.  In  addition,  he  has  conducted  a  drug  store 
there  and  in  this  he  has  also  been  successful. 

Rudolph  Frey,  banker,  was  born  in  Germany  Oct.  30,  1841.  His 
parents,  who  were  Germans,  gave  him  a  good  common  school  educa- 
tion. At  an  early  age  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  was  landed  in 
the  United  States ;  and  when  only  ten  years  old  was  brought  to  this 
county.  Just  as  he  was  emerging  into  manhood,  when  he  expected 
to  enter  upon  the  stage  of  active  life,  the  Rebellion  broke  out.  True 
to  his  adopted  country  and  to  the  flag  of  our  glorious  Union,  he 
shouldered  his  musket  and  went  to  the  front  to  defend  it ;  and  for 
three  long  and  bloody  years  he  served  in  the  94th  Illinois  Infantry. 
In  1865,  at  Pekin,  Mr.  Frey  was  united  in  marriage  with  Rose 
Clauser.  They  have  one  child.  He  has  held  a  position  on  the 
Town  Board  of  Trustees  for  some  time  and  President  of  that  body. 
He  is  a  Republican  in  political  views.  Mr.  Frey  is  a  well  known 
and  respected  citizen  of  this  town  and  largely  identified  in  the  bus- 
iness interests  of  the  place.  His  portrait  may  be  found  in  this 
volume. 

Elwood  M.  GarUek,  printer,  is  a  native  of  Pleasant  Valley,  Clark 
county,  O.,  having  been  born  at  that  place  Sept.  19,  1849.  His 
parents  are  Mortimore  A.  and  Martha  (Gilmore)  Garlick.  When  a 
young  man  Mr.  G.  entered  a  printing  office,  in  Loudon,  O.,  where 
he  acquired  his  trade.  He  came  to  this  county  when  at  the  age  of 
nineteen,  and  is  now  foreman  of  the  Delavan  Advertiser.  He  had 
the  privilege  of  attending  only  the  common  schools,  but  the  printing 
office  is  one  of  the  best  schools  in  the  land.  On  the  9th  of  April, 
1875,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Elizabeth  Keefe,  at 
Delavan.  They  have  two  children  —  Minnie  M.  and  Mattie  E. 
The  latter  died  Nov.  27,  1877. 

Augustus  Giles  came  to  this  county,  in  1858,  and  settled  in  Malone 
township,  and  came  to  Delavan  in  1873.  He  now  resides  on  section 
18,  and  is  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He  is  the  son  of 
Benjamin  A.  Giles  and  Mary  Clauson,  both  natives  of  Middlesex 
county,  N.  J.,  where,  in  Piscataway,  of  that  county,  he  was  born 
July  5,  1824.  He  was  raised  on  a  farm,  and  engaged  in  the  hay- 
pressing  business  before  leaving  New  Jersey.  At  Plainfield,  N.  J., 
Jan.  18,  1846,  he  was  married  to  Anna  M.  Brokaw.  She  is  the 
mother  of  nine  children,  seven  living,  two  dead.     Mr.  G.  has  served 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  441 

as  School  Director  several  times.     He  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  Church  for  a  number  of  years.     Post-office,  Delavan. 

Vandiver  G-iles.  This  gentleman,  who  is  engaged  in  farming,  was 
born  in  Piscataway,  Middlesex  county,  N.  J.,  Oct.  15,  1822.  His 
parents,  Benjamin  E.  and  Mary  (Clauson)  Giles,  were  also  natives 
of  Middlesex  county.  His  father  was  a  farmer  and  a  weaver.  Mr. 
G.  was  well  advanced  in  life  before  he  cast  his  lot  and  fortune 
among  the  people  of  this  county.  He  came  in  Feb.,  1865.  Before 
coming  to  the  West  he  was  engaged  in  farming  in  his  native  county. 
In  1842,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Experience 
Giles.  Twenty-one  years  later  she  died.  She  left  three  children, 
who  are  still  living — Patterson  S.,  Martha  A.  and  Martin.  Martha 
is  the  wife  of  Alfred  Runion,  who  resides  in  this  township.  Pater- 
son  married  Jane  McCray,  of  New  Jersey,  and  they  now  live  in 
Terre  Haute,  Ind.  Martin  married  Sarah  Z.  Runion,  and  resides 
in  Delavan  township.  Mr.  G.  was  again  married  in  1865,  to 
Elizabeth  D.  Boice.  For  many  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  Church. 

Hon.  Ira  B.  Hall  is  the  eldest  son  of  Preserved  and  Eunice 
(Browning)  Hall,  and  was  born  in  Exeter,  R.  I.  Nov.,  29,  1812. 
His  father  came  to  Delavan  in  1844,  where  he  resided  until  his 
death,  which  occured  Oct.  26,  1847,  in  his  68th  year.  His  wife 
passed  from  earth  Sept.  20,  1849,  and  was  in  the  68th  year  of  her 
age.  Ira  B.  Hall  had  tlie  advantage  of  only  the  common  schools  of 
his  native  State,  but  received  good  home  training.  Mr.  Hall  early 
in  life  went  to  New  York  city  and  engaged  with  a  publishing 
house.  He  then  returned  home  and  engaged  in  teaching,  which 
profession  he  subsequently  followed,  both  in  New  York  and  Ken- 
tucky. He  came  to  111.,  and  located  in  Springfield  in  1839.  Here 
he  was  intimately  associated  with  Abraham  Lincoln,  Stephen  A. 
Douglas  and  others  of  Illinois'  honored  sons.  In  Sept.,  1840,  we 
find  him  landlord  of  the  Delavan  House.  July  4,  1845,  he  quit  the 
hotel  business  and  since  has  been  mostly  identified  with  agriculture. 
In  1840,  Oct.  22,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Elizabeth  Thurston, 
of  Lee  Co.,  Iowa.  By  this  marriage  they  had  two  children  —  Al- 
bert T.  and  Mary  E.  ^Mrs.  Hall  died  Sept.  16,  1844.  He  again 
married  Feb.  11,  1846,  to  Sarah  A.  Briggs,  formerly  of  Providence, 
R.  I.  This  union  was  blessed  with  two  sons  and  four  daughters. 
In  1870  Mr.  H.  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  and  served  with 
distinction.  He  is  one  of  the  representative  men  of  Tazewell  Co., 
and  as  such  we  give  a  portrait  of  him  in  this  book. 

John  Hays.  This  gentleman  come  to  this  country  from  Ireland, 
(where,  in  the  county  of  Limerick,  in  June,  1823,  he  was  born)  in 
1847.  He  lived  in  Saratoga  Co.,  N.  Y.,  for  four  years,  and  then 
came  to  this  county  and  located  at  Pekin,  where  he  lived  for  ten 
years.  He  then  moved  on  his  farm,  sec.  23,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided and  been  quite  successful.  His  parents  were  Patrick  and 
Catherine  (Mahoney)  Hays.  On  the  loth  of  April,  1855,  he  was 
28 


442  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

married  to  Margaret  Feehan,  at  Peoria.  Miss  Feehan  was  born 
Oct.  25,  1838,  in  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  and  was  brought  to  this 
country  by  her  parents  at  a  very  early  age.  The  names  of  their  six 
children  are  — Anna,  Kate  F.,  Ella  M.,  M.  Louisa,  Daisey  E., 
Henry  (died  Oct.  24,  1872),  and  Edward  J.  Mr.  H.  is  a  member 
of  the  Catholic  Church ;  P.  O.,  Delavan. 

Joseph  Holmes,  farmer,  sections  5  and  6 ;  is  the  son  of  Joseph 
Holmes  and  Charlotte  Few,  of  Cambridgeshire,  Eng.,  where,  July 
5,  1825,  their  son  Joseph  was  born.  He  came  to  this  county  in 
1848,  not  until  he  had  married,  however;  for  we  find,  on  the  22d  of 
May,  1842,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mary  Allgood,  also  a 
native  of  Cambridgeshire,  Eng.,  but  at  the  time  of  the  marriage  a 
resident  of  Lockport,  N.  Y.  Their  children  —  Alfred  was  born 
Jan.  25,  1845,  Charles,  born  April  4,  1855,  and  Alice  J.,  Mar.  24, 
1863.  Alfred  served  three  years  in  the  73d  111.  Infantry  during  the 
Rebellion.  Mr.  H.  is  a  brother  of  Richard  Holmes,  and,  like  him,  is 
identified  with  the  Republican  party.     P.  O.,  Delavan. 

Richard  Holmes,  farmer,  and  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors, was  born  in  Magora  county,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  26,  1834.  His 
parents,  Joseph  and  Charlotte  (Few)'  Holmes,  were  natives  of  Cam- 
bridgeshire, Eng.,  and  came  to  this  country  about  the  year  1837,  and 
settled  at  Lockport,  Magora  county,  N.  Y.,  where   they  lived  till 

1848,  when  they  came  to  this  county  and  settled  in  Delavan  town- 
ship, where  they  remained  till  their  death.  His  mother  died  April 
14,  1867,  in  the  75th  year  of  her  age.  His  father  died  in  April, 
1871,  at  the  advanced' age  of  79.  He  was  elected  from  the  27th 
District,  in  1874,  to  the  Legislature,  and  served  the  last  session  held 
in  the  old  State  House.  In  1869  he  was  elected  Supervisor,  and  has 
held  the  ofl&ce  ever  since  except  1875.  He  has  served  six  terms  as 
Chairman  of  that  body.  Dec.  6,  1855,  at  Lyons,  Wayne  county, 
he  was  married  to  Lienor  H.  Carr.  Their  children  are  —  Orville  W., 
Kate  E.,  Oliver,  Frank,  Laura  and  Willie.     P.  O.,  Delavan. 

Philip  Humbert,  baker,  Delavan,  was  born  June  14,  1832,  in 
Alsace,  when  it  belonged  to   France.     He   came  to  this  country  in 

1849,  and  located  at  Rochester,  N.  Y. ;  came  to  Henry,  111.,  where 
he  remained  till  1859,  when  he  went  t9  California  overland.  In 
1861  he  enlisted  in  the  2d  Cal.  Cavalry,  Co.  M.,  and  was  stationed 
most  of  the  time  at  Utah.  After  his  discharge,  in  Oct.,  1864,  he 
re-enlisted  in  Co.  H.,  4th  Regiment  of  Hancock's  Veteran  Corps, 
organized  at  Washington,  and  stationed  at  Winchester,  Md. ;  then 
at  Washington  till  the  hanging  of  Mrs.  Surratt ;  then  at  Columbus 
till  his  discharge,  Aug.  3,  1866.  He  was  married  to  Mary  Sann,  at 
Delavan,  in  1868. 

Peter  F.  Johnson,  farmer,  was  born  in  Sweden,  Sept.  8,  1833. 
His  parents  were  Jonas  and  Sarah  Johnson.  The  elder  Johnson 
brought  his  family  to  the  Bishop  Hill  Colony,  (Henry  county.  111.) 
in  1846.  The  privations  suffered  were  great.  They  walked  from 
Chicago ;  their  onl^  food  potatoes  and  corn-dodgers.      About  one- 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  443 

half  of  the  colony,  which  numbered  about  360,  died.  Mr.  John- 
son, after  a  month's  sojourn,  then  became  dissatisfied  with  the 
manner  of  life  and  the  tyranny  of  Eric  Jansen,  the  leader.  He 
worked  one  winter  for  the  board  of  his  family,  near  Victoria, 
Knox  county.  His  wife  died  one  month  after  leaving  Bishop 
Hill.  His  father  put  out  his  children  to  be  raised,  and  Peter  fortu- 
nately fell  to  the  care  of  Horace  Clark,  the  first  Supervisor  of 
Morton  township.  He  remained  with  him  until  he  was  twenty-one. 
April  13,  1859,  he  was  married  to  Emily  Bowman,  who  was  also 
raised  by  Mr.  Clark,  and  under  the  same  circumstances.  She  died 
July  18,  1877.  Mr.  J.  was  educated  in  common  schools  and  the 
Academy  of  Knox  College,  Galesburg.  His  children  are  Ida  E., 
born  Dec.  29,  1862;  Arthur  L.,  Aug.  24,  1864;  Edith  M.,  July  20, 
1869;  Florence  E.,  Mar.  27,  1872;  Leslie  H.,  Aug.  23,  1874. 
Residence,  section  29.     Post-office,  San  Jose. 

Elias  0.  Jones.  Esquire  Jones  is  a  native  of  the  Empire  State, 
having  been  born  in  Berlin,  Rensselser  Co.,  of  that  State,  July  21, 
1820.  He  is  the  oldest  son  of  Elias  and  Lydia  (Sweet)  Jones,  also 
natives  of  New  York.  During  the  dark  days  of  the  Rebellion,  he, 
with  his  brother.  Dr.  James  A.  Jones,  enlisted  in  the  115th  111.  Inf. 
His  brother  was  Acting  Surgeon  of  the  regiment,  when  he  was  mur- 
dered by  guerrillas  near  Tunnel  Hill,  Ga.,  July  11,  1864.  After 
several  months  in  the  army  Elias  O.  was  obliged  to  quit  the  service, 
on  account  of  disability.  He  came  to  Delavan  in  Dec,  1855.  He 
has  for  many  years  held  the  position  of  Justice  of  the  Peace.  Mar. 
13,  1843,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mary  Brock  way.  She  died 
Dec.  25,  1872,  and  in  April,  1877,  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Henrietta 
Barker,  of  Peoria,  at  Monmouth,  111.  He  has  two  children  —  Henry 
P.,  born  Mar.  20,  1846,  and  James  O.,  born  July  20,  1847. 

Gyrus  M.  Kingman  was  born  in  Deer  Creek  township,  this  Co., 
Sept.  20,  1839.  His  father,  Abel  Kingman,  came  from  Mass.,  and 
his  mother,  Mary  A.  Kingman,  came  from  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  1831. 
They  were  married  the  following  year  in  Elm  Grove  township.  At 
that  time  there  was  but  one  other  family  living  in  the  neighborhood, 
though  the  Indians  were  numerous.  The  elder  Kingman  served  for 
several  years  as  County  Commissioner,  and  died  many  years  ago. 
His  wife  continues  to  reside  on  the  old  homestead,  in  Deer  Creek. 
In  July,  1861,  Cyrus  M.  enlisted  in  47th  111.  Inf,  and  served  three 
and  one-half  years.  He  entered  the  service  again  as  1st  Lieut,  of 
Co.  D.,  152d  111.  Inf.  He  participated  in  37  engagements,  and 
had  a  horse  shot  from  under  him,  being  himself  slightly  wounded. 
He  holds  commission  of  1st  Lieut,  in  the  State  militia.  In  1867, 
May  27,  he  married  Lucy  Rouse,  at  Bloomington.  Their  children 
number  four  —  one  girl  dead.  Mr.  K.  is  engaged  in  the  hardware 
business.  He  has  three  brothers,  all  of  whom  are  engaged  at  differ- 
ent places  in  the  same  business. 

William  Knott,  farmer  and  stock  raiser.  His  father,  Ephriam 
Knott,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania^  and  his  mother^  Agnes  Knott, 


444  lilSTORY   OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

was  born  in  New  York.  They  settled  in  Fayette  Co.,  Ind.,  early 
in  the  present  century,  where  in  1821,  Dec.  28,  was  born  to  them 
a  son,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Ephriam  Knott  took  great 
interest  in  preserving  the  Union  when  it  was  assailed  by  traitor 
hands.  Although  too  old  to  take  up  arms,  he  contributed  liberally 
for  the  cause.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  William  was  united  in 
the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony  with  Margaret  Clark,  in  Randolph 
Co.,  lud.  Miss  Clark  was  born  in  Montgomery  Co.,  O.  Their 
home  has  been  blessed  by  seven  children.  The  gloom  of  death  has 
found  its  way  over  the  threshold,  however,  and  carried  away  one  of 
the  number. 

Samuel  Lmvton,  jeweler,  Delavan,  came  to  this  county  in  April, 
1855.  He  was  born  July  12,  1831,  in  Warren,  R.  I.  His  parents, 
William  B.  and  Sarah  (Smith)  Lawton,  were  also  natives  of  Rhode 
Island.  His  educational  advantages  were  limited  to  the  common 
schools.  He  has  acted  as  Township  Treasurer  for  fifteen  years. 
For  many  years  has  been  connected  with  the  Methodist  Church. 
In  October,  1856,  he  took  unto  himself  a  wife  in  the  person  of 
Albina  Briggs,  of  Delavan.     They  are  parents  of  four  children. 

George  A.  Martin,  carpenter,  Delavan,  was  born  in  Middlesex 
county,  N.  J.,  Nov.  30,  1821.  His  parents  were  Henry  and  Cathe- 
rine (Strangman)  Martin,  who  were  natives  of  the  same  county. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and  at  the  Semenary,  at 
New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  Mr.  M.  came  to  this  county  in  October, 
1855,  from  New  York  city,  where  he  lived  five  years.  Jan.  1, 
1850,  he  was  married  to  Margaret  Mundy,  at  New  Brunswick. 
They  have  one  child  living,  one  dead. 

John  McKinstry,  miller  and  farmer,  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and 
Isabella  (Huston)  McKinstry,  and  was  born  in  Franklin  Co.,  Pa., 
July  22,  1822.  In  May,  1855,  he  came  to  this  county,  and  for 
nearly  a  quarter  of  century  has  engaged  in  active  life  here,  winning 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  know  him,  and  being  successful 
in  his  business  career.  He  is  now  actively  identified  with  the 
business  interests  of  this  place.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Ireland, 
and  was  brought  to  this  country  when  only  four  years  of  age ;  his 
mother  was  born  in  Franklin  Co.,  Pa.  He  held  at  one  time  a  com- 
mission as  Second  Lieutenant,  under  D.  R.  Porter,  in  Co.  A,  7th 
Regt.,  Pa.  Vol.  This  regiment  was  organized  previous  to  the  Rev- 
olutionary War,  and  is  still  in  existence.  Sept.  12,  1843,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Anna  M.  Work,  of  Pennsylvania.  She 
died  April  4,  1861,  leaving  six  children.  He  was  married  a  second 
time  to  Mary  Hall,  of  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  Dec.  21,  1863.  Mr.  Mc- 
Kinstry united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  1842,  and  has  been 
a  consistent,  liberal  and  active  member  since.  His  portrait,  as  a 
representative  citizen,  may  be  found  in  this  volume. 

George  Nichoh,  farmer ;  P.  O.,  San  Jose ;  was  born  at  Boston, 
Mass.,  Jan.  20,  1825,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Gordon) 
Nichols^  who^were  natives  of  New  Hampshire.     Mr.  Nichols'  peo- 


HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  445 

pie  came  to  this  county  in  1836,  and  after  a  little  settled  in  Elm 
Grove  township.  They  remained  here  till  obout  1854,  when  they 
removed  to  Prairie  Creek,  just  over  into  Logan  county.  Here 
John  Nichols  died,  in  1871,  and  his  wife  a  few  years  after,  both  at 
a  good  old  age.  The  family  consisted  of  four  boys  and  four  girls, 
three  of  whom  settled  in  Kansas ;  one  died  32  years  ago,  at  the  age 
of  11 ;  a  sister,  the  wife  of  William  Jones,  lives  on  the  old  home- 
stead next  to  Mr.  Nichols'  home.  The  latter  moved  to  Prairie 
Creek,  in  1856,  and  he  still  occupies  the  same  place  which  he  did 
while  in  Logan  county,  is  still  a  part  of  the  original  township  of 
Delavan.  His  home  is  one  of  the  finest  country  residences  in  this 
section.  He  owns  330  acres  of  land  in  Tazewell  county,  and  240 
in  Logan.  He  was  married  Feb.  14,  1854,  to  Caroline,  daughter  of 
Thos.  Edes,  of  Elm  Grove.  He  has  had  six  children,  five  of  whom 
are  living,  viz:  Ella  E.,  born  April  6,  1857,  died  September,  1858; 
Norman  T.,  born  June  23,  1860;  Enos  R.,  born  Dec.  18,  1863; 
Clara  G.,  born  Oct.  16,  1866;  Gertrude  E.,  born  Feb.  15,  1871 ; 
Jessie  M.,  born  Jan.  4,  1S79.  Mr.  Nichols  boyhood  was  spent  in 
this  county,  when  the  schools  were  neitlier  good  nor  plentiful,  and 
he  therefore  did  not  enjoy  very  fine  educational  advantage.  But  he 
was  blessed  with  good  common  sense,  was  energetic  and  industrious, 
and  has  achieved  that  success  in  life  which  those  ({ualities  are  bound 
to  bring.     A  portrait  of  Mr.  Nichols  appear  in  our  Delavan  group. 

John  L.  Orendorff.  The  family  of  Orendortfs,  since  the  organi- 
zation of  Tazewell  county,  have  been  prominently  identified  with 
its  history.  The  name  has  numerous  representatives  residing  in  the 
county  at  present,  which  are,  in  general,  descendants  of  the  old 
pioneers.  The  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  is  a  repre- 
sentative of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  the  county.  Enoch  and  Rosan- 
na  Orendorff  came  from  Kentucky  to  Tazewell  county  as  early  as 
1826,  While  living  in  Hopedale  township,  and  Sept.  15,  1835, 
John  was  born  to  them.  He  received  a  common  school  education 
in  that  township,  moved  to  Delavan,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the 
jewelry  business,  in  whl(;h  he  has  been  successful.  In  July,  1858, 
at  Delavan,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Arnold.  One  boy  and  two 
girls  have  blessed  the  union,  all  of  whom  are  living. 

Qaintus  Orendorff]  son  of  Enoch  T.  and  Rosanna  Orendorif,  was 
born  in  Tazewell  Co.,  111.,  Nov.  10,  1828.  His  father  was  one  of 
the  earliest  pioneers  of  this  Co.,  having  come  here  in  1826.  He 
died  April  2,  1852.  The  death  of  his  wife  occurred  April  15,  1851. 
Quintus  received  such  school  training  as  the  common  schools  aiford- 
ed  in  pioneer  times.  He  embarked  in  business  life  in  Delavan. 
He  erected  a  steam  flouring  mill  here  in  1855,  which  was  the  first 
in  the  town.  This  proved  a  financial  detriment.  He  then  went  to 
Mason  City,  111.,  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  trade.  He 
remained  here  for  eleven  years,  when  (1866)  he  returned  to  Delavan 
and  went  into  merchandising.  He  is  a  live  enterprising  business 
man  and   respected  by  the  whole  community.     He  married   Miss 


446  HISTOEY   OP   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Emma  E.  Kelley  Sept.  24,  1854.  This  union  has  been  blessed 
with  five  children,  the  names  of  whom,  in  the  order  of  their  births, 
are  —  Oren  B.,  Anna  B.,  Olive  B.  (deceased),  Charles  B.  and 
Jesuline  B. 

George  W.  Patten.  This  gentleman  was  born  in  Jeiferson  Co., 
N.  Y.,  May.  8,  1836.  He  is  the  son  of  John  A.  and  Betsey  E. 
(Caster)  Patten.  He  received  a  liberal  education  in  the  common 
schools  and  Lowville  Academy,  Lewis  Co.  He  has  been  engaged 
in  farming  during  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  and  in  addition  has 
conducted  a  hardware  store  in  Delavan  for  four  years.  He  has, 
however,  disposed  of  both  his  store  and  farm.  He  served  three 
years  in  73d  111.  Inf.,  enlisting  in  July,  1862.  He  is  now  Captain 
of  Co.  K.  7th  I.  N.  G.  This  company  is  made  up  of  citizens  of 
Delavan.  He  led  to  the  marriage  altar  in  1867,  Sept.  10,  Lottie  J. 
Holmes.  Their  children  are  John  A.,  born  Sept.  27,  1868,  Maggie 
B.,  Nov.  27,  1869,  Zeboim  C,  Sept.  15,  1875,  and  George  H.,  Oct. 
15,  1877. 

/.  B.  Phillips,  merchant,  is  the  son  of  ^enoni  and  Lucy  (Fry) 
Phillips,  who  were  both  natives  of  Khode  Island.  He  was  born  in 
Providence,  of  that  State  Nov.  7,  1828.  He  attended  the  common 
schools  of  his  native  city  and  obtained  a  good  education.  A  few 
months  before  he  attained  the  age  of  eighteen  (June,  1846)  he  came 
into  this  county.  For  a  period  of  twenty-five  years  thereafter  he 
was  engaged  in  farming  on  sec.  3,  of  Delavan  township.  He  then 
embarked  in  marcantile  business  in  Delavan,  and  has  been  success- 
ful at  both  occupations.  For  several  years  he  has  been  a  member 
of  the  Town  Board,  of  Delavan.  Jan.  31,  1843,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Ann  Hoghton,  in  Delavan.  Two  children,  a  boy  and 
a  girl,  bless  their  home. 

James  Ryan  was  born  in  Limerick  Co.,  Ireland,  in  1811,  and 
his  parents  were  John  and  Johanna  (Leyston)  Ryan.  On  Feb.  18, 
1842,  he  married  Margaret  Hayes,  who  was  born  in  the  same  county, 
Oct.,  29,  1825.  Mr.  Ryan  was  a  poor  man,  and,  though  he  had  a 
strong  affection  for  "  old  Ireland "  he  decided  to  try  his  fortune  in 
America.  He  came  to  this  country  in  1851,  leaving  his  wife  and 
four  children  behind  him.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  he  went  to 
Delavan,  and  after  working  three  years  he  saved  sufficient  money 
to  send  for  his  family.  After  a  few  years  he  was  able  to  buy  some 
land,  to  which  he  has,  from  time  to  time,  made  additions  and  he  now 
has  a  farm  of  415  acres  with  excellent  buildings.  The  names  of 
his  children  are  as  follows :  Johanna,  John,  Patrick,  Michael,  Cath- 
erine, (died  Dec,  1851),  James,  (died  in  1856)  Catherine,  James, 
William  (now  at  school  at  Notre  Dame,  Ind.)  Daniel  and  Margaret 
Idella.  Besides  these  they  have  an  adopted  daughter,  Johanna 
Dohaney  and  a  grandchild,  Margaret  Ryan,  now  living  with  them. 
Mr.  Ryan  is  a  Catholic,  and  is  one  of  the  principal  men  in  the 
Church  at  Delavan.     He  votes  with  the  Democratic  party. 

George   T.  Scott,  farmer,   son  of  Simon  and  Elizabeth   (Farish) 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  447 

Scott,  was  born  in  Scotland,  Dec.  8,  1797.  Mr.  Scott  came  to  this 
country  in  1830  and  settled  iii  Rhode  Island,  where  he  worked  at 
cotton  spinning  till  1843,  when  he  came  to  Logan  county.  111.,  and 
engaged  in  farming.  In  1854  he  made  another  move  and  came  to 
Delavan  where  he  has  since  lived.  Sept.  1,  1819,  he  wes  married  to 
Sarah  R.  Bell,  in  Scotland.  Twelve  children  were  born  to  them. 
Mrs.  Scott  died  in  July,  1854,  at  Delavan.  He  was  married  again, 
Aug.  7,  1855,  to  Mary  Pratt.  Of  Mr.  Scott's  children  five  sons 
and  two  daughters  still  live, —  Simon  lives  in  Atlanta,  111.,  John 
resides  in  Delavan,  Dr.  George,  at  Sedalia,  Mo.,  William  and  Nor- 
man F.  at  Delavan.  One  of  the  daughters  is  the  wife  of  Harvey 
Pratt,  of  Pekin,  the  other  is  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Perrin,  who  lives  in 
Kansas.  Of  the  dead  children,  one  of  the  first  born  died  in  Scot- 
land ;  two  died  young  in  Providence,  R.  I. ;  a  daughter  married 
John  Phillips  and  died  in  Delavan  in  1872 ;  Richard  enlisted  in  the 
73rd  Illinois  Infantry  and  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Franklin, 
Tenn.,  in  1864,  and  died  shortly  after  at  Jeiferson  Barracks,  Ind. 
His  body  was  brought  home  and  buried  at  Delavan.  Mr.  S.  has  for 
many  years  been  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church. 

John  N.  Snedeker  was  born  in  Mercer  county.  New  Jersey,  Feb. 
18,  1832,  and  he  is  the  son  of  James  W.  and  Ann  (Newell)  Sned- 
eker. He  learned  the  trade  of  harness  making  in  the  East,  but  on 
coming  West,  he  settled  on  a  farm  in  Delavan,  and  later  he  moved 
into  Boynton.  He  has  always  enjoyed  the  highest  esteem  of  his 
neighbors,  and  has  represented  Boynton  in  the  Board  of  Supervi- 
sors. He  still  owns  a  fiirm  in  Boynton,  but  is  engaged  in  harness- 
making  in  Delavan.  He  was  married  Nov.  20,  1853,  to  Miss 
Amanda  ]\Ieranda,  of  Warren  county,  O. 

Arthur  Stubbs,  of  the  firm  of  Stubbs  &  McKinstry,  millers,  pro- 
prietors of  the  Young  American  Mill.  This  genteman,  who  repre- 
sents one  of  the  important  business  interests  of  the  county,  was 
born  in  Sheffield,  England,  Dec.  11,  1837,  and  is  the  son  of  George 
and  Harriet  Stubbs.  In  1849,  his  father  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  this 
country,  leaving  his  son,  then  only  twelve  years  old,  in  England. 
He  remained  only  two  years,  when  he  too  sailed  for  the  United 
States.  His  father  settled  in  St.  Louis.  Arthur  was  not  long  in 
this  country  before  he  found  his  way  to  Tazewell  county,  for  he 
arrived  at  Pekin  in  1861.  He  remained  in  that  city  for  two  years, 
and  then  went  to  Morgan  county,  but  returned  to  Tazewell  in  1866, 
and  two  years  thereafter  moved  into  Delavan,  and,  in  connection 
with  Mr.'Starz,  built  the  Delavan  City  Mills.  Later  he  sold  his 
interest  in  that  mill  and  built,  in  1870,  the  Young  American  Mill, 
with  Mr.  Ironmonger  and  C.  L.  Booth.  In  1873,  Mr,  Booth  sold 
his  interest  to  Mr.  John  McKinstry,  and  the  present  firm  was 
organized.  In  February,  1861,  Mr.  S.  was  married  to  Celia  Ann 
Sanford,  of  Macoupin  Co.,  111.  They  have  seven  children  living, 
one  dead.  Mr.  S.  is  connected  with  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
Ebeii  a  Teft,  farmer,  section  9 ;  was  born  Dec.  24,  1829,  at  East 


448  HISTORY   OF  T'X'ZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Greenwich,  R.  I.  His  parents  were  George  and  Eliza  A.  (Clark) 
Teft.  His  father  came  to  Delavan,  in  1841,  and  bought  a  farm  and 
lived  there  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Feb.  17,  1874,  at  the 
age  of  67.  In  the  spring  of  1852,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  crossed 
the  plains  to  California.  He  remained  on  the  Pacific  slope  over 
thirteen  years,  when  he  returned  to  Delavan.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Jane  Rose,  of  Fulton  county.  111.,  at  Delavan,  Nov. 
2,  1873.  Their  children,  Eliza  and  Rosa  May,  were  born,  respect- 
ively, Aug.  15,  1874  and  Nov.  25,  1877.  Religiously  he  is  non- 
sectarian.     Post-office,  Delavan. 

Henry  H.  Tomm,  grain  dealer,  Delavan ;  son  of  Joachim  and 
Carolina  (Nunke)  Tomm,  was  born  in  Prussia,  Germany,  Dec.  31, 
18391  He  came  to  this  country  at  the  time  his  father's  family  did. 
He  attended  the  schools  of  Prussia  and  Quincy  College,  Quincy, 
111.  He  first  entered  the  dry  goods  business,  but  now  deals  in 
grain.  He  served  in  Co.  C,  139th  111.  Infantry,  during  the  late 
war.     He  is  of  the  Lutheran  faith,  religiously. 

James  H.  Upham  was  born  March  26,  ]  820,  at  Sand  Lake,  N.  Y. 
In  '49  he  went  to  California  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  gold  excite- 
ment. After  spending  two  years  there,  he  decided  to  try  his  for- 
tune in  Australia,  where  he  remained  nearly  two  years  more. 
Leaving  Australia  Mr.  U.,  and  George  Chase,  the  companion  of  his 
travels,  sailed  for  the  western  coast  of  South  America.  Greatly 
impaired  in  health,  and  with  no  desire  to  catch  the  yellow  fever, 
which  was  at  that  time  raging  there,  Mr.  U.  decided  to  return  home, 
which  he  did  after  an  absence  of  four  years.  Few  men  have  had  so 
varied  an  experience  as  has  fallen  to  the  lot  of  Mr.  U.  He  not  only 
encountered  the  usual  dangers  of  mining  life,  but  twice  narrowly 
escaped  death  on  the  sea.  The  vessel  on  which  he  sailed  to  Austra- 
lia was  unseaworthy,  and  as  she  carried  a  heavy  insurance,  there 
were  strong  indications  that  the  owner  intended  that  the  boat  should 
not  reach  her  ultimate  destination,  though,  as  he  himself  was  on 
board,  his  plan  was  to  run  upon  the  rocks  near  the  Australian  coast. 
Convinced  in  his  own  mind  that  such  were  the  facts,  Mr.  Upham 
and  his  chum  left  the  vessel  at  Sidney,  with  the  intention  of  making 
the  100  miles  to  Melbourne  afoot.  Whether  his  suspicions  were 
correct  or  not  a  typhoon  suddenly  struck  the  vessel  and  she  went 
down  with  the  most  of  those  on  board,  including  the  owner.  The 
news  of  the  lost  vessel  reached  America,  and  Mr.  U.'s  friends,  not 
receiving  any  of  his  letters,  mourned  him  as  dead ;  nor  did  they  get 
any  information  from  him  till  he  himself  appeared  two  years  later. 
Again,  when  sailing  for  South  America,  a  watery  grave  seemed  to 
await  the  entire  crew.  The  vessel  was  conveying  sand  ballast,  and 
when  in  mid-ocean  sprang  a  bad  leak.  The  sand  got  into  the 
pumps,  which,  continually  clogging,  could  not  be  worked  to  any  ad- 
vantage, whatever.  There  was  no  ship-carpenter  aboard,  and  matters 
became  worse  and  worse.  Mr.  Upham  was  lying  sick  at  the  time, 
and  knew  nothing  of  the  state  of  aiFairs  till  his  companion  told  him 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  449 

they  had  to  go  down.  "Why  can't  we  put  in  mining  pumps?"  said 
the  sick  man.  Sure  enough,  why  coukhi't  they"?  They  would 
pump  water,  sand,  or  whatever  came  in  their  way.  They  were  both 
carpenters,  and  after  consulting  the  captain,  who  was  very  glad  to 
receive  a  suggestion  from  anybody,  a  number  of  pumps  were  soon 
in  operation  and  the  vessel  saved.  Some  time  after  reaching  Amer- 
ica Mr.  Upham  again  came  to  Delavan,  where  he  has  since  lived, 
serving,  for  ten  years,  in  the  different  capacities  of  Constable,  City 
MarshTd  and  Deputy  Shcriif.  He  was  married,  May  20,  1857,  to 
Catherine  Mounts,  who  died  Jan.  13,  1861,  leaving  two  children, 
Ella  and  Charles;  was  again  married,  Jan.  2,  1866,  to  Mary  Rugg, 
who  was  born,  Sept.  25,  1834,  in  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.  One  child, 
George  H.,  has  been  the  result  of  this  union. 

Isaac  Vanicy,  farmer,  sec.  1 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan ;  was  born  in  the 
District  of  London,  Canada,  June  4,  1826.  His  parents  were 
Smith  V.  and  Mary  (Johnson)  Varney.  His  father  was  a  native 
of  New  Hampshire,  and  when  a  young  man  went  to  Canada  to 
engage  in  school  teaching.  He  remained  in  the  Queen's  dominion 
for  about  fifteen  years,  and  while  there  married  jSIiss  Johnson. 
After  this  event  of  his  life  he  changed  hi:;  profession  for  the  life  of 
a  farmer,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1839,  and  settled  north-east 
of  Washington  in  what  is  now  Woodford  Co.  At  this  time  Isaac 
Varney  was  about  nine  years  old.  His  father  died  in  Dec,  1843, 
and  the  widowed  mother  with  her  family  came  to  Delavan  the  next 
year.  March  5,  1857,  Mr.  V.  was  married  to  Eliza  Allgood,  who 
was  born  in  England,  Nov.  2,  1831.  She  was  brought  to  this 
country  when  an  infant  child  They  have  had  born  to  them  four 
children,  two  of  whom  are  now  living  —  George  E.,  who  was  born 
Oct.  7,  1859,  and  Flora  I.,  born  May  27,  1864.  Mr.  V.  is  connect- 
ed with  the  M.  E.  Church  and  identified  with  the  Republican  party. 

William  A.  Vaughn,  farmer,  section  9.  This  gentleman,  who  has 
been  residing  in  this  county  since  October,  1851,  was  born  in 
Coventry,  R.  I.,  Nov.  6,  1827.  He  is  the  son  of  Caleb  Vaughn, 
also  a  native  of  Rhode  Island.  He  was  privileged  to  attend  the 
common  schools  of  Providence,  where  he  attained  a  good  education, 
which,  with  his  practical  knowledge,  has  enabled  him  to  meet  with 
success  in  life.  He  has  held  local  offices  but  is  no  office  seeker.  In 
1855  he  united  his  fortunes  with  those  of  Susan  OrendorfF,  of 
Hopedale.  This  union  has  resulted  in  the  birth  of  three  children 
—  one  boy  and  two  girls. 

Hugh  A.  Work,  farmer  and  clerk,  came  to  this  county  in  the  fall 
of  1847,  and  located  in  Groveland  township.  In  the  spring  of  1852 
he  moved  into  Dillon,  and  nine  years  later  came  into  Delavan. 
During  this  year  the  flag  of  our  country  was  assailed  by  rebel  hands, 
and  in  the  month  of  September  Hugh  enlisted  in  the  4th  111.  Cav. ; 
served  three  years  and  four  months,  and  in  Feb.,  1865,  re-enlisted 
in  Hancock's  Veteran  Corps ;  served  till  the  close  of  the  war. 
Shortly  after  Lincoln's  assassination  this  regiment  was  ordered   to 


450  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Washington,  where  it  remained  for  three  months,  and  then  to  Albany 
for  that  length  of  time.  He  was  mustered  out  that  fall,  at  Elmira. 
Hugh  A.  Work  was  born  in  Franklin  Co.,  Pa.,  June  15, 1827.  His 
parents,  Henry  and  Susan  C.  Work,  were  also  born  there.  In  June, 
1852,  he  was  married,  in  Pekin,  to  Harriet  Hill.  Their  children 
number  seven,  one  of  whom  sleeps  in  eternity. 

Jacob  Yontz,  farmer,  son  of  Jacob  and  Fanny  (Lehman)  Yontz, 
was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pa.,  Jan.  14,  1835.  When  a  young 
man  he  came  West,  with  only  money  enough  to  pay  his  fare.  Arrived 
in  this  county  April,  1852.  He  worked  out  a  number  of  years,  and 
in  1854  bought  40  acres  of  land.  He  now  has  160  acres  on  section 
29.  He  enlisted,  in  Oct.,  1861,  in  Co.  H.,  4th  111.  Cavalry.  He 
served  mostly  in  Tennessee,  Mississippi  and  Louisiana ;  took  part  in 
the  battles  of  Fort  Henry,  Donelson,  Shiloh  and  others.  He  was 
mustered  out  in  Dec,  1864,  at  Natchez,  Miss.  He  has  been  married 
twice.  His  first  wedding  occurred  Jan.  17,  1860,  at  Springfield,  111., 
when  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Anna  M.  Cochran.  She  died 
Dec.  23d,  of  the  same  year.  He  was  again  married  Aug.  26,  1866, 
this  time  to  Kate  Cummings,  at  Mt.  Pulaski,  111.  His  children 
were  born  as  follows:  Samuel  J.,  born  Dec.  16,  1860;  Laura  F., 
Oct.  30,  1867  ;  Robert  A.,  Aug.  24,  1870;  William  E.,  July  7,  1873, 
died  Aug.  25,  1875;  John,  June  2,  1875.  Politically,  Mr.  Y.  is  a 
Republican.     Post-office,  San  Jose. 

Sarah  Youle,  widow  of  the  late  William  Youle,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land, July  28,  1819.  William  Youle,  her  husband,  was  a  native  of 
the  same  country,  and  born  Jan.  4,  1823.  Her  maiden  name  was 
Sarah  Askren.  They  were  married  May  6,  1845,  in  England,  and 
came  to  this  country  in  June,  1851,  and  to  this  county  the  following 
autumn.  Thev  did  not  locate  in  Delavan  till  1866.  From  1858  till 
1866  thiey  lived  just  across  the  line,  in  Mason  Co.  Mr.  Y.  engaged 
in  farming  during  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He  also  was  an  exten- 
sive stock  raiser  and  stock  dealer.  From  1873  till  his  death  he  was 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business,  and  was  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Youle  &  Brunson.  His  death  occurred  Aug.  4,  1878.  He  was  a 
man  loved  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  In  business,  enter- 
prising and  successful,  as  a  citizen,  honored  and  esteemed,  and  as  a 
husband  and  father,  loved.  He  was  the  first  to  introduce  osage 
hedge,  for  fences,  into  this  county,  and  was  for  a  time  engaged  in 
the  hedge  business.  The  marriage  above  referred  to  was  blessed 
with  nine  children  —  Michael  A.,  died  in  Iowa  in  1869;  Leathan, 
died  Oct.  8,  1861 ;  Wm.  S. ;  Elizabeth  D. ;  Laura  J.,  died  Dec.  15, 
1875 ;  Emma,  George  S.  and  Ada  M. 

Other  prominent  men  here  worthy  of  mention  are  Benjamin  F. 
Orndorff,  Louis  Bechcith,  Thomas  Pawson  and  31.  D.  Beecher. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  township  officials  from  its  organization 
to  the  present  time,  wnth  dates  of  the  years  served : 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  451 

SUPERVISORS. 

Wm.  W.  Grossman 1850-55  H.  L.  Fisher 1866 

Ira  B.Hall 1856  Benj.  F.  Orendorff 1867-68 

Henry  Pratt 1857-60  Richard  Holmes 1869-72 

Henry  R.  Green 1863  M.  D.  Beecher 1875 

James  H.  McKinstry 1864-65  Richard  Holmes 1876-79 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

Charles  H.  Grant 1854-55  Wm.  J.  Scott 1866^7 

Abraham  Storms 1856-60  Charles  L.  Gale 1868 

E.O.Jones 1863  Thomas  S.  Morris 1869 

Wm.  J.  Scott 1864  M.  D.  Beecher 1870-74 

Louis  D.  M.  Lawton 1865  Louis  D.  M.  Lawton 1875-79 

ASSESSORS. 

Silas  Dand 1854  J.N.Nichols 1864-65 

David  Vandeventer 1855  Ricnard  Holmes 1866-67 

John  Upham 1856  Burt  Newman 1868 

Daniel  Reid 1857  Joseph  J.  Slaughters 1869-70 

John  Upham  1858  Geo.  W.  Patten 1871-73 

Wm.  D.  Evans 1859  John  N.  Snedeker 1874-79 

J.  M.  D.  Davidson 1860-63 

COLLECTORS. 

Daniel  Reid 1854-55  Simeon  R.Drake 1865-72 

Eben  P.  Sanford 1856-53  John  Disbrow 1873 

Levi  T.  Cheever 1856-60  Charles  L.  Gale 1874-78 

Samuel  Lawton 1863-64  Joseph  M.  Garrett 1879 


DILLON    TOWNSHIP. 


Fifty-six  years  have  come  and  gone  since  Nathan  Dillon  erected 
his  cabin  on  section  1,  of  this  township.  It  is  claimed  that  he  was 
the  first  settler  in  the  county,  save  the  old  French  traders,  and  for 
proof  to  substantiate  this  we  refer  the  reader  to  his  own  words, 
recorded  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  book.  There  is  another  claim- 
ant, however,  to  this  honor.  We  refer  the  reader  to  William 
Blanchard's  sketch  in  the  history  of  Fond  du  Lac  township.  He 
brings  a  prior  claim  to  that  of  Mr.  Dillon's.  We  state  the  facts  as 
clearly  and  pointedly  as  we  can  deduce  them,  and  leave  the  readers 
to  draw  their  own  conclusions.  It  is  useless  to  dwell  at  length 
upon  the  early  history  of  this  township,  as  that  is  embraced  in  the 
first  chapter  of  this  volume. 

A  few  incidents  of  the  early  settlement  will  illustrate  the  hard- 
ships encountered  by  the  pioneers.  Mr.  John  Trowbridge  relates, 
that  when  he  came  to  the  county,  in  1833,  he  worked  for  his  uncle, 
James  Kinman,  for  two  years  at  his  saw  mill,  and  for  other  parties, 
for  ^5  per  month.  He  says  there  were  but  four  or  five  cabins  on 
his  side  of  the  Mackinaw  then.     When  he  and  his  brother,  Jessie, 


452  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

first  purchased  land,  they  had  no  timber  from  which  to  make  rails. 
They  accordingly  went  over  to  a  grove,  called  Walnut  Grove,  which 
they  named  at  the  time.  This  grove  was  eight  miles  from  their 
cabin.  In  the  first  tree  they  cut  down,  which  was  a  walnut,  they 
found  and  killed  four  coons.  While  there  at  work  it  suddenly 
turned  cold.  This  was  the  most  intense  cold  weather  ever  experi- 
enced in  the  country.  He  does  not  so  state,  but  it  likely  was  the 
"sudden  change"  refferred  to  elsewhere  in  this  history.  They 
could  not  keep  warm  and  their  provisions  gave  out.  Their  folks 
were  afraid  to  come  for  them  and  they  dare  not  undertake  to  go 
home,  for  fear  they  would  freeze  to  death  on  the  way.  They  set  a 
trap  and  proceeded  to  cut  a  tree  for  fire.  They  soon  returned  to 
their  trap  and  found  a  quail.  This  made  them  one  breakfast. 
Toward  evening  it  began  to  turn  warmer,  and  while  busily  cutting 
they  heard  a  loud  noise.  They  went  back  to  their  "  shanty,"  made 
a  big  fire,  and  Jessie  laid  down  to  sleep,  but  his  brother  kept  him 
awake,  fearful  that  the  wolves  would  devour  them,  for  it  appeared 
that  there  were  over  500  right  around  them.  The  following  morn- 
ing they  left  for  home,  and  when  on  the  top  of  a  sand  ridge,  just 
below  them  they  counted  110  deer.  They  were  running  in  Indian 
file  and  were  counted  as  they  passed.  The  noise  made  by  their 
hoofs  was  heard  at  a  distance  of  over  a  mile. 

Mr.  Trowbridge  has  seldom  been  out  of  the  county  since  his 
coming.  He  used  to  go  on  hunting  excursions  with  Seth  Kinman, 
his  cousin.  Many  of  the  old  settlers  remember  this  remarkable 
character.  On  one  trip  they  started  up  a  wolf  and  killed  it,  and 
started  another,  gave  chase,  and  killed  it  also.  They  then  found 
three  bee  trees  and  got  four  tubs  of  honey.  While  they  were 
cutting  the  third  tree,  the  dogs  treed  fifteen  coons,  all  of  which 
were  killed.     This  was  called  a  good  hunt. 

Mrs.  Ellen  Studyvin  tells  us  that  when  they  first  came,  which 
was  in  1830,  they  kept  a  tavern  or  an  inn.  It  was  known  as 
Studyvin's  Tavern.  She  recollects  the  deep  snow,  and  says  it 
covered  the  fences  entirely.  Three  children  were  drowned  in  the 
Mackinaw  when  she  first  came.  They  were  sliding  on  the  ice, 
which  broke,  they  went  through  and  were  drowned.  Their  graves 
are  near  the  Mackinaw.  They  were  children  of  Mrs.  Mosler,  who 
now  resides  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Ball,  at  Delavan. 

Mrs.  Josiah  Baily  came  in  the  fall  of  1828,  and  is  to-day,  at  the 
age  of  73,  one  of  the  Smartest  old  ladies  in  the  county.  She  resides 
with   her  brother,  Daniel  Brown.     She   remembers  seeing    Black 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWEI,L   COUNTY.  453 

Hawk  and  1,500  warriors  on  parade.  They  had  to  go  to  Peoria 
after  lumber  when  they  first  came,  and  it  took  them  four  days  to 
make  the  trip. 

Matthias  Mount  came  in  1833,  Feb.  20.  He  served  in  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  as  Second  Lieutenant  in  Co.  C,  1st  regt.  He  was  at  the 
battles  of  Wisconsin  and  Bad  Axe,  and  attended  the  treaty  at  Rock 
Island,  and  says  our  portrait  of  Black  Hawk  is  an  excellent  one. 
He  had  a  horse  shot  from  under  him. 

Daniel  Crabb  is  one  of  the  early  settlers,  and  one  who  has,  by  his 
own  labor  and  good  management,  amassed  a  fortune.  He  made 
rails  for  37|  cents  per  hundred,  and  took  his  pay  in  trade,  when  he 
first  came. 

The  first  meeting  after  the  the  township  mode  of  conducting 
county  affairs  was  adopted,  was  held  April  2,  1850.  Nathan  Dillon 
presided.  A  vote  was  taken,  and  Nathan  Dillon  elected  Supervisor ; 
J.  W.  Musick,  Clerk ;  R.  H.  Hardy,  Assessor ;  J.  B.  Landet,  Col- 
lector; Daniel  Dillon,  Com.  of  Poor;  Abncr  Rulon,  Obediah 
Study vin  and  Samuel  Berry,  Com.  of  Highways;  Sherrod  Will- 
iams and  Jesse  Kinman,  J.  P. ;  John  B.  Landet  and  Wm.  Stock- 
ton, Constables ;  Andrew  Wallace,  Pound  Master.  Nathan  Dillon 
was  the  first  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  the  township ;  he  held  his  com- 
mission from  Governor  Edwards. 

Antioch  Ghridian  Church  was  the  first  Church  organized  in  the 
township.  The  congregation  was  formed  by  Jesse  Fisher,  Jerome 
AValtmire,  William  Dillon,  Abner  Rulon,  and  others.  The  first 
edifice  was  built  in  1838;  the  present  one  in  1858,  at  a  cost  of 
$600.  The  Elders  are  J.  R.  Cainpbell,  Wm.  Johnson,  Rees  Gatlis 
and  Allen  Leonard. 

There  are  two  towns  in  the  township,  both  of  which  are  small 
and  quite  old.  They  are  Dillon,  situated  on  section  3 ;  and  TuUa- 
more,  on  section  24. 

In  connection  with  the  history  of  Dillon  township,  we  mention 
some  of  the  representative  and  leading  citizens,  believing  they  not 
only  deserve  mention,  but  that  a  short  sketch  of  them  will  be  read 
with  interest. 

John  Birky,  farmer,  sec.  34 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan ;  was  born  at  Tre- 
mont,  this  county,  Feb.  4,1849;  son  of  Clu-istian  and  Catharina 
(Moseman)  Birky,  natives  of  Germany  and  France.  Mr.  Birky 
attended  the  common  schools  of  this  county ;  is  connected  with  the 
Omish  Church;  was  married  Jan.  25,  1874,  to  Magdelina  Zimmer, 
also  of  this  county ;  she  was  born  Oct.  9,  1854.     They  have  had  three 


454  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

children  —  Benjamin,  born  Dec.  28,  1875,  deceased;  Samuel,  born 
Jan.  6,  1877;  and  Emma,  born  Sept.  17,  1878.  Is  a  Republican  in 
politics. 

John  C.  Boivlsby,  was  born  in  1799,  in  New  Jersey;  received  a 
common  school  education ;  has  followed  the  pursuit  of  farming ; 
came  to  this  county  in  1868.  Mr.  Bowlsby  went,  with  1,000 
others,  to  Hockistown,  under  Colonel  Williamson,  to  fight  in  the 
war  of  1812.  Has  held  numerous  offices  in  his  time.  Mr.  Bowlsby 
gave  his  first  vote  to  Thomas  Jefferson ;  is  a  Democrat.  Was 
married  in  1819,  to  Ann  Young;  is  the  father  of  twelve  children, 
eight  of  whom  are  now  living.     P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

Charles  H.  Bowlsby.  John,  his  father,  and  Ann  (Young)  Bowlsby, 
his  mother,  were  natives  of  N,  J.,  where  Charles  H.  was  born  Oct. 
5,  1836.  He  received  a  common  school  education.  He  came  to 
Tazewell  county  in  May,  1850;  has  been  Collector  and  now  holds 
the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace;  was  married  Nov.  14,  1869, 
Is  the  fiither  of  Melvin  J.,  born  Aug.  29,  1871 ;  Lillie  B.,  born 
April  7,  1873;  Charles  M.,  born  July  26,  1874;  Lewis  T.,  born 
Oct.  11,  1876;  Warren  F.,  born  Dec.  10,  1878.  He  belonges  to 
the  Methodist  Church ;  is  a  Democrat ;  P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

Daniel  Brown,  farmer,  sec.  35 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan.  Mr.  Brown  is  a 
native  of  this  county;  was  born  Nov.  1,  1829.  William  Brown 
and  Rachel  Milner  Brown  were  his  parents.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  received  a  common  school  education  ;  has  been  School  Direc- 
tor ;  was  brought  up  in  the  Quaker  Church ;  was  married  in  Nov. 
1859,  to  Ariette  Lillie.  They  have  two  boys  —  Louis  E.,  born 
March  30,  1862,  and  Daniel  Jr.,  born  Oct.  23,1867.  Mr.  Brown  is 
a  Republican  in  politics. 

JoJi^  T.  Clemens  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  where  he  was  born  July 
29,  1830.  His  parents  were  Roger  T.  and  Nancy  (Higgens) 
Clemens.  John  T.  received  a  common  school  education ;  has  held 
the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace.  He  came  to  this  county  in  the 
spring  of  1852,  and  worked  by  the  month;  12  years  ago  he  bought 
his  first  land,  a  valuable  piece  of  farm  land  on  which  he  now  resides. 
Mr.  C.  has  driven  from  the  Mackinaw  to  Decatur  when  there  were 
but  few  houses  on  the  way,  and  has  passed  over  the  site  where  the 
city  of  Lincoln  now  stands  when  there  were  no  houses  there ;  was 
married  Aug.  20,  1854,  to  Tamzon  Bowlsby.  They  are  the  parents 
of  Charles  W.,  born  May  30,  1855;  Frank  T.,  born  May  7,  1857; 
Henry,  born  July  29,  1859;  Jennie  H.,  born  Feb.  14,  1865;  Min- 
nie, born  Dec.  14,  1868.  He  belongs  to  the  Methodist  Church,  and 
is  a  Republican.     P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

Jeremiah  Connell,  farmer,  sec.  23,  P.  O.,  Delavan.  Mr.  Connell 
is  a  native  of  Ireland,  where  he  was  born  Sept.  1,  1825.  His 
parents,  James  and  Mary  (Welch)  Connell,  were  natives  of  the  same 
country.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  a  common  school  edu- 
cation in  his  native  country.  He,  like  many  of  his  countrymen, 
thinking  to  better  his  condition,  came  to  free  America,  locating  in 


HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  455 

this  county  in  1856,  and  was  married  Dec.  18,  1858,  to  Catharine 
Gleason.  They  are  the  parents  of  seven  boys,  born  as  follows : 
James,  Dec.  3,  1859;  Edward,  Jan.  28,  1861;  Thomas,  Sept.  6, 
1862;  Michael,  Feb.  5,  1864,  died  March  9,  1864;  Richard,  Feb. 
10,  1866;  Michael,  Feb.  13,  1868;  William,  Aug.  6,  1870.  Mr. 
Connell  is  a  Catholic  and  a  Democrat. 

Daniel  Crabb,  farmer  and  stock  raiser ;  son  of  Edward  and  Nancy 
(Figens)  Crabb,  of  Ohio.  Daniel  was  born  May  8,  1818,  in  the 
above  State,  and  received  a  common  school  education.  Mr.  Crabb 
came  to  this  county  in  the  winter  of  1844.  He  is  one  of  the  most 
thrifty  and  successful  stock  raisers,  and  now  owns  10  head  of  horses 
and  300  head  of  cattle.  He  does  not  pay  much  attention  to  flirm- 
inff,  although  he  is  the  owner  of  1,400  acres  of  valuable  land.  Mr. 
Crabb  was  married  in  December,  1843,  to  Margaret  Bailoy,  who 
died  Feb.  13,  1857.  They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children  : 
Frances,  born  Jan.  17,  1844  —  she  married  Gilman  Bailey,  of  this 
township,  and  has  four  children;  Emily,  born  Aug.  14,  1845  —  she 
married  Joseph  Phillips,  of  Malone  township,  and  has  four  children  ; 
Edward,  born  Dec.  26,  1846  —  married  Mrs.  Powers,  and  has  two 
children,  and  resides  in  Bates  county.  Mo. ;  Lettitis.  born  Nov.  8, 
1848  —  she  married  Henry  Bailey,  of  Dclavan,  and  has  two  children  ; 
Richard,  born  June  23,  1851,  died  April  27,  1867;  James  Warren, 
born  Dec.  28,  1853  —  married  Libbie  Schureman,  and  has  one  child. 

James  Warren  Crabb,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  was  born  in  this 
county  Dec.  28,  1853;  is  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Margaret  (Bailey) 
Crabb,  natives  of  Ohio.  James  Warren  was  educated  at  Lake  For- 
est Academy.  He  was  married  Sept.  21,  1875,  to  Libbio,  daughter 
of  Jonathan  Schureman.  They  have  one  son.  Mr.  Crabb  ])urchased 
his  first  farm  from  Jonathan  Schureman.  He  is  now  numbered 
among  the  heaviest  farmers  and  stock  raisers,  owning  540  acres  of 
choice  land  in  this  county,  and  640  acres  in  Mason  county.  He  has 
on  his  stock-farm  15  head  of  horses,  200  head  of  cattle  and  100 
head  of  hogs.  He  belongs  to  the  Democratic  party.  P.  O.  address, 
Green  Valley. 

Nathan  C  Fisher,  farmer,  sec.  1,  P.  O.,  Dillon.  Mr.  Fisher  was 
born  in  Elm  Grove  township,  this  county,  March  30,  1838.  His 
parents  are  Jesse  H.  and  Annie  (Dillon)  Fisher.  Mr.  Fisher  was 
married  March  12,  1865,  to  Helen  Hitt.  They  have  had  three  girls, 
but  only  one  is  living.  He  is  a  member  of  Antioch  Christian 
Church. 

Caleb  W.  Hopkins,  farmer,  sec.  34 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan.  His  parents, 
Samuel  R.  and  Hattie  (Bates)  Hopkins,  were  natives  of  R.  I.,  where 
Caleb  was  born,  April  3,  1826.  Mr.  Hopkins  is  a  descendant  of 
Stephen  Hopkins,  who  came  to  this  country  in  the  May  Flower. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  an  Academic  education  in  his 
native  State.  He  came  to  this  county  April  15,  1856;  was  married 
July  23,  1849,  to  Catharine  R.  Stone,  of  R.  I.  Names  and  dates 
of  births  of  children  —  Annie  C,  May  8,  1852 ;  Hattie  E.,  Aug.  15, 


456  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

1854;  Mary  L.,  Oct.  15,  1861 ;  Charles  L.,  July  15,  1865.     He  is 
a  Republican  in  politics,  and  is  connected  with  the  Baptist  Church. 

John  R.  Horton,  farmer,  sec.  33 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan.  Mr.  Horton 
is  a  native  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  where  he  was  born  March  19, 
1838.  His  parents  were  Stephen  and  Harriet  M.  (Brown)  Horton; 
received  an  academic  education  in  his  native  State.  He  came  West 
in  search  of  a  new  home,  and  located  in  this  county  in  the  spring  of 
1860;  was  married,  Feb.  8,  1869,  to  Mary  A.  Miller.  They  have 
had  six  children;  they  were  born  as  follows:  Louis,  Feb.  17,  1870, 
died  March  1,  1871;  Carrie,  Jan.  23,  1871;  Nathaniel  B.,  Nov. 
22,  1872;  Anna  F.,  May  12,  1874;  Henry,  April  23,  1876;  Grace 
v.,  Sept.  1,  1877. 

Patrick  Haypenny,  farmer,  sec.  22  ;  P.  O.,  Delavan.  Patrick  is  a 
son  of  John  and  Mary  (Donnell)  Haypenny ;  was  born  in  Waterford 
county,  Ireland,  in  1830,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1850;  is  a 
Catholic.  Mr.  H.  married  Margaret  Brien,  a  native  of  Ireland. 
They  have  had  six  children  —  Mary,  born  April,  1856;  John,  born 
March  18,  1858;  Andrew,  born  1860,  died  1866;  Thomas,  born 
Jan.  17,  1862;  Kate,  born  May  25,  1864;  Patrick,  June,  1866. 
Is  a  Democrat. 

Chridian  Lorenson,  farmer,  sec.  26  ;  P.  O.,  Delavan.  Mr.  Loren- 
son  is  a  native  of  North  Tlesvig,  Germany,  where  he  was  born  Oct. 
21,  1850;  parents,  Erik  and  Anna  (Peterson)  Lorenson;  attended 
the  common  schools  of  his  native  country ;  is  connected  with  the 
Lutheran  Church;  was  married  March  1,  1876,  to  Anna  Sophia 
Grav,  a  native  of  the  same  place  as  Mr.  Lorenson.  They  have  one 
girl — Anna,  born  Feb.  25,  1878.     Is  a  Democrat. 

Nicholas  Luft,  farmer,  sec.  1 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan ;  is  the  owner  of 
217  acres.  Is  a  native  of  Germany,  where  he  was  born  Nov.  23, 
1833;  came  to  this  county  Aug.  6,  1851.  Mr.  Luft  was  in  the 
cavalry,  in  the  German  army,  6  years;  was  married  April,  1847,  to 
Katrina  Horn.  They  have  had  eight  children  —  four  boys  and  four 
girls,  five  of  whom  are  living.  Mr.  Luft  is  connected  with  the 
Evangelical  Church,  and  is  a  Democrat. 

Jacob  Maurer  is  a  native  of  Germany,  where  he  was  born  in 
1835.  His  parents  were  Gatleib  and  Elizabeth  Maurer;  Jacob 
received  a  common  school  education.  Mr.  Maurer  but  recently 
came  to  this  county,  arriving  here  Feb.  4,  1878,  He  is  a  farmer; 
is  the  father  of  five  children ;  is  connected  wdth  the  German  Re- 
formed Church,     A  Democrat.     P.  O,,  Delavan. 

Dennis  McCarthy  is  of  Irish  parents,  and  himself  a  native  of 
Ireland,  being  born  in  Limerick,  in  1833.  His  parents  were  Den- 
nis McCarthy  and  Hanora  Murphy,  his  wife ;  attended  the  common 
schools,  Mr.  McCarthy  left  his  native  country  to  try  his  fortune 
in  a  strange  land.  He  located  in  this  county  in  1848;  he  is  a  far- 
mer; is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church;  was  married  May  18, 
1854,  His  children  are  —  Michael,  born  1855;  Ellen,  born  1857; 
Josie,  born  March  1859;  Bridget,  1861 ;  Katie,  1863;  Annie,  1865; 
Dennis,  Oct.  11,  1868;  John,  March  31,  1872.     Is  a  Democrat. 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  457 

Frederick  Merhee,  farmer,  was  born  in  Germany,  Feb.  21,  1845. 
His  parents,  Jacob  and  Barbara,  are  natives  of  the  same  country. 
Mr.  Merkee  received  a  common  school  education.  He  left  his 
native  country  and  came  to  America  and  located  in  this  county  in 
1873;  was  married  Dec.  15,  1871,  to  Lizzie  Schmidt.  She  has  borne 
him  four  children,  as  follows  —  Lena,  born  Nov.  1,1873;  John, 
born  Dec.  4,  1874;  Liddie,  born  Jan.  21,  1876;  Lizzie,  born  Sept. 
4,  1877.     Is  connected  with  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

Thomas  Morrisey  is  of  Irish  descent,  being  a  son  of  John  Morri- 
sey  and  Julia  Flinn,  natives  of  Ireland.  Thomas  was  born  in 
AVarhor,  Ireland,  in  1839.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  left  the  land 
of  his  birth,  and  arrived  in  this  county  in  the  fall  of  1857.  He  is 
a  farmer  and  a  Catholic;  was  married  in  Feb.,  1862,  Thev  are  the 
parents  of  John,  Thomas,  Kate,  Patrick,  Nellie,  James,  Martin  and 
Michael.     Is  a  Democrat.     P.  O.,  Delavan. 

Matthias  Mount.  This  gentleman  is,  perhaps,  as  well  and  flivor- 
bly  known  as  any  other  man  in  Tazewell  Co.  He  was  born  in 
Shelby  Co.,  Ky.,  Aug.  7,  1810,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1833, 
Feb.  20.  He  received  his  education  in  the  log  school  houses  of  his 
native  State  and  was  married  to  Ann  Louisa  Broyhill,  May  31, 
1836.  She  died  Feb.  20,  1840,  leaving  one  son,  Matthias, "born 
Jan.  13,  1840,  who,  also,  sleeps  in  death.  Mr.  M.  was  again  mar- 
ried Nov.  4,  1843,  to  Abigail  Chapman  Orendorff.  She  died  June 
23,  1853,  leaving  three  children — Joseph,  born  Dec.  14,  1846; 
Jane,  July  9,  1848;  Martha,  March  2,  1852.  Again  Mr.  Mount 
was  married.  This  time  to  Eliza  Jane  Bennett  July  23,  1854. 
By  this  wife  he  has  five  children  — William  M.,  Jolin  DeKalb, 
Mary  Elizabeth,  Nathaniel  Green  and  Ida  E.  Mr.  M.  is  engaged 
in  farming  and  owns  about  700  acres  of  land  and  is  considered  one 
of  the  solid  men  of  the  county.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Supervisors  for  a  longer  time  than  any  other  member. 
He  cast  his  first  vote  for  Jackson  in  1828  and  has  voted  for  every 
Democrat  nominee  for  President  since,  excepting  Horace  Greeley. 
He  came  to  Morgan  Co.,  Ill,  Nov.  25,  1830.  He  enlisted  in  the 
Jacksonville  Co.  and  served  in  the  Black  Hawk  war  as  2nd  Lieut, 
and  participated  in  the  important  engagements  of  that  war.  In  the 
spring  of  1833  he  came  to  Tazewell  Co.  and  since  has  lived  an 
honored,  respected  and  useful  life. 

John  Oswald,  farmer,  sec.  19;  P.  O.,  Dillon.  This  gentleman  is 
the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Geiser)  Oswald,  of  Maryland.  His 
father  was  born  in  1776,  his  mother  in  1792.  John  was  born  in 
Maryland,  July  17,  1810,  and  came  to  this  county  in  May,  1855, 
and  has  since  lived  an  active,  energetic  life,  respected  and  esteemed 
by  all  who  know  him.  He  was  united  in  marriage  with  Margaret 
Stephey,  April  14,  1833.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with  three 
children,  two  of  whom  are  living  —  William  D.,  born  May  7,  1834; 
Mary  Ann,  wife  of  Anthony  Fisher,  was  born  Oct.  13,  1836;  John 

38 


458  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

B.,  born  Sept.  26,  1846.     Mr.  O.  has  filled  many  local  official  posi- 
tions, and  has  been  a  Democrat  since  Jackson's  time. 

Thomas  Page,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  England,  and  son  of  Samuel 
and  Elizabeth  (Martin)  Page.  Thomas  Page  was  born  in  Colchester, 
Essex,  England,  in  Dec,  1823;  received  a  common  school  education 
in  his  native  country ;  came  to  this  county  from  England  in  the  fall 
of  1844;  has  been  School  Director.  AVas  married  in  March,  1846, 
to  Hannah  Dillon,  who  lived  but  eight  months  and  two  days  there- 
after; married  to  Ruth  Allgood,  March  6,  1852,  and  is  the  father  of 
four  children.  Thev  were  born  as  follows  —  Marv  Ann,  April  6, 
1853;  Allean,  Jan.' 26,  1856,  died,  Aug.  28,  18o7;  Thomas  C, 
May  29,  1861 ;  James  H.,  Jan.  29,  1866.  Mr.  Page  is  one  of  the 
descendants  of  the  Jenning's  family  whose  estate  is  now  in  litigation, 
involving  millions  of  money ;  is  a  Republican.     P.  O.,  Delavan. 

James  Franklin  Boilings,  merchant  and  farmer;  P.  O.,  Dillon; 
was  born  in  Jackson  county,  "West  Ya.,  Sept.  23,  1843.  His 
parents  were  James  W.  and  Sarah  (Casto)  Rollings.  Mr.  Rollings 
came  to  this  county  in  the  spring  of  1852,  attended  the  common 
schools  of  this  State,  and  spent  his  early  days  on  the  farm  with  his 
father.  Has  held  the  offices  of  Constable,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and 
Postmaster.  Was  married  Sept.  28,  1865,  to  Martha  Bliss.  They 
have  five  girls  —  Sarah  E.,  born  June  25,  1867;  Mary  A.,  born 
June  10,  1871;  Minnie  J.,  Aug.  1,  1873;  Martha  M",  May  25, 
1876  ;  Emma  L.,  Dec.  21,  1878.  Mr.  R.  is  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Church. 

Hiram  Boilings,  farmer,  was  born  in  Virginia,  Jan.  31,  1847. 
His  parents  were  James  and  Sarah  (Casto)  Rollings.  Hiram  came 
to  this  county  in  the  spring  of  1852.  He  received  a  common 
school  education.  Was  married  Feb.  10,  1872,  to  Alice  Rodecker. 
Their  son,  Edger,  was  born  Sept.  24,  '73,  and  daughter,  Luella,  was 
born  Jan.  13,  1875;  Mr.  R.  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  P.  O.,  Dillon. 
Frank  Scott  was  born  in  Dillon  in  Oct.,  1851.  His  parents  were 
Moses  and  Harriet  (Alexander)  Scott,  natives  of  Mississippi. 
Frank  spent  his  school-boy  days  at  school  in  Dillon.  He  now  fol- 
lows the  occupation  of  farming ;  is  a  Democrat  in  politics.  Was 
married  Dec.  4,  1872,  to  Mary  Cooper.  They  have  one  sou,  Wal- 
ter, who  was  born  Oct.  30,  1874. 

Cornelius  Shay,  son  of  David  Shay,  native  of  Ohio,  and  Rachael 
Ridgwav,  native  of  Illinois.  Cornelius  was  born  in  Dillon  town- 
ship April  15,  1857,  and  has  always  lived  in  this  county;  received 
a  common  school  education.  His  chosen  occupation  is  that  of 
a  farmer ;  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church  ;  was  married  Sept. 
3,  1878,  to  Samantha  Dillon.  Political  views,  Democratic.  P.  O., 
Green  Valley. 

Henry  Stevens,  a  native  of  X.  J.,  was  born  in  Jersey  City,  Nov. 
20,  1852 ;  his  parents  are  Julius  and  Mary  (McCord)  Stevens. 
Henrv  came  to  this  county  in  the  fall  of  1856 ;  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  of  this  township.     His  occupation  is  that  of  a  farmer ; 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  459 

is  a  professor  of  religion  in  the  Methodist  Church.  Mr.  Stevens 
was  married  to  Matilda  Clawson,  in  1875,  who  died  three  months 
after  marriage;  was  again  married,  Oct.  1,  1878,  to  Delia  Morris; 
is  a  Democrat.     P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

Henry  H.  Stewart,  farmer,  was  born  in  Tazewell  county,  April  20, 
1847 ;  is  a  son  of  Joel  Stewart,  native  of  Penn.,  and  Mary  Hinsey, 
native  of  Ohio;  received  a  common  school  education.  Mr.  Stewart 
enlisted  in  the  139th  Regiment,  Company  C,  in  April,  1864;  was 
married  Feb.  12,  1874,  to  Sophie  W.  Lantz.  Cora  B.,  their  daugh- 
ter, was  born  Aug.  27,  1875;  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church; 
belongs  to  the  Republican  party.     P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

Noah  Studi/vin  is  a  native  of  this  county,  having  been  born  in 
Dillon  township  July  28,  1853;  is  a  son  of  John  and  Ellen 
Studyvin,  natives  of  Ohio.  Noah  attended  the  common  schools. 
Follows  the  jmrsuit  of  farming.  Was  married  in  Dec,  1876;  is  a 
Democrat.     P.  O.,  Delavan. 

Stephen  Studyvin,  farmer,  was  born  in  Dillon,  Feb.  10,  1838. 
His  parents  were  Obadiah  and  Cynthia  Studyvin ;  received  a  com- 
mon school  education.  Has  been  Assessor  and  Collector.  Mr. 
Studyvin  was  married  Dec.  5,  1873,  to  Frances  Ann  Fisher.  They 
have  one  daughter,  Delia  May,  who  was  born  July  4,  1875,  and  a 
son,  Artie,  born  Nov.  6,  1877;  is  a  Democrat.     P."0.,  Delavan. 

Levi  Tollinger  is  a  native  of  Penn.,  where  he  was  born  ]\Iarch  17, 
1845.  His  ])arents  were  George  and  Margaret  Tollinger.  Levi 
received  a  common  school  education,  and  came  to  this  county  in 
Sept.,  1872.  In  the  dark  days  of  the  Rebellion  Mr.  Tollinger  came 
foward  and  offered  his  services  to  his  country.  He  enlisted  in  the 
9th  Penn.,  Cavalry;  was  engaged  in  many  hard  fought  battles, 
among  which  we  might  mention  "Thompson's  Station,"  Tenn., 
"Stone  river,"  "Lexington;"  was  with  Sherman  on  his  great 
"march  to  the  Sea."  He  was  one  of  the  party  who  captured  Gen. 
Johnson.  Mr.  Tollinger  was  shot  through  the  clothes  and  had  sev- 
eral horses  shot  under  him,  but  had  the  good  fortune  to  escape  any 
personal  injury ;  was  in  the  service  four  years.  Was  married  in 
Dec,  1875,  to  Emma  Trimble.  Jesse  L.,  their  son,  was  born  Aug. 
19,  1876.  Mr.  L.  is  a  Methodist.  Republican  in  politics.  P.  O., 
Green  Valley. 

Jacob  Zimmerman  was  born  in  Germany,  May  12,  1829.  His 
parents,  Christian  and  Barbara  (Sommers),'wcre  "natives  of  Germa- 
ny. Jacob  attended  the  common  schools  of  Ohio,  and  came  to  this 
county  in  the  Spring  of  1872;  was  married  in  1852,  to  Catherine 
Unzickcr.  She  was  the  mother  of  nine  children,  born  as  follows : 
—  Magdalena,  Feb.  23,  1853;  Barbara,  July  29,  1854;  Catherine, 
Nov.   9,   1856;    Fannie,   Feb.  26,   1858;  Mary,  March   28,   1860; 


460  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

This  township  has  been  ably  represented  in  all  official  positions 
since  its  organization.     The  following  is  a  full  list  of  officers : 

SUPERVISORS. 

Nathan  Dillon. 1850  Ezra  Reetor 1863 

C.  Gill 1851-53  John  A.  Reinagle ><  1864 

Nathan  Dillon 1854  Sherrod  Williams 1865 

Sherrofl  Williams 1855-57  Jonathan  Schureman 1866 

E  C  Hobert 1858  Mathiaa  Mount 1867-75 

S.  Wilhams 1859  C.  W.  Waltmire 1876 

H.C.Sutton 1861  Mathias  Mount 1877-79 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

John  L.  Paine 1854-55      R.  Lord 1868 

R  Lord 1857-59      J.  W.  Shurts 1869-72 

W.D.Oswald 1861  James  M.  Shay 1873-79 

James  M.  Shay 1863-67 

ASSESSORS. 

David  Renner 1854  H.C.Sutton 1863-67 

John  L.  Paine 1355  G.  J.  Boyles 1868 

John  A.  Reinagle 1857  H.  C.  Sutton 1869-77 

David  Renner 1858-59  Stephen  Studyvin 1878 

E.  Rector 1361  Charles  E.  Morris 1879 

COLLECTORS. 

David  Renner 1854  John  Oswald 1866 

G.  J.  Haines 1855  Henry  C.  Sutton 1867 

J.  B.  Landet 1857-58      Joseph  A.  Scott 1868 

John  M.  Dillon »  1859  James  Greenan 1869 

Joseph  Scott 1861  Stephen  Studyvin 1870-76 

Wm.  D.  Oswald 1863  C.  H.  Bowlsby 1877-78 

J  B  Landet 1864  Stephen  Studyvin 1879 

John  Keefer 1865 


ELM  GROVE  TOWNSHIP. 

The  brave,  true-hearted  pioneer  settled  in  the  beautiful  groves 
of  this  township  about  as  early  as  in  any  other  place  in  this  portion 
of  Illinois.  The  native  groves  were  beautiful  in  the  extreme ;  and 
a  place  of  historic  fame,  in  a  local  way,  during  the  early  history  of 
the  county,  was  Pleasant  Grove,  which  was  located  in  this  township. 
Absalom  Dillon  erected  the  first  cabin,  in  1824.  This  was  built  on 
section  34.  The  first  mill  in  the  county  was  built  here,  in  1825,  by 
William  .  Eads.  The  first  woolen  factory  of  the  county  was  also 
erected  here.  It  stood  on  section  34,  and  was  built  in  1832,  by 
Theodorus  Fisher.  The  first  marriage  in  the  county  was  celebrated 
in  this  township  in  the  spring  of  1826.  Daniel  Dillon  and  Martha 
Alexander  were  the  happy  couple.  The  first  school-house  was  built 
in  1827,  on  section  27.     Samuel  Bentley  was  the  first  teacher. 


HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  461 

The  first  meeting  held  in  the  county  was  held  in  a  grove  on  Dillon 
creek,  in  Elm  Grove,  in  September,  1827.  This  was  a  Methodist 
meeting,  and  was  conducted  by  the  celebrated  Peter  Cartwright. 
He  invited  all  present  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  exclaimed, 
"  If  there  are  any  old  button-hole  rams  present,  stand  back."  He 
had  reference  to  the  Regular  or  Hard-shelled  Baptist  people.  An 
old  lady  indignantly  jumped  up  and  said  that  "  she  was  an  old 
button-hole  ewe,  and  would  take  a  back  seat."  The  person  who  tells 
us  this  incident  was  present  on  the  occasion,  and  recollects  the  cir- 
cumstances well.  She  is  now  a  resident  of  the  township.  The  first 
church  building  erected  in  the  township  was  in  1830,  by  the 
Quakers,  or  Friends.  The  building  was  located  on  section  34. 
The  first  cemetery  of  the  county  was  located  on  the  same  section,  in 
1826.  The  first  death  to  occur  was  that  of  Hannah  Dillon,  the  wife 
of  William  Dillon,  in  the  year  1826.  In  the  year  1834  the  cholera 
raged  through  the  settlement  and  carried  oif  many  of  the  settlers. 
One  of  the  oldest  deeds  in  the  county  is  in  possession  of  Mrs.  Fisher, 
who  resides  in  this  township.  It  was  given  in  1830.  It  is  signed 
by  Elijah  Hayword,  Commissioner  of  the  Land  Office,  and  Andrew 
Jackson,  President.  She  also  has  one  in  her  possession  which  was 
given  to  her  uncle,  Walter  Dillon,  in  1826.  This  is  signed  by  John 
Quincy  Adams,  and  is  recorded  in  Vol.  2,  page  300.  The  County 
Farm  is  located  on  sections  11  i\nd  14  of  this  township. 

Among  the  earliest  settlers  were  William  Davis,  John  Dillon, 
Hugh  Montgomery,  Alexander  McKnight,  Benjamin  Briggs,  James 
Scott,  Thorton  Wilson,  James  Wright,  Levi  and  Thomas  Moulton, 
Thomas  Bennett,  John  Lord,  John  and  Eli  Redman,  Rufus  North 
and  Alexander  Barnes.  We  find  living  there  at  the  present  time 
none  of  these  sturdy  pioneers,  but  there  is  a  good  thrifty  class  of 
agriculturists.  Among  the  number  we  would  mention,  as  fairly 
representing  the  better  portion  of  the  community,  the  following 
persons : 

Jesse  B.  Cooper,  Superintendent  of  County  Farm,  was  born  in 
Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  Sept.  25,  1831.  His  father,  William  Cooper, 
was  a  native  of  Ohio,  while  his  mother,  Mary  (Beal)  Cooper,  was 
born  in  New  York.  He  arrived  in  Tazewell  county  April  5,  1855. 
In  1851,  Nov.  11,  he  married  Malinda  Burns.  They  arc  the  parents 
of  six  children,  all  of  whom  are  living.  They  are  Addie,  William, 
Kate,  Chara,  Charles  and  John.  Mr.  C.  affiliates  with  the  Democ- 
racy.    He  resides  on  section  11 ;  post-office,  Tremont. 

John  W.  Davis,  a  native  of  this  county,  was  born  in  Elm  Grove 


462  HISTORY   OP  TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

township,  Jan.  4,  1889.  His  birtli  occurred  in  the  first  house  built 
in  that  towhship.  His  parents,  William  and  Jane  (Eads)  Davis, 
were  among  the  very  earliest  settlers  of  Tazewell  county.  Mr. 
Davis  received  only  a  common  school  education,  attending  the 
schools  of  his  native  township.  On  the  29th  of  March,  1863,  he 
was  married  to  Mary  J.  Fisher,  who  has  borne  him  five  children  — 
Alvin  T.,  Amos  A.,  Alphis  W.,  Laura  M.  and  Thomas  J.  Mr.  D. 
resides  on  section  22.     In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.     Post-office, 

Tremont. 

Jesse  H.  Fisher.  Mr.  Fisher  is  engaged  in  farming,  and  resides 
on  section  36.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  Tazewell  county, 
having  come  here  Sept.  23,  1829.  He  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  having 
been  born  in  Clinton  county,  of  that  State,  Aug.  26,  1814.  His 
parents  were  Theodorus  Fisher,  a  very  prominent  man  in  his  day, 
and  Martha  (Dillon)  Fisher,  both  of  whom  were  North  Carolinians. 
Mr.  F.  enlisted  in  Co.  K.,  26th  111.  Infantry,  in  1861,  and  served 
till  1868.  April  9,  1835,  he  was  married  to  Anna  Dillon,  daughter 
of  Nathan  Dillon,  the  first  settler  of  the  county.  Their  children 
number  seven,  and  bear  the  following  names  :  Sarah  J. ;  Nathan  ; 
Mary  ;  Frances  E. ;  Albert ;  Martha  A. ;  Franklin  A.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican.     Post-office,  Tremont. 

Charles  H.  Fuller,  son  of  James  and  Julia  (Carpenter)  Fuller, 
was  born  in  Elm  Grove  township,  in  1823.  He  attended  the  schools 
at  Tremont  and  finished  his  education  at  Bloomington.  He  lives 
on  section  26,  and  is  engaged  in  farming  and  raising  Norman  horses. 
Charles  has  been  Assessor  of  his  township,  and  enters  politics  as  a 
Republican.     Post-office,  Tremont. 

George  W.  Greeley,  farmer,  residing  on  section  2,  was  born  in  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire,  Jan.  31,  1824.  His  parents,  Benjamin 
and  Rebecca  (Whittier)  Greeley,  were  also  natives  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. Mr.  G.  came  to  this  county  in  1836.  He  received  most  of 
his  education  in  Tremont  High  School.  Mr.  G.  has  held  the  office 
of  Treasurer  of  his  township  for  the  last  nineteen  years,  and  Assessor 
for  six  consecutive  terms.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  In  1850 
he  was  joined  in  marriage  with  Sarah  Becker.  Their  children  num- 
ber four  —  James,  Edward,  George  and  Benjamin.  Post-office 
address,  Tremont. 

Philip  Ileisel.  Mr.  Heisel  was  born  in  Sand  Prairie  township, 
Tazewell  county,  Dec.  3,  1844.  His  parents,  Philip  and  Mary 
(Swain)  Heisel, 'are  natives  of  Germany.  He  was  educated  in  the 
schools  at  Pekin.  He  is  a  member  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Pekin. 
In  politics,  he  stands  on  the  Democratic  platform.  He^ resides  on 
section  6,  where  he  is  engaged  in  farming.  February  17,  1877,  he 
took  unto  himself  a  wife  in  the  person  of  Mary  Hoby.  Post-office, 
Pekin. 

Christian  Hochstetfler  was  born  in  Germany,  June  16,  1841.  His 
parents  were  Joseph  and  Josephine  (Zingorich)  Hochstetfler.  Mr. 
H.  came  to  this  county  in  1849,  and  received  his  education  in  the 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  463 

common  schools  here.  He  is  engaged  in  farming,  on  section  18. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Mennonite  Church,  Washington.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1868,  Mr,  H.  was  married  to  Mary  Unzicker,  who  has  borne 
him  four  children,  two  girls  and  two  boys :  Louisa  M.,  Robert  H., 
Arnold  H.  and  Annie  L.     Post-office  address,  Pekin. 

Freeman  Kingman  was  born  in  Bridge  water,  Mass.,  March  26, 
1799.  His  parents  were  Henry  and  Anna  (Bryant)  Kingman. 
Mr.  K.  is  an  old  settler  of  the  county.  He  came  to  section  12,  this 
township,  in  1834,  and  has  resided  here  since.  He  has  transferred 
passengers  on  the  line  of  the  famous  Under-ground  Railroad, 
through  Tremont  township.  He  rode  on  the  boat  from  Norfolk  to 
Baltimore,  in  1833,  in  company  with  Black  Hawk  and  his  suit. 
Gen.  Jackson  was  also  on  the  boat.  In  1830,  Mr.  K.  was  married 
to  Mary  White,  who  died  in  1839.  He  was  married  again  in  1840, 
to  Narcisa  Greeley.  By  his  first  wife  he  had  three  sons :  Lysander 
P.,  John  H.,  and  Freeman.  The  union  with  his  present  wife  has 
been  blessed  with  seven  children  :  Mary,  Annie,  Emily,  Augustus, 
Amelia,  Almeda  and  Nellie  M.  Mr.  K.  is  quite  stout  for  a  man  of 
four  score  years,  and  has  the  a]ipearance  of  a  man  of  sixty,  rather  than 
eighty  years  old.  He  has  followed  stone  cutting,  but  his  time  prin- 
cipally has  been  devoted  to  farming.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church.     Post-office,  Tremont. 

Al/en  Leonard  came  to  this  county  at  a  very  early  age.  He  was 
born  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  Jan.  21,  1827.  and  arrived  in  Taze- 
well county,  Sept.  24,  1830.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  he  is  what  we 
term  an  "  old  settler."  His  parents,  Thomas  and  Hannah  (Starbuck) 
Leonard,  were  natives  of  North  Carolina.  In  September,  1849,  he 
was  joined  in  marriage  with  Louisa  Fisher.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren, Elmira  and  Raphael.  Mr.  L.  is  extensively  engaged  in 
farming,  on  section  26.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  Post-office, 
Tremont. 

Nathan  Leonard  was  brought  to  Tazewell  county,  when  a  lad  of 
a  dozen  summers.  He  resides  on  section  36,  which  has  been  his 
home  for  thirty-two  years.  He  has  a  farm  of  350  acres,  which  he 
cultivates.  He  was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  in  1820,  and 
arrived  in  this  county,  Sept.  24,  1830,  and  gained  his  education  in 
such  schools  as  the  home  of  his  early  a(lo})tion  affi)rded.  His 
parents  were  Thomas  and  Hannah  Leonard.  On  the  2")th  of  May, 
1848,  he  was  married  to  Ann  Robinson,  and  two  children,  Leslie 
and  Eugene,  have  been  born  to  them.  Mr.  L.  adheres  to  the  doc- 
trine promulgated  by  the  Republican  party.     Post-office,  Tremont. 

Thomas  J.  Jjeonard,  a  native  of  this  township,  having  been  born 
here  on  the  16th  of  April,  1838,  is  engaged  in  farming  rather  exten- 
sively in  Elm  Grove.  He  resides  upon  section  35.  The  common 
schools  of  the  county  affin'ded  all  the  advantages  for  an  education 
he  ever  had.  His  parents  were  Thomas  and  Hannah  (Starbuck) 
Leonard,  the  former  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  the  latter  of  Ohio. 
May  25,  1865,  he  turned  from  his  bachelor  habits,  and  took  to  him- 


464  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

self  a  wife.  This  lady,  Mary  E.  Loy,  has  borne  him  five  children : 
Emer  A.,  Elmon,  Ednie  T.,  Mertie  M.  and  Maiy  C.  Politically, 
Mr.  L.  is  identified  with  the  Democracy.     Post-office,  Tremont. 

Wilson  S.  Mauker,  farmer,  section  23,  Elm  Grove  township,  was 
born  in  Ohio,  Jan,  30,  1843,  and  came  to  Tazewell  county  in  1867. 
He  had  only  the  common  schools  of  Ohio  at  which  to  secure  his 
education.  In  1877,  Sept.  13,  he  was  married  to  Elmina  Hodgson. 
Anna  A.  was  born  to  them  Sept.  21,  1878.  Mr.  M.  is  found  in  the 
Democratic  ranks.     Post-office  address,  Tremont. 

David  B.  McLean.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Ire- 
land, Feb.  14,  1834,  but  was  brought  to  this  country  during  the 
first  year  of  his  life.  He  lived  three  years  in  New  York,  when  he 
came  to  this  county,  arriving  July  25,  1837,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  He  is  engaged  in  farming  on  section  15.  He  attended 
the  common  school,  and  finished  his  education  at  Tremont.  His 
parents  are  Hugh  S.  and  Janet  (Breckenridge)  McLean.  Mr.  Mc- 
Lean has  held  the  office  of  Town  Clerk  for  ten  years.  Justice  of  the 
Peace  four  years,  and  School  Director  twenty-one  years.  In  1859, 
March  31,  he  was  married  to  Lydia  Williams.  They  are  the 
parents  of  six  children :  Mary  J.,  Alice,  Hugh  S.,  William  L., 
Charles  and  John.  Politically,  Mr.  McLean  adheres  to  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Republican  party.     Post-office  address,  Tremont. 

Isaac  Miars  is  a  son  of  Martin  jVIiars,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers 
in  Tazewell  county.  Mr.  Miars  arrived  here  in  1825,  and  on 
Sept.  30,  entered  the  land  upon  which  he  now  resides.  His  land 
.  was  located  on  sections  27  and  28,  Elm  Grove  township.  He  got 
the  "  sheep  skin "  from  the  Government  on  the  first  day  the  land 
office  was  opened  at  Springfield.  Mr.  Miars,  sen.,  was  born  in 
1801.  When  he  first  came  to  the  county  he  went  out  hunting  in 
company  with  an  Indian.  It  was  customary  for  him  to  carry  a 
biscuit  and  an  onion.  The  Indian  became  very  hungry,  and  Mr. 
M.  gave  him  the  biscuit,  and  he  swallowed  it  down  ravenouslv. 
He  then  passed  him  the  onion,  and  it,  too,  as  quickly  went  to  his 
mouth,  but  the  strong  effects  caused  the  tears  to  flow  freely.  Mr. 
M.  enjoyed  this  hugely,  and  laughed  at  the  horrid  faces  the  Indian 
made.  This  made  the  red  man  mad,  and  he  walked  behind  sullen 
and  silent,  and  would  not  shoot  his  gun  off.  Isaac  was  born  in 
Tazewell  county,  in  1838.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was  Ann 
Hodgson.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools ;  and  is  en- 
gaged in  farming  on  section  22.  Was  married,  Sept.  1,  1857,  to 
Finetta  Carpenter.  They  have  six  children :  Louisa',  Isaac  E., 
Charles,  Annie,  Ellen  and  Alberta.  Politically,  Mr.  M.  is  a  Re- 
publican.    Post-office,  Tremont. 

Fannie  J.  Miller,  daughter  of  Phineas  J.  and  Caroline  (Drey) 
Miller,  was  born  in  Fulton  county,  Jan.  27,  1857,  and  came  to 
Tazewell  county  in  1864.  She  attended  the  common  schools,  and 
finished  her  education  at  Heading  College,  Abingdon,  111.  Miss 
Miller  is  engaged  in  school  teaching.  She  resides  on  section  17, 
and  her  post-office  address  is  Pekin. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  465 

Enoch  G.  3£orse,  farmer,  sec.  21,  was  born  in  Concord,  N.  H., 
Jan.  10,  1827,  and  came  to  this  county  Oct.  7,  1835.  His  j)aronts, 
Moses  and  Hannah  (Smith)  Morse,  were  also  natives  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. Mr.  M.  has  resided  on  his  present  farm  for  forty-two  years. 
October  22,  1856,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Eades.  They  are 
the  parents  of  seven  children  —  Robert  C,  born  in  September,  1859  ; 
Annie  M.,  born  Feb.  16,  1862;  Lucy  S.,  born  Dec.  21,  1865; 
Mariette,  born  Xov.  12,  1868;  Albert,  born  May  25,1875.  In 
politics  Mr.  Morse  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party.  Post-office, 
Tremont. 

Thomas  J.  Prunty,  farmer  and  carpenter,  was  born  in  Franklin 
county,  Va.,  Dec.  12,  1824,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Cassandra 
(Chunnery)  Prunty.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1843,  and  got  his 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  McLean  county.  On  the  31st 
of  August,  1855,  he  entered  into  the  marital  state  with  Sarah  Dil- 
lon. They  are  the  parents  of  four  children,  all  of  whom  are  living. 
They  are  Matilda,  Clara,  Ann  and  Elmer  L.  Mr,  P.  resides  on 
section  23.  He  adheres  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Democratic  party. 
Post-office,  Tremont. 

John  Ringwald  was  born  in  Germany,  Feb.  3,  1846,  and  came  to 
this  county  June  15,  1866,  His  parents,  John  and  Catharine  Ring- 
wald, were  Germans.  He  had  only  such  opportunities  to  gain  an 
education  as  the  conmion  schools  of  his  native  country  offi^red.  He 
learned  the  carpenter  trade  and  followed  it  for  eight  years.  He  is 
now  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  residing  on  section  7,  this 
township.  On  the  6th  of  March,  1868,  he  was  married  to  Marga- 
rethe  Daum,  who  has  borne  him  six  children  —  John,  Christ,  Adam, 
Margareth,  George  and  Mary.     Mr.  R.'s  post-office  address  is  Pekin. 

James  Jxobison.  Mr.  Robison  is  a  native  of  Scotland,  having 
been  born  in  that  country  May  #15,  1801.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  commt)n  schools  of  Scotland.  His  parents  were  James  and 
Gean  (Hunter)  Robison.  Mr.  R.  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Isabella  Leslie,  of  Scotland,  six  years  ago.  They  had  born  to  them 
eleven  children :  William,  Barbara,  (deceased),  Frank,  Annie, 
James,  Archie,  (deceased),  Susan,  George,  (deceased),  Mary,  Ijcslie 
and  Belle.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  In  politics  he 
is  counted  with  the  Republicans.  He  resides  on  section  10,  and 
his  post-office  is  Tremont. 

Mr.  R.  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1832,  and  engaged  in 
a  contract  to  construct  the  iirst  railroad  across  the  Alleghany  ^ 
Mountains,  in  company  with  Jonathan  Leslie.  They  operated  there 
successfully  for  two  years,  when  they  moved  to  Micliigan  into  a 
heavily  timbered  and  wild  region,  and  there  cleared  about  sixty 
acres  of  land  and  built  a  house.  He  remained  there  al)out  three 
years  when,  in  1837,  he  sold  out  and  came  to  Tazewell  county.  He 
took  contracts  on  construction  of  the  Pekin  &  Tremont  railroad. 
The  road-bed  of  this  road,  the  present  I.  B.  &  W.,  was  finished 
through  Elm  Grove  in  1830.     It  was  contemplated  to  lay  the  track 


466  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

of  this  road  with  strap-iron  on  wooden  rails.  It  was  all  completed 
except  the  iron  work,  which  was  never  done.  Mr.  R.  next  engaged 
in  contracts  on  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  canal. 

James  W.  Robison.  Although  a  native  of  Scotland,  Mr.  Robison 
has  been  reared  in  this  country.  He  was  born  in  1831,  and  with  his 
parents,  James  and  Isebella  (Leslie)  Robison,  came  to  the  United 
States,  and  in  1837  found  himself  under  the  parental  roof  in  Elm 
Grove  township.  Mr.  R.  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of 
this  county,  and  attended  school  at  Jacksonville,  111.  He  is  engaged 
very  extensively  in  farming,  and  takes  great  interest  in  fruit  grow- 
ing, and  has  been  president  of  the  State  Horticultural  Society.  He 
has  also  represented  his  district  in  the  State  Senate,  being  elected 
on  the  Republican  ticket,  which  party  he  is  identified  with.  Post- 
office,  Tremont. 

Jacob  S.  Ropp  was  born  in  Elm  Grove  township,  April  29,  1846. 
His  parents,  Peter  and  Mary  (Gehrig)  Ropp,  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many. Jacob  got  such  an  education  as  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  township  aiforded.  He  resides  on  section  9,  where  he  is 
engaged  in  forming.  In  1869,  Jan.  10,  he  was  married  to  Mary 
Ann  King.  Thev  are  parents  of  four  children  :  Walter,  born  Aug. 
12,  1872;  Albert,' born  March  28,  1875;  Ezra,  born  Sept.  16,  1877; 
and  Amelia,  born  Dec.  19,  1870.  For  a  short  season,  from  1870  to 
'7b,  Mr.  R.  lived  in  Missouri.  With  this  exception  his  entire  life 
has  been  passed  in  Tazewell  county.  He  is  connected  with  the 
Mennonite  Church.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Joseph.  P.  Ropp.  It  will  be  noticed  that  quite  a  number  of  the 
prominent  men  of  Elm  Grove  were  born  in  the  township.  They 
were  reared  from  earliest  childhood  in  their  pleasant  country  homes, 
and  wisely  have  embarked  on  the  busy  career  of  life  on  their  own 
native  prairies  and  woodland.  The  ^subject  of  this  sketch,  Joseph 
P.  Ropp,  first  saw  the  light  of  day  here.  He  was  born  March  19, 
1844.  His  parents  were  Peter  and  Mary  Ropp.  On  the  4th  of 
March,  1869,  he  was  joined  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony  with 
Josephine  Ropp.  Levi,  Mary  B.,  and  Ephriam  are  their  children. 
Mr.  R.  is  extensively  engaged  in  farming.  He  resides  on  section 
23.  His  political  views  accord  with  those  of  the  Democratic  party. 
Post-office  address,  Tremont. 

Joseph  W.  Ropp,  son  of  Andrew  and  Jacobina  (Wurkler)  Ropp, 
was  born  in  Tazewell  county  111.,  Jan.  30,  1840.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  this  county.  In  1865  he  went 
'to  Germany  and  spent  seven  months.  He  is  an  agriculturist  and 
resides  on  section  1.  Mr.  R.  made  a  profession  of  religion  in  1857, 
and  is  connected  with  the  Mennonite  Church.  In  1866,  March  13, 
he  took  unto  himself  a  wife  in  the  person  of  Catherine  Garber,  who 
has  borne  him  five  sons :  Samuel,  William,  Asa,  Ithel  and  Alvin. 
Mr.  R.  views  politics  from  a  Democratic  standpoint.  Post-office, 
Tremont. 

Seth  Talbot,     This  is  a  name  familiar  to  most  people  in  Tazewell 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  467 

county.  He  has  been  foremost  in  the  various  enterprises  of  the 
county  during  the  past  thirty  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  first 
Board  of  Supervisors  of  the  county,  and  remained  an  active  mem- 
ber of  that  body  during;  the  five  following  terms,  and  since  has 
served  occasionally.  He  was  Secretary  of  the  County  Agricultural 
Society  for  twelye  years.  He  had  charge  of  the  first  mail  that  was 
ever  carried  from  Tremont  to  Pekin  by  rail.  He  was  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business  at  Tremont  for  three  years,  after  which  he 
went  to  farming,  living  on  section  13.  He  has  been  engaged  in  the 
shipping  business  between  United  States  and  the  West  Indies.  He 
was  born  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  June  3,  1820,  and  came  to  this 
county  April  28,  1838.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of 
Bristol  county,  Mass.  His  parents  were  Seth  and  ]\Iary  (Ware) 
Talbot.  He  has  two  children:  Mary  E.,  born  in  1842,  is  the  wife 
of  John  H.  Trout,  and  William  E.  Talbot,  born  in  1852,  is  a  farmer 
in  Elm  Grove.     Politically  Mr.  T.  is  a  Republican. 

John  H.  Trout  was  born  in  Tremont  township,  this  county,  Feb. 
26,  1838.  He  is  engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising  on  section 
24  of  this  township.  He  received  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  this  county.  In  his  business  he  has  been  quite  success- 
ful. In  1863,  the  29th  of  January,  he  was  married  to  Mary  E. 
Talbot.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with  three  children  :  Mary  E., 
Clara  W.,  and  Seth  Talbot.  Politically  Mr.  T.,  is  a  Republican. 
Post-office,  Tremont. 

Joseph  T  «u  Dorn  is  the  son  of  William  H.  and  Sarah  E.  (Dirling) 
Van  Dorn  and  was  born  in  Lansing,  X.  Y.,  June  9,  1836.  He  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  of  DeKalb  county.  111.  and  came 
to  this  county  March  14,  1877.  He  learned  the  carpenter  trade,  and 
and  at  present  follows  the  occupation  of  farming.  He  entered  the 
army  Sept.  23,  1861,  in  11th  111.  Cavalry,  under  Col.  R.  G.  Inger- 
soll  and  remained  until  October,  1865.  In  1878,  Dec.  14th,  he  w^as 
united  with  Rosanna  Kunncr  in  marriage.  Politically  he  is  a 
Democrat.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

John  Voupel  was  born  in  Heussian  Castle,  Germany,  March  4, 
1820  and  came  to  this  county  in  1855.  He  attended  the  common 
schools  for  five  years  and  for  the  same  length  of  time  was  in  the 
military  school.  He  served  a  term  of  six  years  in  the  flying  artil- 
lery of  Germany.  He  was  married  to  ^largaret  Sahmeihart  Oct.  19, 
1851.  They  have  five  children:  Christoj)her,  born  June  8,  1852; 
John,  born  Sept.  12,  1858;  George,  born  Dec.  26,  1860;  Annie, 
born  Nov.  6,  1863;  and  Charlie  born  Nov.  3,  1865.  Mr.  Vaupel 
is  engaged  in  farming  on  section  2.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Luth- 
eran Church,  Pekin.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  Post-office 
address  Groveland. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  officials  serving  since  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  township: 


468  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

SUPERVISORS. 

Seth  Talbot.. 1850-55  George  W.  Greeley 1863-64 

John  Dillon  1856  Seth  Talbot 1865 

Daniel  Hodson 1857-58  George  W.  Greeley 1866-67 

Seth  Talbot 1859  Alfred  E.  Leonard 1868-71 

A.J.Davis 1860-61  D.  John  Bennett 1872-79 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

William  Murphy 18.50-54  William  L.  Pratt 1864 

E.G.Morse 18.55  E.  G.  Mor.se 1865 

William  Murphy 18-56  Aq.  J.  Davis 1866 

E.G.Morse 18-57-61  David  B.  McLean 1867-75 

Daniel  Brown 1863  E.  G.  Morse 1876-79 

ASSESSORS. 

John  Waldon 1850    •  Jesse  Fisher 1865 

John  Buckley  18-54-55  Edward  Pratt 1866-67 

John  AVal.lon 18.56-57  George  W.  Greelev 1868-73 

Jesse  Fisher 1858-59  Leslie  W.  Leonard 1874 

Edward  Pratt 1860  Wm.  H.  Roof 1875-76 

John  Dillon 1861  C.  H.  Fuller 1877 

John  Waldon 1863-64  Wm.  H.  Roof 1878-79 

COLLECTORS. 

G.W.Greeley 1850  Allen  Leonard 1865 

N.G.Nichols 1854  Thomas  Larimore 1866 

A.  J.  Davis 1855  H.  T.  Davis 1867 

Isiah  Newkirk 18-56  Aquilla  J.  Davis 1868 

A.  J.  Davis 18.57  L.  P.  Kingman  1869 

E.G.Morse 1858  Warner  L.  Pratt 1870 

G.  W.  Ciine — resigned  Lysander  P.  Kingman 1871 

A.J.Davis. 1859  Thomas  Larimore 1872 

Thomas  Larimore I860  M.  A.  Davison 1873-75 

G.  W.  Greelev 1861  W.L.Pratt 1876 

Thomas  Larimore 1863  John  E.  Potts 1877-78 

John  Wolneldorf 1864  C.  B.  Bennett 1879 


FOND  DU  LAC  TOWNSHIP. 

In  the  first  chapter  of  this  work  we  give  to  Nathan  Dillon  the 
honor  of  being  the  first  settler  in  the  county.  We  mean,  of  course, 
aside  from  the  French  traders  who  located  here  long  before  any 
settlers  came.  But  if  we  take  the  statements  of  William  Blanchard, 
who  now  resides  in  Woodford  county,  and  we  have  no  reason  for 
discrediting  them,  to  him  the  credit  of  being  the  first  settler  of  Taze- 
well county  belongs.  We  have  no  disposition  to  be  partial,  or 
record  facts  differently  from  what  they  really  are,  indeed  we  could 
possibly  have  no  object  in  so  doing.  It  is  our  desire  to  record  the 
facts  just  as  they  have  occurred  and  precisely  as  they  are,  uncolored 
and  unchano;ed,  and  if  we  had  known  before  this  late  date  of  Mr. 
Blanchard's  claims,  we  would  have  given  his  statements  in  the  first 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  469 

chapter.  "We  visited  him  at  his  home  in  Woodford  county,  Illinois, 
and  found  a  very  genial  old  gentleman.  We  obtained  the  following 
items  from  him : 

Wm.  Blanchard,  Jr.,  is  a  native  of  Vermont,  where  he  was  born 
in  1797;  left  that  State  when  seven  years  of  age,  and  with  his 
parents  went  to  Washington  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  his  father,  William, 
died.  When  seventeen  years  of  age  he  enlisted  in  the  regular  army, 
and  took  an  active  part  in  the  war  of  1812,  serving  five  years,  when 
he,  with  Charles  Sargeant,  Theodore  Sargcant  and  David  Barnes, 
veterans  of  the  war,  started  West,  coming  to  Detroit,  Mich.,  thence 
to  Ft.  Wayne,  whence  they  journeyed  in  a  canoe  to  Vincennes,  thence 
to  St.  Louis.  From  there  they  came  up  the  Illinois  in  a  keel  boat 
manned  by  a  fishing  crew,  and  commanded  by  a  man  named  Warner, 
and  landed  at  Ft.  Clark,  now  Peoria,  in  the  spring  of  1819.  Crossing 
the  river  to  what  is  known  as  the  bottom  lands  they  found  a  cleared 
spot,  and  with  such  tools  as  they  could  arrange  from  wood  put  in 
a  patch  of  corn  and  potatoes.  This  land  is  now  embodied  in  Fond  du 
Lac  township.  Looking  farther  down  the  stream  they  found,  in  1822, 
an  old  French  field  of  about  ten  acres,  on  which  they  erected  a  rude 
habitation,  and  soon  this  soil  was  filled  with  a  growth  of  blooming 
corn  and  potatoes.  This  was  the  first  settlement  between  Ft.  Clark 
and  Chicago,  and  was  the  first  dwelling  erected.  The  site  is  now 
covered  by  the  fine  farm  of  Jacob  Ames.  In  1825  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Eliza  Donohue,  a  native  of  Delaware.  The  ceremony  took 
place  in  his  cabin,  and  was  performed  by  Jacob  Wilson,  first  Justice 
of  the  Peace  between  Peoria  and  Chicago.  This  was  the  first 
license  taken  out  between  those  cities.  She  died  Dec.  18,  1867, 
leaving  five  children.  His  present  wife,  Sarah  E.  Gale,  was  a 
native  of  Virginia.  They  were  married  in  1869,  He  entered  the 
land  of  his  present  home,  in  Woodford  county,  and  settled  on 
the  same,  in  1830,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  He  is 
now  living  in  quietness,  surrounded  by  his  relatives  and  friends. 
His  experiences  of  pioneer  life,  and  the  dangers  that  often  visited 
his  abode,  are  interesting  in  the  extreme.  At  one  time  he  was 
visited  by  a  stalwart  chief  of  the  red  skins,  who  demanded  whisky, 
and  upon  refusal  raised  his  tomahawk  and  would  have  plunged  it  in 
his  skull,  but  the  keen  eye  of  the  settler  was  upon  him,  and  he 
wrested  the  weapon  from  hira,  and  with  the  aid  of  friends  the  assail- 
ant was  secured.  But  he  never  forgot  it,  and  always  threatened  his 
life. 


470  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

The  second  oldest  living  settler  of  Fond  du  Lac  township  is 
Jacob  L.  Wilson,  a  resident  of  Washington,  Illinois,  who,  with  his 
father,  Jacob,  and  family,  in  company  with  Jakey  Phillips,  Joshua 
Walker,  Thomas  Banks  and  Elisha  Green,  started  from  Wayne  Co., 
Ind.,  in  the  fall  of  1823.  They  stopped  at  the  farm  of  Isaac  Wil- 
son, grandfather  of  Jacob  L.,  through  the  holidays.  His  large  area 
of  acres  are  now  covered  by  the  costly  stores  and  palatial  residences 
of  Indianapolis,  Ind.  In  the  midst  of  winter,  with  two  sleighs 
drawn  by  ox  teams,  this  little  colony  ploughed  their  way  through 
deep  snows  and  high  waters.  When  they  arrived  at  the  Vermillion 
river,  it  was  deemed  unsafe  to  cross  on  the  ice,  and  after  consulta- 
tion it  was  decided  to  break  the  ice,  and,  if  prossible,  ford  the 
stream.  Accordingly,  heavy  clubs  were  cut  from  the  timber  skirt- 
ing the  stream,  and  the  band  of  heroic  explorers  began  the  task. 
Ere  the  day  dawned  the  ice  was  broken,  and  the  Egyptian  pilgrims 
passed  through  with  water  nearly  over  the  wagon  box,  and  en- 
camped on  the  opposite  shore.  A  blinding  snow  storm  set  in,  which 
made  further  progress  impossible.  AVhile  hunting  in  the  woods  for 
game  the  party  were  surprised  to  find  six  large  fat  hogs,  feeding 
leisurely  upon  acorns  and  other  growth  that  the  woods  afforded.  It 
is  supposed  that  this  stock  strayed  from  a  drover,  or  was  the  stock 
of  an  unknown  pioneer.  However,  the  swineships  were  slaughtered, 
skinned,  and  divided  equally  among  the  party,  whose  provisions 
had  began  to  show  a  famished  condition.  With  this  fortune  came 
bright  sunny  weather,  and  the  little  party  journeyed  on  until  they 
reached  the  banks  of  the  Illinois  river,  where  they  landed  in  Febru- 
ary, 1824.  Of  this  number  but  few  remain  to  tell  the  story  of  their 
trials  and  difficulties.  Uncle  Jacob,  by  which  name  he  is  familliarly 
known,  is  the  only  one  who  has  clung  to  the  home  of  his  boyhood. 
Among  those  who  came  in  afterward  were  Cyrus  J.  Gibson,  who 
came  in  1830,  and  settled  on  section  11  and  12.  His  son,  who 
accompanied  him,  is  now  a  prosperous  merchant  of  Washington, 
111.  Austin  and  Horace  Croker,  Elza  Bethard,  Thomas  Camlin 
and  Jacob  Funk,  who  was  shot  by  the  Sheriff;  Major  Donohue  and 
David  Mathews,  whose  families  all  grew  up  in  this  township ;  Jos. 
Schertz,  who  came  in  1830,  is  still  a  living  resident  near  Farmdale; 
also,  William  and  Samuel  Moberry,  brothers,  who  settled  in  Grove- 
land,  in  1832,  and  have  experienced  all  the  hardships  of  pioneer 
life.  There  are  many  others  equally  worthy  of  notice,  but  want  of 
space  will  prevent  the  mention  of  an  extended  number  of  names. 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  471 

William  Blanchard  hauled  the  mother  of  Jacob  Minch  to  her 
grave  over  the  bare  ground  on  a  sled,  it  being  the  only  conveyance 
among  the  settlers  at  that  time.  Samuel  Beck  came  in  early  and 
made  his  living  by  hunting  deer. 

The  first  mill  built  in  Fond  du  Lac  was  in  1832,  on  Ten  Mile 
creek,  by  Samuel  Parks.  This  mill  was  aftewards  sold  to  Abraham 
Lewis.  It  was  burned  and  after\vards  re-built.  The  first  saw-mill 
was  built  on  the  same  creek,  in  1828,  by  Hugh  Woodruff  and 
David  Baily,  of  Pekin.  It  has  passed  away  in  the  debris  of  time. 
The  first  religious  meetings  were  held  in  this  mill  by  the  pioneers. 
Samuel  Brown,  a  Methodist  minister,  preached  the  first  sermon. 
He  was  soon  followed  by  Zadock  Hall,  an  early  pilgrim  who  settled 
in  this  township.  Buckeye  school-house,  on  section  11,  was  built 
in  1835.  It  was  used  as  the  first  church.  It  has  been  torn  down, 
and  the  erection  of  a  substantial  structure  is  being  considered.  On 
the  same  section  it  was  our  pleasure  to  visit  a  mound,  which  had, 
until  1877,  been  covered  by  a  heavy  growth  of  timber.  On  this 
mound  has  been  found  the  remains  of  human  skeletons  of  large 
proportions.  These  were,  no  doubt,  the  remains  of  the  Mound- 
Builders.  Near  this  mound  stood  the  relics  of  a  mighty  oak,  which 
had  spread  afar  out  its  garland  of  geeen  sweeping  branches  for 
scores  of  years,  and  beneath  which  both  the  Indian  and  pioneer 
children  sported  in  childish  glee.  In  the  hollow  of  this  mighty 
monarch  of  the  forest  was  imbedded  in  the  debris  and  bark,  a 
human  skull.  This  was  a  common  curiosity  for  some  years.  It 
was  taken  out  at  a  later  day,  and  secured  by  Dr.  Hazard,  now 
deceased.     Since  the  Doctor's  demise  all  traces  of  it  has  been  lost. 

We  give  below  a  few  personal  sketches  of  citizens  of  this  town- 
ship, in  order  to  more  fully  detail  its  history : 

Jacob  Amen,  farmer,  sec.  11  and  12 ;  P.  O.,  Fond  du  Lac;  born  in 
Alsace,  Germany,  April  5,  1820,  and  emigrated  to  America,  in  1837, 
with  his  parents,  David  and  Barbara  (Bard)  Ames,  who  settled  in 
Richland,  Woodford  Co. ;  lived  with  his  parents  until  he  was  unit- 
ed in  matrimony  to  Miss  Henrietta  Pfeffer,  at  Metamora,  Feb.  28, 
1850.  She  was  born  in  Germany,  Nov.  26,  1827,  and  emigrated  to 
America  in  1848.  He  purchased  52  acres  of  land  in  Partridge 
township,  where  he  lived  until  1863,  when  he  moved  to  this  Co. 
and  settled  on  his  present  farm  of  160  acres.  Of  their  several  chil- 
dren there  are  living  —  Henry,  born  Dec.  3,  1850,  married  Miss 
Hannah  Haedicke  Aug.  8,  1876,  and  resides  in  Kansas;  Charles, 
born  April  25,1857;  and  Mary  Magdalen,  born  Sept.  19,  1860. 
They  lost  three  twins,  Sophia,  born  Oct.  20,  1853,  married  John 


472  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

Conrad,  Dec.  25,  1872  ;  and  died  May  23,  1877  ;  one  not  christened 
and  Jacob,  born  Jan.  20,  1855,  died  March  1,  1855. 

Thomas  Andrews,  miller,  sec.  2 ;  P.  O.,  Fond  du  Lac ;  born  in 
Mercer  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1834,  came  to  this  Co.  in  1852,  and  engaged  on 
the  premises  of  his  present  estate,  where  he  remained  five  years, 
when  he  went  to  California  prospecting  ten  years,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  returned  and  purchased  the  farm  of  109  acres.  He 
afterward  formed  partnership  with  Abraham  Lewis  and  erected  the 
mill  he  now  occupies.  In  1808  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sharlotta 
Lewis,  a  native  of  this  county,  where  she  was  born  Nov.  16,  1845. 
Mr.  Lewis  died  in  1871,  and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  A.  in  the  busi- 
ness, where  he  has  conducted  a  prosperous  trade.  Charles  A.,  Mary 
M.,  Martha  E.,  Amanda  and  Susan  are  their  living  children. 

J.  J.  Arnold,  farmer,  sec.  26,  P.  O.,  Hilton;  born  in  Licking 
Co.,  O.,  in  1847.  His  parents  were  Umphrey  M.  P.  and  Patsy 
Maddox  Arnold,  natives  of  Va.,  who  emigrated  to  O.  at  an  early 
day,  and  to  this  State  in  1854,  settling  in  McLean  Co.,  where  he 
lived  three  years,  when  he  came  to  this  Co.  and  settled  on  the  pres- 
ent estate.  He  subsequently  moved  to  Woodford  Co.,  where  he 
died  in  1873.  His  wife  still  survives  him  at  the  age  70  years  and 
resides  on  the  homestead.  In  Feb.,  1865,  Mr.  A.  enlisted  in  the 
150th  I.  V.  L,  Co.  A.  and  served  one  year.  Was  married  in  1869, 
to  Miss  Mary  A.  Allen  who  was  born  in  England,  in  1850.  Samu- 
el P.,  Charles  A.  and  Daisy  P.  are  the  living  children.  His  moth- 
er still  owns  the  farm  of  185  acres. 

/.  TF.  Cunningham,  postmaster,  Farmdale,  sec.  36 ;  born  in  Fond 
du  Lac  township,  in  1852.  His  parents  were  John  and  Mary 
Goodman  (Cunningham),  natives  of  O.,  who  emigrated  and  settled 
in  this  township  in  1838,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  in  1867. 
His  mother  survived  him  until  May  12,  1879.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  still  resides  on  the  homestead,  and  was  appointed  P.  M.  in 
1876,  since  which  time  he  has  filled  that  office.  The  same  year  he 
opened  store,  keeping  a  general  stock  of  goods,  and  conducts  a  small 
yet  prosperous  trade.  Is  also  School  Director  and  is  well  known 
throughout  the  county.  His  parents  numbering  among  those  of  the 
early  settlers.  Jane  L.,  a  sister,  remains  at  home,  and  conducts  the 
affi\irs  of  the  household. 

Avery  F.  Dehor  if  ij,  farmer,  sec.  26 ;  P.  O.  Hilton.  Born  in 
Licking  Co.,  O.,  Dec.  9,  1833.  His  parents  were  George  W.  and 
Mary  Draper  (Dehority)  natives  of  Del.,  who  emigrated  to  O.  in 
1821,  and  to  this  county  in  1838,  settling  on  the  present  estate  of 
160  acres,  where  they  resided  until  1854,  when  his  father  moved  to 
Woodford  Co.,  thence  to  El  Paso,  where  his  father  died  Dec.  9, 
1874;  mother  died  in  Palestine  township  in  1855.  Mr.  D.  has 
always  lived  on  the  homestead  and  was  married  to  Miss  Matilda 
Cross,  at  Columbus,  O.,  in  1860.  She  was  born  in  Franklin  Co., 
O.,  Nov.  19, 1833,  and  left  parentless  when  young.  She  was  adopted 
in  the  family  of  Alexander  Moberry,  and  at  eighteen  years  of  age 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  473 

commenced  teaching  school,  and  engaged  in  that  capacity  until  mar- 
riage. Mr.  D.  has  filled  the  office  of  town  Treasurer  three  years ; 
town  Clerk  six  years  and  Constable  two  years,  and  always  been 
identified  with  the  interests  of  the  town  and  county. 

Scoaud  li.  Jlooberry,  farmer,  sec.  30 ;  P.  O.,  Farmdalc.  Born  in 
Franklin  Co.,  O.,  Jan.  1<S,  1824,  and  is  eldest  son  of  David  and 
Margaret  (Stumbaugh)  ]\Iooberry,  who  emigrated  to  this  county  in 
1832,  and  settled  in  Groveland  townsliip,  where  he  entered  a  large 
tract  of  land,  raised  his  family,  and  died  in  1850.  His  aged  wife 
still  survives  him,  and  resides  on  the  homestead  with  her  youngest 
son,  Alexander.  Mr.  M.  was  married  at  Morton  Oct.  26,  1845,  to 
Miss  Louisa  C.  Hughes,  who  was  born  in  Franklin  Co.,  O.,  in  1821. 
After  marriage  he  moved  and  settled  on  his  present  estate  of  240 
acres,  where  he  has  been  successfully  engaged  in  farming  and  stock 
raising.  Also  owning  valuable  lands  in  Nebraska  and  elsewhere. 
Has  filled  the  office  of  Collector  and  Assessor  a  number  of  years, 
Justice  of  the  peace,  Supervisor,  School  Trustee,  Constable,  and  in 
fact  he  has  been  father  to  all  the  town  offices,  and  served  with 
satisfaction  to  all.  He  numbers  among  those  of  the  early  pilgrims 
who  stood  the  trials  and  sufferings  of  pioneer  life.  The  writer  was 
shown  from  his  collection  of  curiosities  found  in  the  woods:  Fort 
Crevecoeur  shoe  bottoms,  or  soles  cut  from  stone  ;  flint  arrow  heads, 
stone  ax  and  mortars,  which  he  has  gathered  and  are  valuable  curi- 
osities. Mr.  M.  has  a  family  of  seven  children  living  —  David  R., 
born  Aug.  30,1840;  George  E.,  born  Nov.  20,  1847;  Evaline, 
born  March  9,  1853;  Alvira,  born  June  21,  1856;  Milton,  born 
April  28,  1858;  Dorcas  J.,  born  March  7,  i860  and  Nettie,  born 
Feb.  6,  1862.     Lost  4  — Floyd,  born  June  6,  1851,  and  died  Oct. 

18,  1853;  Walter,  born  Aug'.  25,  1854,  died  Feb.  8,  1858;  Denna, 
born  Dec.  29,  1863,  died  March  22,  1877;  Luther  B.,  born  May 

19,  1849,  died  Aug.  30,  1877. 

William  Moobcrry,  farmer,  sec.  36 ;  P.  O.  Farmdale.  Born  in 
Franklin  Co.,  O.,  May  26,  1825.  His  parents  were  David  and 
Mary  Stumbaugh,  natives  of  Pa.,  who  emigrated  to  O.  in  1806,  and 
to  this  Co.  in  1832,  settling  in  Groveland  townshi]),  where  he  en- 
tered a  large  tract  of  land.  Here  he  engaged  in  farming  and  in  a 
saw-mill,  conducting  a  successful  trade  in  both  branches  of  business. 
His  death  occurred  in  1849,  by  cholera.  His  wife  is  still  living  on 
the  homestead  with  the  youngest  son,  Alexander,  at  the  age  of  76 
years.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  married  in  1848,  to  Miss 
Matilda  Marion,  who  was  born  in  Franklin  Co.,  O.,  Dec.  29,  1830. 
After  marriage  settled  on  his  parents  estate  of  375  acres,  where  he 
has  since  made  it  his  home,  and  is  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  the 
county.  His  farm  was  a  dense  woodland,  which  he  has  cleared  by 
his  own  hands.  Here  he  erected  a  rude  cabin  without  a  floor,  and 
has  experienced  all  the  hardships  which  attended  the  early  settling 
of  this  deeply  wooded  country.  Has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  two 
years,  and  at  different  times  held  nearly  all  the  offices  in  the  town- 
29 


474  HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

ship.  Is  a  strong  supporter  of  Churches  and  Schools  and  always 
identified  with  the  interests  of  the  town  and  county,  William  C., 
Laura  M.,  Lizzie  L.  and  Maggie  E.,  are  their  living  children ;  Lost 
one  —  Francis  M. 

Thomas  V.  Pinkham,  ftirmer,  sec.  26 ;  P.  O.,  Hilton.  Born  in 
Grafton  Co.,  N.  H.,  in  1841 ;  his  parents  were  Thos.  and  Margaret 
(Vincent)  Pinkham,  natives  of  New  Hampshire,  where  they  died. 
Came  to  this  county  in  1838,  and  settled  in  this  township,  and  on 
his  present  estate  of  80  acres,  in  1840.  Was  married  in  1843,  to 
Miss  Mariah  Camlin,  daughter  of  Thomas  Camlin,  who  settled  in 
this  township  in  1823,  where  he  died.  Mr.  P.  is  one  of  the  county 
pioneers,  and  has  been  prominently  identified  in  the  interest  of  the 
town  and  county  during  his  eventful  life,  having  been  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  seventeen  years,  and  served  in  about  all  the  offices  of  this 
township.  He  is  a  citizen  esteemed  by  all  who  have  the  pleasure 
of  his  acquaintance,  honorable  in  all  things,  and  having  a  just  pride 
in  all  his  business  operations.  Emeline,  George,  Lizzie,  Susan, 
Albert,  Luella  and  A.  J.  are  their  living  children. 

Joseph    Schertz,    merchant,    Hilton;    P.    O.,    Hilton.     Born    in 
Alsace,  Germany,  in   1827.     His   parents  were   David   and   Annie 
(Rosche)  Schertz,  who  emigrated  to  America  in   1830,  and  landed 
at  Ft.  Clark,  now  Peoria,  in  August  of  that  year,  where  he  built  a 
hut  and   settled,  purchasing  a  claim   for  $800.,  where   the   family 
settled  and  experienced  all  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life.     His  fath- 
er died  in  1859.     Mr.  S.  built  the  mill  near  his  residence  in  1852. 
After  his  father's  settlement  on  the  present  place,  coal  was  discover- 
ed in  the  hills,  and  a  mine  opened,  which  is  still  in  operation.     In 
1849  the  subject  of  this  sketch  went  to  California  prospecting,  and 
returned  in  1851 ;  became  extensively  engaged  in  milling,  and  in 
1861  he  sold  out  and  retired  from  the  active  pursuits  of  life.     His 
active  nature,  however,  rebelled  against  a  life  of  rest,  and  wishing 
to  advance  a  son  in  a  successful  start  in  life,  he  opened  a  store  at 
Hilton  in  1877,  keeping  a  general  stock  of  groceries  where  he  is 
still    actively    engaged.     Is    President  of  the  Bridge  Association; 
has  been  Town  Clerk,  and  otherwise  identified  in  the  offices  of  the 
township.     He  is  well  and  favorably  known  for  his  liberality  in  the 
advancement  of  the  cause  of  education,  and  his  father  spent  large 
sums  of  money  in  the  cause  of  emigration.     Was  married  in  Sept., 
1851,  to  Miss    Catherine    Belsley,  who  was    born  in  Germany  in 
1826.     Benjamin  F.,  Mary  A.,  Sarah  C,  are  their  living  children. 
Lost  two  children  —  David  H.,  and  one  that  died  in  infancy. 

Charles  E.  Sheets,  postmaster,  Fond  du  Lac.  Born  in  Salem  Co., 
N.  J.,  July  12,  1827,  and  came  to  this  county  in  the  spring  of 
1859,  settling  near  his  present  place,  where  he  engaged  at  his  trade, 
milling,  and  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  Married  Miss 
Ellen  Genoways,  a  native  of  this  State,  who  died  in  1871,  leaving 
three  children,  Anna  C,  John  G.,  and  Roland.  Was  appointed 
postmaster  in  the  Spring  gf  1876,  and  has  since  filled  that  office. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  475 

Is  also  School  Director,  and  well  known  throughout  the  town  and 
county. 


GROVELAND  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  received  its  name  from  the  village  of  Groveland, 
and  it  from  the  beautiful  groves  in  the  neighborhood.  A  visit  to 
the  township  at  this  late  day  shows  it  to  have  been  very  appropri- 
ately christened.  The  first  settler  to  locate  here  was  James  Scott. 
He  built  his  cabin  in  the  timber  on  section  35,  as  early  as  1827. 
Others  who  came  in  shortly  afterwards  were  Milton  Shurtleif,  John 
O'Brien,  Daniel  and  John  Mooberry,  John  Anderson,  Joseph  Lan- 
des,  Benjamin  Dobsone,  Alexander  Caldwell  and  George  Dupree. 
The  only  ones  of  these  pioneers  now  living  are  John  Mooberry, 
Joseph  Landes  and  John  O'Brien.  The  first  school  in  the  town- 
ship was  taught  by  John  McGinnis,  in  a  little  log  cabin  built  for 
that  purpose  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  sec.  11,  in  the  winter  of 
1834-35.    Some  claim  that  Mathew  Kingman  was  the  first  "  master." 

Mrs.  James  Scott,  wife  of  the  first  settler,  gave  each  new  comer 
into  the  settlement  a  hen  with  her  chickens.  This  was  her  mode  of 
welcoming  them  to  their  new  homes.  Austin  Harding,  when  a  lad  of 
ten,  remembers  well  the  circumstances  attending  the  gift  of  his  hen 
and  chickens.  With  a  light  heart  he  carried  them  home  from  Mrs. 
Scott's,  but  the  hen  managed  to  get  out  of  her  place  of  confinement, 
the  chickens  scattered,  and  his  present,  which  was  so  highly  prized, 
was  lost  to  him.  The  good  motherly  Mrs,  Scott,  however,  replaced 
it  by  another  hen  and  her  brood.  James  Scott  moved  to  El  Paso 
in  1859,  where,  in  1860,  he  died.  George,  son  of  Joseph  Landes, 
bought  the  original  Scott  farm,  being  the  southeast  corner  of  section 
35,  (not  33,  as  has  been  recorded,)  in  1858,  of  Mr.  Elijah  Brown, 
Mr.  Scott's  son-in-law,  who  accompanied  Mr.  S.  to  El  Paso. 

The  first  settlers  here  experienced  many  hardships.  During  the 
winter  of  the  big  snow,  1830-31,  they  suffered  greatly.  The  slight 
snow  and  sleet  that  fell  before  the  heavy  snow  came  froze  the  mast 
to  the  ground,  which,  when  the  big  snow  came,  the  wild  animals 
were  unable  to  get  to  subsist  upon,  and,  consequently,  many  died. 
Those,  however,  that  could  get  to  the  cornfields  lived  well.  Wild 
hogs  were  quite  abundant  these  times.  These  were  the  progeny  of 
the  hogs  the  old  French  traders  formerly  raised  about  Wesley  City. 
They  would  often  mix  with  the  hogs  of  the  settlers  running  in  the 


476  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

timber.  Sometimes  they  would  become  furious  and  attack  other 
stock.  One  old  hog,  with  ancient  and  mammoth  tusks,  became 
quite  fierce  and  troublesome.  Many  eifijrts  were  made  to  kill  him, 
but  in  vain.  His  thick  callous  hide  resisted  many  a  shot  and  rifle 
ball.  However,  Franklin,  son  of  B.  J.  Montgomery,  found  his 
weak  spot  one  day,  and  sent  the  fatal  lead  to  the  monster's  forehead, 
and  relieved  the  neighborhood  of  their  dreaded  terror. 

For  overshoes,  Mr.  Landes  tells  us  they  would  tan  the  skins  of 
the  wolf  and  ^v^ild  cat  and  work  them  up,  and  they  made  good 
shoes,  too. 

Alexander  McKnight  had  a  horse  mill  here,  where  the  settlers 
could  get  all  kinds  of  grain  ground,  but  the  bolting  had  to  be  done 
by  hand.  This  mill  was  located  on  section  1,  Elm  Grove  township, 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  south  line  of  Groveland.  There 
was  another  mill  in  Elm  Grove,  driven  by  tread-wheel  power, 
using  horses  or  oxen.  Bolting  was  also  done  by  hand  here.  Both 
mills  did  good  work.  The  latter,  Mr.  Shipman's  mill,  was  running 
in  1830,  how  long  previous,  not  known.  A  negro  by  the  name  of 
Mose  was  the  miller.  A  fuller  sketch  of  this  historic  individual 
may  be  found  in  the  history  of  Sand  Prairie.  The  other  of  the  three 
mills  in  the  county,  at  this  time,  was  a  small  water  mill  in  Dillon 
township.  This  did  the  bolting  by  water  power ;  it  could  only  run, 
however,  in  wet  seasons.  In  an  early  day  there  was  a  saw-mill  on 
sec.  27.  It  was  first  run  by  horse-power,  afterwards  by  steam.  It 
was  built  by  Charles  Hinnian,  but  changed  hands  many  times  after- 
wards. Others  have  been  built  and  flourished  for  a  time,  but  only 
one  remains,  and  it  is  in  the  north  part  of  the  township. 

The  streams  of  the  township  are  the  South,  Middle  and  North 
forks  of  Lick  creek,  named  from  the  Deer  licks  of  salt  springs.  At 
the  lick  on  the  Middle  Fork,  Mr.  B.  J.  Montgomery  found  the 
skeleton  of  two  large  bucks,  that  had  locked  their  horns  together, 
and  unable  to  separate  themselves  died.  He  kept  these  horns  for 
many  years.  This  same  gentleman  also  describes  the  Indian  bury- 
ing places  of  this  section.  A  pen  was  made  about  the  size  of  a  cof- 
fin, of  split  timber  about  four  inches  square,  nicely  locked  together 
at  the  corner,  joints  all  very  close.  These  were  covered  with 
bark.  A  hole  was  cut  through  either  side  of  this  pen,  one  for  the 
good  spirit  to  go  in,  and  the  other  for  the  evil  one  to  go  out.  These 
when  first  seen  were  somewhat  decayed.  The  bones,  beads  and  an 
old  hat  were  all  that  was  visible  in  the  enclosure,  where,  evidently, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  477 

an  Indian  woman,  with  a  child  abont  four  years  old,  were  laid  to 
rest.  As  many  as  half-dozen  of  these  pens  were  seen  on  ths  east 
bluff,  near  Wesley  City,  section  6. 

The  pioneers  had  many  novel  rules  that  are  lost  to  the  present 
generation.  For  instance,  rules  for  trailing  Indians  and  wild  beasts. 
The  course  taken  was  known  by  the  way  the  grass  leaned,  or  had 
been  pressed  by  the  foot.  The  Indian  travels  with  his  toes  turned 
in,  the  white  man  with  his  pointing  outward.  The  panther,  wolf 
and  other  like  animals  make  a  hollowing  track,  with  grass  gently 
bent.  The  deer,  with  its  small  sharp  hoof,  cuts  or  makes  a  short 
bend  in  the  grass.  These  points  were  all  noted.  Children  were 
also  taught  to  do  many  things  whereby  their  course  might  be  fol- 
lowed, should  they  be  captured  and  carried  away  by  the  Indians. 
One  was  to  break  spears  of  g'rass,  leaning  them  the  way  they  were 
going.  Also  to  tie  as  many  knots  in  strings  as  there  were  Indians 
in  their  company,  dropping  them  in  their  path.  This  was  done,  to 
show  the  force  of  their  captors. 

The  oldest  house  in  Groveland  is  owned  by  Thomas  Hancock, 
section  27.  Some  twenty  years  ago  it  was  moved  from  the  bottoms 
near  Wesley  City,  and  is  said  to  be  over  fifty  years  old.  It  is  made 
of  logs  and  looks  quite  pioneer-like,  as  also  the  present  owner,  who 
believes  in  old-time  ways  and  customs,  and  has  never  been  on  a 
railway  car.  Although  he  does  not  believe  in  sewing  machines  and 
many  other  modern  improvements,  yet  we  see  he  has  a  modern 
mowing  machine.  Still  he  is  of  that  liberal  turn  of  mind  which 
leaves  every  one,  without  let  or  hindrance,  to  enjoy  his  own  chosen 
ways. 

The  first  sermon,  it  is  said,  was  preached  in  1<S34,  by  Rev.  Neele 
Johnson,  but  Joseph  Landes  tells  us  he  heard  Rev.  Wm.  Brown 
preach  a  sermon  in  1831,  on  a  farm  on  section  25,  near  where  the 
cemetery  now  is.  The  first  church  organization  was  by  IVIormon's, 
in  1831  or  '32.     There  are  five  churches  now  in  the  township. 

Fird  M.  E.  Church.— The  first  M.  E.  class  was  formed  in  1840, 
at  Nicholas  Burroughs'  residence.  Rev.  Zadock  Hall  formed  the 
class.  In  the  early  part  of  the  winter  of  the  same  year,  Reuben  H. 
Moffatt  being  the  preacher  in  charge,  a  protracted  meeting  was  held 
at  the  tavern  house,  built  by  Homer  Roberts,  at  which  sixty  were 
converted,  most  of  whom  joined  the  M.  E.  Church.  The  First  M.  E. 
Church  is  located  on  lot  7,  block  4;  is  a  frame,  erected  in  1848,  and 
cost  $1,500.  It  was  organized  by  Zadock  Hall.  The  Church  con- 
tributes $800  per  year.     There  are  in  the  Sunday-school  75  scholars. 


478  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

Presbyierlan  Church. —  Mrs.  Jane  Harding,  wife  of  Alijah  Hard- 
ing, formed  the  first  Sunday-school  in  Groveland  township,  in  1834, 
in  her  own  house,  which  was  a  double  log  cabin  in  the  north  edge 
of  Pleasant  Grove.  She  seemed  to  be  the  right  person  to  do  this 
work.  She  stepped  forth  to  the  task,  and  did  her  work  well.  Rev. 
Flavel  Bascom  came  into  the  neighborhood  soon  after  and  formed 
a  Presbyterian  Church,  which  organization  continued  till  about 
1855,  when  it  was  abandoned.  Moses  Pettengill  and  wife,  Jan.  20, 
1837,  deeded  the  ground  for  the  erection  of  the  Church  edifice. 

Zions  Church  of  the  Evangelical  Association  of  North  America. — 
The  church  edifice  is  located  on  sec.  17,  and  is  a  frame  36  by  56, 
and  cost  $3,000.  It  was  erected  in  1876.  William  Kolp  was  first 
pastor.  The  trustees  are  John  Roedee,  Frederick  Ramige,  Simon 
Swartz,  Nicholas  Eller,  Joseph  Strickfaden.  Present  membership, 
121 ;  value  of  church  building,  $5,000;  contribution  $800  per  year. 

Mennonite  Church  is  located  on  sec.  26.  It  is  a  good  frame  30  by 
50;  was  built  in  1878,  at  a  cost  of  $1,100.  The  pastors  who  served 
were,  Peter  Hochstadler,  Nicholas  Roth  and  Michael  Mosselmen. 

The  old  Mennonite  congregation  have  no  church  building,  but 
meet  around  in  houses  of  members.  Andrew  Ropp  is  Bishop,  and 
Peter  Ropp,  Daniel  Roth,  John  Bachman  and  John  Birkey,  minis- 
ters. This  denomination  has  a  large  Church  at  Hopedale,  and  also 
at  Washington.  The  people  of  these  congregations  design  erecting 
a  house  of  worship  soon. 

The  village  of  Groveland,  which  is  located  on  sections  26  and  27, 
was  laid  out  by  Isaac  Roberts,  May  30,  1836. 

Among  the  leading  and  representative  men  of  the  township  we 
would  mention  the  following : 

Johii  Ackerman,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  26 ;  P.  O.,  Grove- 
land. This  gentleman,  who  has  been  living  in  this  county  for  thirty- 
four  years,  was  born  in  Germany,  May  24,  1819,  and  is  the  son  of 
Jacob  and  Catherine  (Redeger)  Ackerman.  He  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  of  the  Fatherland  and  gleaned  a  good  education,  which, 
with  his  practical  knowledge,  fits  him  for  an  active  business  life. 
He  was  married  July  13,  1845,  to  Magdalena  Birke,  who  died,  and 
he  again  was  joined  in  marriage,  Feb.  9,  1871,  with  Elizabeth 
Sutter.  He  is  the  parent  of  ten  children,  all  of  whom  are  living 
save  one. 

Lutie  Burhans.  Miss  Burhans  was  born  in  Chicago,  111.,  Sept.  27, 
1856.  Her  father,  Henry  J.  Burhans,  was  born  in  New  York  State, 
April  17,  1818.  Her  mother,  Abigail  Tarbell,  was  born  in  Vermont, 
Nov.  9,  1817.     They  were  married  July  13,  1839,  at  Peoria,  111. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  479 

They  had  born  to  them  six  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living. 
Mr.  Burhans  died  in  Chicago,  Sept.  12,  1859.  His  widow  came  to 
Groveland  in  1859,  and  with  her  youngest  daughter,  Lutie,  reside 
at  their  own  beautiful  home.  Miss  Lutie  is  engaged  in  s-chool 
teaching.  She  only  received  a  common  scool  education,  and  now 
teaches  in  the  same  school  where  she  was  educated.  She  has  taught 
here  for  a  year  and  a  half  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all.  She  has 
taught  fourteen  months  elsewhere.     Post-ofhce,  Groveland. 

G.  D.  Dissman,  farmer  and  coal  miner,  was  born  in  Prussia, 
March  15,  1828,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1849.  His  parents 
were  William  and  Elizabeth  Dissman,  Prussians.  He  served  as 
surgeon  in  Louisiana  volunteers  in  the  war  between  L^nited  States 
and  Mexico.  He  was  at  Vera  Cruz  and  the  surrounding  country 
conducting  supply  trains  from  place  to  place.  The  company  in 
which  he  served,  composed  of  sixty  men,  and  twenty-four  teamsters, 
put  to  rout  5,000  Mexican  lancers,  while  conducting  twelve  wagons 
load  of  money  to  the  head  of  the  army,  at  the  city  of  ^Mexico. 
The  Captain,  a  German,  formed  his  men  into  a  circle  around  the 
wagons.  They  waited  until  the  enemy  advanced  to  within  fifty 
yards  of  them,  when  they  all  fired  at  once  and  the  Mexicans  dis- 
persed. He  was  married  to  Christiana  Harmon  in  1847.  They 
have  only  five  children  living,  out  of  the  eleven  that  have  been 
born  to  them.  On  his  farm,  section  19,  he  has  a  coal  shaft  86  feet 
deep,  and  gets  a  good  article  of  soft  coal.  The  first  vein  of  coal  is 
16  feet  from  the  surface  and  over  4  feet  thick,  but  very  irregular  in 
thickness,  so  they  go  to  the  second  vein.  He  works  four  or  five 
men.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Fredrick  Hamm,  shoemaker,  sec.  17;  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Ger., 
Aug.  18,  1815.  His  parents  were  Jacob  and  M.  E.  (Brown)  Hamm, 
natives  of  the  same  country.  Mr.  H.  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  Bavaria,  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1836,  and  to 
this  county  in  1848.  He  was  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimo- 
ny with  Miss  S.  Kamige,  April  2,  1842.  Their  children  number 
six,  five  living,  one  dead.  He  made  a  confession  of  his  faith  in  the 
Savior  of  the  world,  in  1837,  and  is  connected  with  the  Evangelical 
Association.     Post-office,  Peoria. 

Benjamin  H.  Harris,  physician,  Groveland,  is  a  son  of  Lemuel 
and  Mary  (Kearmy)  Harris,  of  West  Chester  county,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  was  born.  He  prepared  himself  and  entered  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  St.  Louis  Univ^ersity  and  graduated.  On  the  23rd  of  July, 
1846,  he  was  married  to  Ann  Hutchison.  They  have  had  born  to 
them  three  children  all  of  whom  are  living.  Dr.  Harris  united 
with  the  Baptist  Church  in   1843.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

John  A.  Hodge  was  born  in  Pekin,  this  county,  Oct.  16,  1850; 
received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Groveland  and  en- 
tered upon  the  occupation  of  farming.  Mrs.  Kezer  Hancock,  foster- 
mother  of  Mr.  Hodge,  who  took  him  while  an  infant  and  with 
whom  he  has  since  lived,  came  to  this  countv  in  1831.     The  hard- 


480  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

ships  of  that  snowy  winter  will  never  be  forgotten  by  ber.  She 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Hodge  advocates  the  principles 
promulgated  by  the  Republican  party.  Residence,  sec.  21 ;  P.  O., 
Groveland. 

William  Hodgson,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  32 ;  P.  O.,  Pekin. 
This  gentleman  came  into  the  county  at  an  early  day,  and  at  the 
time  was  sixteen  years  old.  Soon  thereafter  he  entered  upon  the 
duties  of  active  life,  and  has  proven  himself  equal  to  mould  his  own 
destiny,  very  largely.  He  has  accumulated  considerable  property  — 
enough  to  give  each  of  seven  children  a  small  farm,  and  still  have  a 
farm  left.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church  since 
about  1866.  In  his  habits  he  is  temperate,  never  having  bought  a 
drink  of  liquor  in  his  life.  He  is  the  son  of  Amos  and  Mary  (Bar- 
nett)  Hodgson,  North  Carolinians,  and  was  born  in  Clinton  Co.,  O., 
Aug.  15,  1816.  He  was  married  Dec.  18,  1836,  to  Phoebe  Bennett. 
They  have  had  eight  children  born  to  them,  seven  living.  He  has 
filled  several  local  official  positions. 

Lewis  Kepcha,  farmer,  was  born  in  Germany,  Sept.  25,  1825.  His 
parents  were  also  Germans.  They  were  Lewis  and  Margaret  (Bruk) 
Kepcha.  He  came  to  this  county  from  Pennsylvania  in  1851 ;  had 
only  opportunities  of  attending  the  common  schools.  He  took 
unto  himself  a  wife  on  the  27th  of  Feb.,  1848,  in  the  person  of 
Mary  Ankeney.  Mr.  K.  is  a  member  of  the  German  Lutheran 
Church,  having  made  the  good  confession  about  1845.  He  identi- 
fies himself  with  the  Republican  party.     P.  O.,  Pekin. 

George  Landes,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  35,  is  a  native  of 
Elm  Grove  township,  this  county,  having  been  born  there  Jan.  26, 
1831.  His  parents,  Joseph  and  Jane  (Mitchell)  Landes,  were  early 
settlers  of  this  county.  He  received  a  limited  common  school  edu- 
cation. June  22,  1859,  he  was  married  to  Barbara  Smith.  Three 
children  have  been  born  to  them,  one  of  whom,  only,  is  now  living. 
In  politics  he  is  "  Republican  to  the  core."     P.  O.,  Groveland. 

Joseph  Landes.  Mr.  Landes  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Tazewell 
county,  having  emigrated  here  Oct.  17,  1830.  One  year  and  a  half 
later  he  entered  the  Black  Hawk  war,  serving  in  Capt.  Adams'  Co. 
He  was  in  the  command  of  ]\Iajor  Stillman,  and  took  part  in  the 
famous  battle  of  Stillman's  Run,  and  was  one  of  the  number  that 
made  good  their  escape.  He  is  one  of  four  or  five  Black-Hawk  war 
soldiers  now  living  in  the  county.  He  was  born  in  Hampshire  Co., 
Ya.,  Sept.  16,  1803.  His  parents,  Rudolph  and  Nancy  (Plum) 
Landes,  were  Virginians,  He  received  his  education  in  the  log 
school-house  of  Pickaway  county,  O.  He  has  been  twice  married: 
the  first  time  to  Jane  Mitchell,  April  8, 1830.  His  second  marriage 
occurred  April  15,  1858,  and  was  with  Elizabeth  Hathaway.  He  is 
the  father  of  eight  children,  three  boys  and  five  girls,  four  of  whom 
are  living.  He  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  "proud  of  it." 
Post-office,  Groveland. 

George  Lux  was  born  in  Elsass,  France,  June  4,  1811.     He  came 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  481 

from  France,  in  1830,  to  Wayne  county,  X.  Y.,  married  and  lived 
there  until  1844,  when  he  came  to  Chicago.  In  1847  he  bought  a 
farm  on  sec.  7,  this  township,  and  finally  settled  on  sec.  16,  where 
he  now  lives  and  is  engaged  in  fanning  and  stock  raising.  He  at 
first  was  engaged  in  the  carpenter's  trade.  Mr.  L.  was  the  first  of  a 
large  nuuiber  who  came  from  Wayne  county,  and  led  the  way  for 
the  others,  among  whom  are  many  of  the  most  substantial  citizens 
and  farmers  of  this  township.  His  parents,  George  F.  and  ]\[ary  E. 
(Velden)  Lux,  were  natives  of  France.  He  has  held  the  office  of 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  two  terms,  and  other  offices.  March  18, 
1833,  he  was  married  to  Magdalena  Rtunige,  who  has  borne  him 
twelve  children,  nine  of  whom  are  now  living.  He  united  witii  the 
Baptist  Church,  at  Peoria,  in  ISGG.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 
He  was  the  first  German-French  Whig  in  Xew  York  State,  and  led 
many  others  to  follow  him  as  such.     Post-office,  Pckin. 

B.  J.  Montgomery,  farmer,  sec.  31 ;  P.  O.,  Pckin,  This  gentleman 
is  well  advanced  in  years,  having  been  born  Feb.  8,  1799.  He  is 
quite  spry  for  a  m:in  past  fourscore.  He  is  the  son  of  Elisha  and 
Margaret  Montgomery,  natives  of  Kentucky,  and  he  was  born  in 
Washington  Co.  of  that  State.  He  came  to  this  county  in  October, 
1835,  and  has  since  won  the  love  and  esteem  of  thousands.  Before 
coming  here,  in  1820,  he  traveled  from  Charleston,  S.  C,  to  Council 
Bluffs,  Iowa,  by  land,  and  in  1823  went  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
to  the  same  city.  He  is  a  self-educated  man,  and  his  first  wife 
taught  him  the  rudiments.  He  has  lived  a  long,  peaceable,  quiet 
life,  and  now  in  the  evening  of  his  earthly  journey  he  can  say, 
I  never  sued  a  man  in  my  life,  and  the  law  was  never  required 
to  collect  a  debt  from  m-j.  But  few  can  say  that  even  at  a  much 
earlier  age.  He  enlisted  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  but  was  dis- 
charged without  service.  He  has  held  many  local  offices.  In  1829, 
Sept.  22,  he  was  mirricd  to  Elizabeth  Walker.  In  183G,  May  7, 
he  was  married  again,  this  time  to  Eliza  Drace.  He  has  five  child- 
ren living  and  seven  dead. 

John  Mooberry,  Sr.  A  review  of  the  life  of  a  gentleman  such  as 
we  have  here  is  interesting  in  the  extreme.  He  was  born  in  York 
Co.,  Pa.,  Feb.  2,  1801,  and  is  the  son  of  AVilliam  and  Eliz;il)eth 
(Ramsey)  Mooberry,  natives  of  the  same  State,  He  went  to  Colum- 
bus when  a  young  man  and  came  to  this  township  in  Oct.,  1832, 
and  settled  on  sec.  14,  where  he  has  resided  ever  since.  He  visited 
the  county  in  1830,  and  again  in  the  spring  of  1832,  and  satisfied 
himself  that  no  better  location  could  be  found  than  Tazewell  Co. 
He  bought  his  farm  in  June,  and  returned  to  Ohio  after  his  family. 
There  were  but  few  settlers  here  when  he  came.  The  country  was 
almost  one  vast  wilderness,  the  red-man  its  owner.  Rev.  Neele 
Johnson  was  preaching  in  Pleasant  Grove  when  he  came  in  1832. 
In  the  winter  of  1831-32  the  intensest  cold  weather  prevailed. 
For  forty  days  the  snow  did  not  thaw  enough  to  run  from  the  eaves. 
This  was  called  the  cold  winter,  the  previous  one  the  snowy  winter. 


482  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

When  Mr.  M.  and  family  were  nearing  their  Western  journey  they 
met  a  family  returning  to  "  Indianar."  On  being  asked  why  they 
were  leaving  such  a  good  country  as  this  was  said  to  be,  the  woman 
replied,  "  well,  this  may  be  a  very  good  country  for  men,  but  its  the 
devil  on  woman  and  oxen."  Mrs.  M.  tells  us  that  she  had  to  light 
a  candle  to  enable  the  family  to  see  to  eat  breakfast,  dinner,  and 
supper  during  the  first  winter.  When  summer  came  they  sawed 
out  a  log  to  let  in  the  light  of  heaven  and  made  oiled-paper  "glass" 
to  prevent  the  rain  from  pouring  in. 

Mr.  M.  attended  the  common  schools  of  Ohio,  where  they  had 
the  alphabet  pasted  on  a  board  and  a  sch(jol-house  with  greased 
paper  windows.  He  has  been  successful  in  life  and  has  been  enabled 
to  give  a  good  "setting  out"  to  each  of  thirteen  children.  Jan. 
25,  1825,  he  was  married  to  Lydia  Merion,  who  bore  him  fourteen 
children,  eleven  of  whom  are  now  living.  John  York,  a  grandson 
of  Mr.  M.,  was  born  Sept.  6,  1862.  His  mother,  Lydia  E.  (Moo- 
berry)  York,  died  when  her  son  was  an  infant  of  eleven  days  old. 
His  grandparents  took  him  at  the  age  of  one  year  and  have  cared 
for  him  since.  He  is  a  lover  of  history,  and  his  grandfather  has 
willed  that  he  shall  have  his  copy  of  the  History  of  Tazewell 
County. 

John  S.  Mooberry,  farmer,  see.  14,  was  born  in  Franklin  Co.,  O., 
Nov.  5,  1826.  He  is  the  son  of  Daniel  and  Margaret  (Stunbaugh) 
Mooberry,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  At  the  early  age  of  six  John 
was  brought  to  this  township  by  his  parents,  and  ever  since  has 
been  identified  with  the  interests  of  Groveland.  Few  men  live  so 
long  in  one  locality  as  has  Mr.  ]\I.  He  owns  good  farm  property  to 
the  amount  of  340  acres,  well  improved.  He  has  held  local  offices 
such  as  J.  P.,  Collector,  Road  Com.,  School  Trustee  and  Director. 
On  the  7th  of  Jan.,  1851,  he  was  married  to  Jane  Cunningham. 
She  was  the  mother  of  seven  children,  six  of  whom  are  noAV  living. 
She  died  April  10,  1877.  He  advocates  the  principles  of  the  Re- 
publican party.     Post-office,  Groveland. 

'J.  a  Finckardv^AA  born  in  Alton,  111.,  Feb.  18,  1820.  His 
parents,  William  G.,  and  Eliza  (Warren)  Pinckard,  were  natives  of 
Virginia.  Mr.  P.  came  to  this  county  in  1839,  resides  on  sec.  26. 
He  received  his  education  in  common  schools  and  McKindry  Col- 
lege. For  nineteen  years  he  was  a  traveling  minister  in  the  M.  E. 
Church,  and  for  twenty  years  has  been  living  on  a  farm,  and  grown 
considerable  fruit.  He  has  held  the  office  of  Assessor,  Collector 
and  Road  Commissioner.  March  1,  1843,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  M.  C.  Gibson.  They  have  ten  children,  six  of  whom,^ 
however,  live  on  the  shores  of  eternity.  He  made  a  profession  of 
religion  when  in  his  tenth  year  of  age,  and  united  with  the  M.  E. 
Church.  He  regards  that  as  the  most  im])()rtant  event  in  his  life  to 
be  commemorated.  Mr.  P.  was  a  junior  preacher  with  the  celebrated 
Zadock  Hall,  of  pioneer  fame.  Republican  in  politics.  Post-office, 
Groveland, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  483 

George  Ramige,  preacher,  was  born  in  Germany,  Oct.  22,  1811. 
His  parents  were  Henry  and  Sally  (Koontz)  Ramige,  of  Germany. 
Mr.  R.  came  to  Wayne,  N.  Y.,  in  1829,  and  to  Groveland  in  1848. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  country.  He 
first  entered  upon  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel,  then  changed  to  farm- 
ing, but  has  returned  to  proclaiming  the  "glad  tidings"  again.  He 
resides  on  section  7.  He  was  a  traveling  preacher  in  the  State  of 
New  York  for  nine  years,  but  his  health  failed  him,  and  since  has 
been  a  local  preacher.  Feb.  22,  1834,  he  was  married  to  Barbara 
Eyers.  They  are  the  parents  of  ten  children,  seven  of  whom  are 
living.  He  made  a  profession  of  religion  in  1836;  is  now  connect- 
ed with  Zion  Church  of  Evangelical  Association  of  North  America. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Benjamin  Roe,  farmer,  is  the  son  of  John  and  Sarah  (McCune) 
Roe,  Virginians,  and  was  born  in  Posey  county,  Ind.,  Nov.  15, 
1811.  He  came  to  this  from  Fulton  county,  111.,  in  1846.  He 
attended  the  common  schools  for  only  eighty-eight  days,  yet  has 
held  six  commissions  to  important  position  from  the  Governors  and 
President.  He  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  two  terms,  Enroll- 
ing Officer,  Provost  Marshall,  Notary  Public,  and  United  States 
Assessor.  Nov.  7,  1833,  he  was  married  to  Susan  Whaley,  and  to 
his  second  wife,  Helen  Davison,  July  24,  1838.  He  is  the  parent 
of  four  sons  and  seven  daughters.  Religiously  he  has  been  a 
life-long  Swedcnborgian.  Before  the  freedom  of  the  slaves  he  was 
a  radical  Abolitionist,  now  an  independent  voter.  Post-office, 
Groveland. 

John  Shannon  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Pennsylvania,  Aug. 
16,  1789,  and  is  therefore  over  ninety  years  old.  His  parents  were 
Robert  and  Jane  (McElhany)  Shannon.  Mr.  Shannon  came  to  this 
county  from  Ohio  in  1834,  and  located  on  sec.  15,  Groveland  town- 
ship, where  he  has  since  continued  to  reside.  All  who  know  Mr.  S., 
and  they  are  many,  know  him  to  be  an  upright,  kind  and  benevo- 
lent man,  always  ready  to  extend  a  helping  hand  to  the  needy. 
Many  a  person  will  bless  the  day  they  first  saw  Mr.  S.  and  accepted 
the  free  and  kindly  offers  from  his  generous  and  bountiful  hands. 
Mr.  S.  remembers  when  there  stood  a  pioneer  horse-mill  at  Pleasant 
Grove,  Elm  Grove  township.  It  did  a  good  business,  and  was  a 
great  help  and  convenience  to  the  early  settlers.  The  pioneers 
found  it  an  exceedingly  difficult  matter  to  do  their  marketing  at 
some  seasons  of  the  year.  Peoria  was  the  point  where  most  of  the 
people  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county  went  to  do  their  trading. 
Often  Mr.  S.  has  seen  the  river  banks  full  to  overflowing,  and  the 
current  sometimes  more  than  a  mile  wide.  When  no  further  than  a 
half  dozen  miles  from  Peoria,  the  hindrances  were  often  so  great 
that  pioneers  who  started  in  the  morning  did  not  get  home  till  mid- 
night. No  bridge  then,  nor  steam  ferry,  only  a  flatboat  or  skiif  in 
which  to  make  the  transit.  Mr.  S.  was  in  the  war  of  1812  and 
served  in  Ohio.     He  was  a  member  of  Gen.  Foos'  battalion,  to  keep 


484  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

back  the  Indians  after  Gen.  Hull's  surrender,  March  9,  1826,  he 
was  married  to  Mary  Stambaugh,  who  was  born  Feb.  11,  1799. 
They  had  six  children,  only  two  of  whom  are  living:  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Cleveland  and  Mrs.  Margaret  Hancock.  Mr.  S.  made  a  pro- 
fession of  religion  in  1835,  and  united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
He  is  now  connected  with  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church. 
He  has  always  lived  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  with  all  men,  and  ex- 
pects soon  to  pass  over  and  join  the  Church  Triumphant.  He  is 
"Kepublican  in  sentiment,  always."  Mr.  S.  was  formerly  a  large 
stock  raiser  and  farmer,  but  has  retired  from  active  business,  and  is 
spending  his  declining  days  with  his  son-in-law,  Horace  Hancock. 
Post-office,  Groveland, 

Isaac  Smith,  farmer  and  small  fruit  grower,  resides  upon  section 
7.  His  parents,  Samuel  B.  and  James  (Smalley)  Smith,  (the  former 
a  native  of  Kentucky  the  latter  of  Ohio,)  came  to  Tazewell  county 
and  were  living  in  Mackinaw  township  when  their  son  Isaac  was 
born,  which  was  May  25,  1853.  His  father  was  a  Methodist  minis- 
ter, and  Isaac  attended  the  common  schools  wherever  his  father 
chanced  to  reside,  and  the  graded  school  at  Morton.  February  16, 
1874,  he  was  married  to  Abbie  Welcher.  Politically  he  is  "for  the 
honest,  loyal  man  wherever  he  may  be."     Post-office,  Hilton. 

Joseph  Strickfaden  came  from  Wayne  county,  N.  Y.,  to  Tazewell 
county,  in  1848.  He  resides  upon  section  20,  and  is  engaged  in 
farming,  owning  1,000  acres  of  land,  which  is  the  best  indications 
of  a  successful  life  one  can  oifer.  Mr.  Strickfaden  was  born  in 
Baden,  Germany,  Feb.  22,  1814.  His  parents,  Andrew  and  Eliza- 
beth (Yost)  Strickfaden,  were  also  Germans.  He  was  educated  in 
the  common  schools  of  his  native  land.  He  has  held  the  office  of 
Road  Commissioner  for  nine  years,  and  that  of  School  Director  for 
sixteen  years.  February  4,  1838,  he  was  married  to  Mary  E. 
Ramige.  They  have  had  borne  to  them  eleven  children,  ten  of 
whom  are  yet  living.  He  made  a  profession  of  religion  in  1838, 
and  is  connected  Avith  the  Evangelical  Association  of  North  Amer- 
ica.    He  is  a  "Black  Abolitionist"  in  politics.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

William  Strickfaden,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  section  17,  was  born 
in  Wayne  county,  N.  Y.,  Jan,  6,  1840.  His  father,  Joseph  Strick- 
faden, was  a  native  of  Baden,  Germany,  Mhile  his  mother,  Mary  E. 
Pamige,  was  born  in  France.  ]Mr.  S.  came  to  this  county  when  a 
lad  of  eight  years  of  age.  He  had  a  very  limited  common  school 
education.  He  entered  the  U.  S.  service  during  the  trying  days  of 
the  Rebellion,  and  served  as  corporal  in  Co.  B,  108th  111.  Infantry. 
Took  part  in  the  siege  of  Vi('ksl)urg,  and  many  other  noted  engage- 
ments. He  was  united  in  mai'riage  witli  Elizabeth  Preacher,  Nov. 
6,  1865,  who  has  borne  him  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  three  of 
whom  are  now  living.  Made  a  confession  of  his  faith  in  our  Savior 
in  1859,  and  is  c(innectcd  with  the  Zions  Church,  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation, Groveland.  Politically  he  is  "a  Republican  that  stands  up 
for  his  own  rights."     Post-office,  Pekin. 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  485 

George  W.  Tou-ne  was  born  on  sec.  18  of  this  township,  March  15, 
1844.  He  attcMidotl  the  common  schools  here  and  received  a  good 
education,  wliic-h,  coujiU'd  with  his  practical  knowledge,  fits  him  for 
an  active  and  successful  life.  He  has  lu'ld  many  of  the  local  official 
positions.  March  11,  1809,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Angeline 
]Meyer,  but  was  not  permitted  to  enjoy  her  society  long  after  the 
happv  union.  While  ridiug  in  a  sleigh  on  the  18th  of  Jan.,  1871, 
in  company  with  his  wife,  infant  son,  and  his  wife's  sister.  Miss  M. 
Meyer,  the  horses  took  fright,  turned  u[)on  the  approach  from  the 
bridge,  was  thrown  over,  and  his  beloved  wife  received  a  fatal  injury. 
Her  skull  was  fractured  by  her  striking  the  fence,  and  she  expired 
witiiin  half  an  hour.  She  left  one  son,  Earnest  ().,  born  January  2, 
1870,  and  an  affectionate  husband  to  mourn  her  sudden  death. 

Lewis  S.  White,  farmer  and  stock  dealer,  was  born  in  Sangamon 
countv.  111.,  March  23,  1842.  His  parents  were  Robert  White,  a 
native  of  Ohio,  and  Mary  Short,  a  Kentuckian.  They  were  married 
in  Springfield,  111.  When  a  lad  of  six  years  of  age  Lewis  was 
brought  to  this  county.  He  resides  on  sec.  9.  He  served  in  Co. 
D.,  ilth  Illinois  Cavalry.  He  has  been  married  twice :  the  first 
time,  Jan.  2(3,  1865,  to  Miranda  Stout,  and  Nov.  3,  1872,  to  Cather- 
ine L.  Swan.  His  children  number  four  living,  two  dead.  Robert 
B.,  born  Oct.  26,  1862;  Drusilla  B.,  April  17,  1873;  Flavel  L., 
born  March  3,  1877;  Lewis  B.,  born  Feb.  8,  1879;  James  Henry, 
born  Dec.  26,  1874,  died  by  being  scalded  May  17,  1876;  Thomas, 
born  Aug.  17,  1864,  died  April  17,  1865.  Politically  he  is  a  Dem- 
ocrat.    Post-office,  Hilton,  Tazewell  county. 

The  following  are  the  officers  who  have  served  the  township : 

SUPERVISOUS. 

George  L.  Parker 1850-51  Benjamin  H.  Harris 1867-71 

Robert  Bradshaw 1852-54  J.  W.  Mooberry 1872 

Charles  G.  Hinnian 1855  Geo.  Landes 1873-74 

C.  S.  Worthington 1856-58  F.  Shurtleff 1875 

Robert  Bradshaw 1859  Geo.  Landes 1876 

C   S   Worthinjzton 1860-61  Joel  T.  O'Brien 1877-78 

John  W.  Caldwell 186:5-64  C.  S.  Worthington 1879 

F.  H.  Hancock 1865-66 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

George  B.  Elliott 1854  Geo.  H.  Smith 1868-72 

L.  Stookwell 1855-63  N.  A.  H.  Worthington 1873-75 

F.  H.  Hancock 1864  George  W.  Franks 1876-78 

E.  C.  McKibben 1865-66  E.  C.  McKibben. 1879 

J.  F.  McGinnis 1867 

ASSESSORS. 

T.M.  Wiles. 1854  F.  Hamm    1864 

Geo.  F.  Cleaveland 1855  L.  Stockwell 1865 

Dwight  Clark 1856  A.Harding 1866-69 

J.  W.Moreland 1857  W.  Anderson 1870-72 

B.W.Parker 1858-59      SchnvU-r  Scriver ; 1873 

H.  S.  McKibben 1861  Washington  Anderson 1874-79 

C.  R.  Johnson 1863 


486  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

COLLECTOES. 

J.  V.  K.  West 1854  William  Ramige 1870 

H.  S.  McKibben 1856-58  Daviil  Sammons. 1871 

George  Hinman 1859  Charles  Burhans 1872 

J.  G.  Lyford 1861  James  Bradsh aw 1873 

John  C.  Pinckard 1863  Austin  Harding 1874 

Fred.  Ramige 1864  F.Zimmerman 1875 

J.  W.  Mooberry  1865  J.  W.  Craft 1876 

J.  Eller 1866  Wm.  Strifkfaden 1877 

Alex.  Mooberry 1867  George  W.Towns 1878 

Washington  Anderson 1868  E.  T.  Burns 1879 

Edwin  O'Brian 1869 


HITTLE  TOWNSHIP. 


The  first  settlers  of  Hittle  township  were  George  Hittle,  Jonas 
Hittle,  his  son,  and  John  W.  Judy,  his  son-in-law,  with  their  fami- 
lies. They  left  Ohio  in  the  fall  of  1825  and  stopped  a  short  time 
in  Sangamon  county,  where  they  gathered  corn  on  shares,  thus 
earning  sufficient  to  carry  them  through  the  winter.  After  cold 
weather  set  in  these  pioneers  began  looking  for  a  permanent  place  of 
abode.  Starting  northward  they  visited  Pekin,  (then  called  Town 
Site,  and  consisting  of  three  cabins,)  and  Fort  Clark  (Peoria). 
Turning  about  they  passed  through  Pleasant  Grove,  where  they 
found  an  abundance  of  hard  maple  timber.  The  opportunity  to 
make  sugar  at  home  in  those  days  was  no  slight  consideration,  and 
the  party  thought  this  was  surely  the  place  for  them.  Making  a 
claim,  they  continued  southward,  and  were  still  more  pleased  with 
the  beautiful  black  walnut  timber,  where  the  Orendortf' s  afterward 
settled,  in  Hopedale.  They  therefore  abandoned  their  first  claim, 
made  a  second  one  here,  and  once  more  started  on  their  journey. 
Stopping  at  the  home  of  Robert  Music,  on  Sugar  creek,  where  Gov- 
ernment surveyors  had  boarded,  they  were  told  that  the  finest  piece 
of  timber  in  the  whole  country  was  about  eighteen  miles  above. 
Turning  their  horses  in  a  northerly  direction  they  soon  reached  the 
place.  The  sight  of  such  beautiful  black  walnut,  hard  maple  and 
oak  filled  them  with  delight,  and  straightway  they  made  a  third 
and  final  claim.  Having  erected  rude  huts,  they  returned  to  Sanga- 
mon for  their  families  and  goods,  and  quickly  set  out  for  their  new 
homes.  John  Judy  was  the  only  one  who  had  a  horse  team,  and  he 
reached  the  destination  one  day  ahead  of  the  others — namely,  on 
Feb.  20,  1826.  But  as  George  Hittle  was  the  patriarch  of  this  new 
community,  both  the  grove  and  township  have  taken  his   name. 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  487 

Jacob  H.,  (son  of  John  W.  Judy,)  who  was  then  a  child  of  four 
years  of  age,  has  lived  in  the  township  ever  since,  and  he  is,  there- 
fore, the  oldest  settler  in  the  community.  In  the  following  year 
William  Burt  and  the  Hainlines  settled  near  by,  and  about  the  same 
time  two  families  by  the  names  of  Perry  and  Williamson.  In  1828, 
William  Hieronymus  settled  on  the  east  fork  of  Sugar  creek, 
where  two  of  his  sons  still  live.  Other  early  settlers  in  Hittle 
were:     Jacob  Albright,  1829;  Joseph  Richmond,  1830;  Martin  G. 

Staiford,  1830;  Thos.  Burt,  1833;  Quisenbury,  1835.     After 

this,  settlements  became  quite  numerous,  and  the  pioneers  were 
happy  and  prosperous  as  the  times  went.  At  first  the  people  were 
compelled  to  go  to  Springfield  to  mill  and  for  mail,  and  later  to 
Mackinaw.  In  the  winter  of  '31,  the  time  of  the  big  snow,  Jos. 
Richmond  was  frozen  to  death.  It  seems  a  daughter  of  his  was  to 
be  married  and  himself  and  one  of  his  neis-hbors  set  out  for  Mack- 
inaw  on  snow  shoes,  to  get  some  necessary  articles.  On  the  return, 
the  sndw  was  soft  and  walking  Tcrv  difficult.  When  only  three 
miles  from  home,  night  came  on,  the  weather  became  very  cold,  and 
Mr.  Richmond  gave  completely  out.  Covering  him  up,  his  friend 
went  for  assistance.  They  continued  the  search  till  after  one  o'clock, 
but  without  avail.  Next  day  the  body  was  found  frozen  stiif,  with 
part  of  the  clothing  removed. 

About  the  year  1841,  a  store  was  opened  by  two  Eastern  men, 
whose  names  were  Armington  &  Hazleton,  and  Armington  post- 
office  took  its  name  from  the  former. 

The  people  of  Hittle  are  largely  the  descendants  of  the  old 
settlers,  and  are  intelligent  and  well-to-do.  At  one  time  every 
voter,  with  one  exception,  voted  the  Whig  ticket;  and  now  the 
place  is  Republican  in  sentiment.  After  giving  sketches  of  its 
churches,  we  will  speak  of  some  of  the  representative  citizens  at 
greater  length,  for  we  believe  the  history  of  any  community  is  made 
up  largely  of  the  history  of  the. live,  enterprising  men  of  that  com- 
munity. 

Christian. —  Hittle  Grove  Christian  Church  was  organized  at  the 
house  of  John  W.  Judy,  about  the  year  1828.  The  Judys,  Hittles, 
Hainlines  and  Burts  were  among  the  early  members.  At  first  old 
Elder  Rhoade,  of  Blooming  Grove,  preached  once  a  month,  at 
John  Judy's,  where  also  a  dinner  was  served  to  the  congregation. 
The  society  has  had  two  houses  of  worship  —  the  last  one  was  built 
fifteen  or  sixteen  years  ago.  The  membership  is  not  far  from  200 
—  70  of  whom  have  been  recently  added. 


488  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL,    COUNTY. 

Hieronymus  Grove  Church.  This  church  was  built  entirely  by 
Enoch  Hieronymus,  in  1869.  Mr.  H.  thought,  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  they  were  so  far  from  any  church,  many  persons  in  the  neigh- 
borhood might  be  induced  to  enter  the  house  of  worship  who  would 
not  otherAvise  go,  accordingly  he  bore  the  entire  expense  of  putting 
up  the  building.  Services  htwe  been  held  regularly  from  the  be- 
ginning. 

31.  E.  Chiroh. — A  society  was  organized  at  Hittle  Grove  35  or 
40  years  ago,  and  among  the  early  members  John  Burwell,  Isaac 
Carr,  Philo  Baldwin,  with  their  families,  may  be  mentioned.  About 
twenty  years  ago,  Joseph  Kelly,  Foster  Griffin  and  A.  E.  Forbes 
organized  a  separate  society  at  Armington,  and  the  old  church 
thereupon  divided,  part  going  to  Armington  and  part  going  to 
Boynton,  according  to  convenience.  The  present  church  building 
was  erected  in  1862 ;  cost  about  ^2,600.     Membership  over  50. 

John  F.  Albrif/hf,  farmer,  Armington,  was  born  in  Lincoln  county, 
Tenn.,  in  1825.  His  father,  Jacob  Albright,  came  to  Hittle  in 
1829.  He  was  married  in  Tenn.,  to  Esther  Touchstone.  His 
grandfather  was  from  South  Carolina,  and  his  grandmother  from 
North  Carolina,  where  his  father  was  born.  "When  the  latter  came 
to  this  State  he  settled  on  land  bought  of  George  Hittle.  He  had  a 
family  of  8  children  —  6  boys  and  2  girls.  He  lived  until  May  12, 
"868,  when  he  died  at  the  age  of  72.  His  wife  died  in  1855,  at  the 
age  of  about  65  years.  John  Albright  was  married  June  15,  1848, 
to  Louisa,  daughter  of  John  Judy.  She  was  born  Jan.  10,  1830. 
They  have  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living  —  Emma, 
Jerome,  Harriet  J.,  Rosa,  Alice,  Martha  and  Clara.  Mr.  Albright 
now  lives  on  part  of  the  place  his  father  owned,  and  two  brothers 
live  in  the  same  neighborhood.  Member  of  the  Christian  Church 
and  a  Republican. 

Michael  Albright,  farmer,  Armington,  was  born  Dec.  19,  1820,  in 
Lincoln  county,  Tenn.,  (see  John  F.  Albright).  He  was  married 
June  4,  1843,  to  Mary  Ann  JNIalick,  daughter  of  George  Malick, 
one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Mackinaw.  She  was  born  Dec.  12, 
1820.  They  have  six  children  —  Ann,  Homer,  Alice,  Charles, 
George  and  Florence.  Mr.  Albright  is  a  substantial  farmer,  a  man 
well  informed  on  all  topics  of  general  interest,  and  one  with  con- 
victions of  his  own.     He  is  a  Republican. 

Charles  D.  Allen,  Armington,  was  born  Sept.  30,  1811,  in  Tioga 
county,  N.  Y.  His  fatlier's  name  was  Daniel,  and  his  mother's 
Anna  (Dodd),  who  were  natives  of  New  York.  In  1837  Mr.  Allen 
left  Ohio,  where  his  parents  had  lived  since  he  was  twelve  years  of 
age,  and  settled  in  Hittle.  His  parents  also  came  West,  and  settled 
just  over  the  line  in  McLean  county.  His  father  died  in  February, 
1848,  aged  83  years.     He  was  married  Nov.  8,   1839,  to  Nancy^ 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  489 

daughter  of  Henry  Hainline,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Hittle.  The 
descendants  of  Mr.  Hainline  are  very  numerous  in  Hittle  townshij), 
there  being  five  sons  and  one  daughter,  with  numerous  grandchil- 
dren. Mr.  Allen's  wife  died  in  June,  1847;  he  was  married  to 
Hannah,  the  sister  of  his  former  wife,  Feb.  14,  1850.  She  was  born 
Feb.  1,  1826,  in  Boone  county,  Ky.  Mr.  A.  has  five  children,  two 
of  them  by  his  first  wife.  Their  names  are :  Henry,  Jessie,  John, 
Massie  and  Silvia.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and 
Republican  in  politics. 

Jas.  W.  Burt,  farmer,  P.  O.,  Armington,  is  a  son  of  William  Burt, 
one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Hittle.  He  was  born  May  15,  1844, 
and  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Tenney,  of  Atlanta,  Feb.  28,  1867. 
They  have  two  children.  Mrs.  B.  is  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Tenney,  and 
was  born  Feb.  20,  1850.  Wm.  Burt  was  born  Dec.  10,  1800,  in 
Scott  county,  Ky.,  and  in  the  fall  of  1827  settled  in  Hittle,  on  sec- 
tion 29,  where  he  still  lives.  When  Mr.  Burt  first  came  to  Hittle 
he  found  a  rude  little  cabin  already  built.  This  he  fixed  up,  and 
began  life  in  the  new  country,  happy  in  the  possession  of  a  home. 
Not  long  after  a  man  came  along  and  claimed  the  premises,  and  to 
avoid  any  trouble  or  unpleasantness  a  settlement  was  made  by  pay- 
ing the  party  $9.00  In  1829,  about  Christmas  time,  and  when  it 
was  very  cold,  Mr.  Burt's  house  was  destroyed  by  fire,  together  with 
all  its  contents  except  a  little  bedding.  The  neighbors  assembled 
and  by  the  following  Saturday  Mr.  Burt's  fiimily  found  themselves 
once  more  in  a  comfortable  home.  While  none  of  the  neighbors 
were  overburdened  with  clothing  and  furniture,  they  all  contributed 
a  little  to  assist  their  afflicted  friends.  About  1835  he  built  another 
house,  made  entirely  of  hewn  logs  with  a  board  floor,  and  it  was 
considered  the  finest  house  anywhere  in  the  neighborhood.  He  was 
a  great  hunter  in  his  time,  and  hundreds  of  deer,  wolves  and  fowl, 
fell  before  his  gun  and  club.  He  was  married  in  June,  1825,  to 
China  Hainline,  in  Kentucky,  and  has  had  eight  children,  two  of 
whom  died  when  young,  and  the  others  are  still  living.  Their 
names  are— Elizabeth  (wife  of  Allen  Quisenberry)  Sally  (wife  of 
William  Britt)  Louisa  (who  married  Andrew  Bowles)  John  H., 
Polly  (wife  of  Arthur  Quisenberry,  of  Lincoln)  and  James  W. 
Mr.  Burt's  wife  died  in  1873,  aged  63  years. 

Enoch  Hieronymus.  One  of  the  oldest,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most 
respected  families  of  Tazewell  county,  is  the  Hieronymus  fiiniily,  of 
which  our  subject  is  the  oldest  living  member.  William  Hierony- 
mus, his  father,  was  born  Feb.  13,  1788,  in  Virginia.  His  parents 
were  of  English  and  Dutch  descent.  In  1811,  Aug.  14,  he  married 
Alvira  Darnell.  He  engaged  in  boat  building  for  a  while.  In 
1818  he  went  to  Missouri  and  settled  on  the  Missouri  river.  The 
place  is  now  washed  away  and  forms  the  channel  of  the  stream. 
After  three  years  he  returned  to  Kentucky,  and  finally  settled  at 
Big  Bone  Lick.  This  lick  is  a  deep  lake  of  mud  and  water,  the 
water  being  very  shallow.  The  mud  has  apparently  no  bottom. 
30 


490  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

The  animals,  which  in  former  years  went  there  to  drink,  sank 
down  and  died.  Their  bones  are  so  numerous  that  the  place  is 
called  the  Big  Bone  Lick.  The  bones  of  many  curious  animals 
have  been  found  there ;  and  particularly  were  the  bones  of  the 
large  mammouth,  which  was  placed  in  Barnum's  museum.  Enoch 
Hieronymus  has  seen  a  bone  from  this  lake,  large  enough  for  nine 
men  to  sit  on  at  once.  In  1828,  Mr.  H.  came  to  Illinois.  His 
family  moved  with  several  others.  The  oldest  man  in  the  company 
was  George  Henline.  They  camped  the  last  night  of  their  journey 
in  Blooming  Grove.  The  next  day  they  came  to  Hittle's  Grove. 
Mr.  H.  went  from  there,  in  October,  1828,  to  Hieronymus'  Grove, 
which  was  named  in  his  honor.  Enoch  was  born  in  Madison  Co., 
Ky.,  March  7,  1816.  He  accompanied  his  father's  family  to  this 
county,  and  has  lived  an  active  useful  life  since.  During  the  winter 
of  the  big  snow,  they  had  to  pound  corn  for  food.  He  made  snow 
shoes  that  winter  out  of  boards  ten  inches  square,  which  were  lashed 
to  his  feet,  and  thereby  could  chase  the  deer.  He  married,  Aug. 
22,  1839,  Elizabeth  A.  Thompson.  Her  parents  came  to  the  State 
in  1829.  They  have  never  had  children  of  their  own,  but  have 
raised  the  orphan  children  of  James  Heironymus,  who  died  in  1848. 
His  wife  died  a  few  months  previous.  Enoch  and  his  wife  took 
into  their  home  one  girl,  two  boys  and  one  infant,  the  latter  soon 
died.  Another  infant  child,  twin  to  the  first,  was  raised  by  the 
sister  of  Mrs.  H.  The  two  boys  and  girl  grew  up  and  were  happily 
married.  Benjamin  R.  and  Thomas  H.  both  served  in  the  late  war, 
in  Co.  A,  117th  III.  Inf.,  and  sketches  of  both  may  be  found  in  this 
volume. 

William  Hieronymus,  farmer;  P.  O,,  Minier,  was  born  Oct.  17, 
1826,  (See  Enoch  Hieronymus.)  He  was  but  two  years  of  age 
when  his  father  moved  to  Hieronymus  Grove,  where  he  has  lived 
all  his  life.  He  was  married  in  December,  1849,  to  Lucinda  Gard- 
ner, who  is  a  native  of  Ohio.  They  have  had  eight  children,  seven 
of  whom  are  now  living ;  three  are  married  and  live  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. Mr.  H.  has  a  fine  farm  of  650  acres,  part  of  which  is  in 
McLean.  In  politics  Mr.  H.  is  a  Republican ;  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Church. 

Thomas  H.  Hieronymus,  farmer ;  P.  O.,  Armington,  was  born  in 
Logan  county,  Dec.  18,  1845.  His  father's  name  was  James,  and 
his  mother's  Malinda  C.  (Thompson).  His  father  was  born  in 
Kentucky,  (See  Enoch  Hieronymus,)  and  his  mother  in  Tennessee. 
They  died  not  a  great  while  apart,  the  latter  in  1847,  and  the  former 
in  1848.  The  children  were  young,  and  Thomas,  and  one  brother 
and  sister  were  raised  by  their  Uncle  Enoch.  He  enlisted  in  1862, 
in  the  117th  III.  Inf.,  and  served  three  vears.  He  was  married 
April  18,  1866,  to  Mary  P.,  daughter  of  Theophilus  Caton,  of  Mc- 
Lean county ;  has  five  children.  Is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  a  Republican  in  politics. 

Mrs.  Susannah  Kampf,  P.  O.^  Miaier,     Mrs.  Kampf  is  the  widow 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  491 

of  John  Kampf,  and  was  born  in  Madison  county,  Ohio,  Sept.  11, 
1823;  Mr.  Kampf,  in  Pennsylvania,  Jan.  1,  1817.  They  were 
married  July  9,  1840,  in  Ohio;  came  to  this  county  in  1844,  and 
settled  on  section  10.  Mr.  K.  died  March  5,  1875.  They  had 
eight  children,  six  of  whom  are  now  living ;  two  daughters  and  one 
son  are  married  ;  and  three  sons  live  at  home.  One  son,  Marion  R., 
was  a  member  of  the  7th  111.  Inf ,  and  was  killed  in  battle.  Wm. 
H.  was  also  in  the  army,  having  enlisted  in  the  7th  111.  Vet.  Inf., 
Oct.  1864,  and  was  discharged  July  9,  18(35. 

Henry  C.  Mountjoy,  merchant,  Armington,  was  born  in  Tazewell 
county,  Nov.  25,  1845.  His  father,  William  Mountjoy,  came  from 
Kentucky,  and  settled  in  Logan  county,  near  the  line,  in"  1835.  He 
was  married  in  1840,  to  Sinia  V.  Thompson,  whose  people  lived  in 
the  same  neighborhood.  Thcv  had  thirteen  children,  seven  of  whom 
are  now  living.  Henry  Mountjoy  had  only  a  common  school  edu- 
cation, and  engaged  in  farming  till  about  five  years  ago,  when  he 
embarked  in  the  mercantile  business,  and  is  now  carrying  on  a 
profitable  trade.  He  was  married  March  23,  1865,  to  INIargaret  A. 
Hawser,  of  Jersey  county;  has  three  children.  Enlisted  in  the  7th 
111.  Inf.  in  1863,  and  served  till  the  close  of  the  war.  Is  a  member 
of  the  Christian  Church,  and  votes  the  Republican  ticket. 

Col.  Jonathan  Merriam  was  born  in  Passumpsie,  Vt.,  Nov.  1, 
1834.  His  father,  Rev.  Jonathan  Merriam,  came  West  in  1836, 
and  shortly  afterward  accepted  a  call  from  the  Baptist  Church,  of 
Springfield.  Later  he  came  to  Hittle.  Col.  Merriam  was  educated 
at  Wesleyan  University,  Bloomington,  and  at  McKendre  College, 
Lebanon.  The  Colonel  has  been  engaged  in  farming  and  stock 
raising  during  the  greater  portion  of  his  life,  and  at  this  time  has  a 
farm  of  1,200  acres  of  land,  situated  in  Tazewell,  Logan  and  Mc- 
Lean counties.  On  the  19th  of  September,  1862,  the  117th  regt. 
111.  Inf.  was  mustered  into  service,  with  Mr.  Merriam  as  Lieutenant 
Colonel.  This  regiment  experienced  some  severe  service,  and  served 
till  the  close  of  the  war.  After  the  war.  Colonel  Merriam  took  a 
prominent  part  in  political  affairs,  and  was  a  useful  member  of  the 
Constitutional  Convention.  In  1873  he  was  appointed  Internal 
Revenue  Collecter  for  the  8th  District,  which  position  he  now  holds. 
He  was  married  June  6,  1859,  to  Miss  B.  A.  Barland,  of  McLean 
county.  She  died  June  19,  1861,  and  he  was  again  married  Nov. 
10,  1864,  to  Miss  Lucy  C,  daughter  of  Rev.  J.  B.  White,  of  Bond 
county. 

Allen  Quisenherry,  farmer,  lives  in  Eminence,  Logan  county ;  P. 
O.,  Armington.  Mr.  Q.'s  father  settled  in  Hittle  Grove,  in  1835. 
He  came  from  Kentucky,  though  he  lived  in  Virginia  till  after  he 
was  married ;  he  lived  in  the  Grove  about  twenty  years,  when  he 
moved  over  the  line  into  Logan  county,  where  he  died  about  the 
close  of  the  war.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  Oct.  9,  1823; 
married  November,  1844,  to  Elizabeth  Burt,  who  was  born  Sept. 
18,  1826,  in  Boone  county,  Ky.     They  have  had  three  children; 


492  HISTORY   OF   TAZEAVELL   COUNTY. 

two  of  whom  are  now  living.  John  W.  lives  on  a  farm  near  by ; 
and  the  daughter,  China  M.,  married  W.  F.  Albright  and  now 
lives  in  Bloomington.  The  old  settlers,  living  almost  beyond  the 
reach  of  newspapers,  had  queer  ideas  of  the  progress  of  the  age. 
Mr.  Q.  tells  this  story  of  his  father.  When  a  telegraph  line  was 
built  from  Peoria  to  Springfield,  the  line  passed  through  Delavan, 
and  caused  no  little  excitement  among  the  inhabitants.  But  the  old 
gentleman  was  skeptical,  and  one  day  said  to  his  sons :  "  I  tell  you 
w'hat,  boys,  that  thing  is  all  tomfoolery,  depend  upon  it.  Talk  of 
people  speaking  together,  100  miles  apart!  why,  its  rediculous.  Its 
just  some  Yankee  scheme  to  make  money." 

Ellis  \V.  Roberts,  farmer ;  P.  O.,  Armington  ;  was  born  in  Lycom- 
ing county,  Penn.,  April  4,  1829.  His  parents  came  West  about 
1838,  and  settled  on  the  Little  Mackinaw.  His  father,  whose 
Christian  name  was  Peter,  died  Feb.  24,  1847,  aged  40;  his  mother 
is  now  living  with  her  son  at  an  advanced  age.  Mr.  Roberts  was 
married  to  Nancy  J.  Judy,  May  23,  1850;  she  was  the  daughter  of 
Jacob  Judy,  and  was  born  Oct.  1,  1831.  Her  father  came  to  Hittle 
with  the  very  first  settlers,  but  he  was  then  unmarried  and  did  not 
settle  permanently  until  a  few  years  later.  He  now  lives  at  Atlanta 
in  good  health.  On  the  last  of  April,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judy  celebrated 
their  golden  wedding.  Mr.  Roberts'  family  was  in  Missouri  eleven 
years,  and  with  that  exception  ]\Irs.  Roberts  has  always  lived  on  the 
same  place  where  she  was  born.  Mr.  R.  served  nine  months  in  the 
21st  Mo.  Vol.  Inf.     Republican. 

William  G.  Stafford,  farmer  and  manufacturer  of  tile,  sec.  9,  Hit- 
tie  ;  P.  O.,  Minier.  Mr.  Stafford  is  the  son  of  Martin  G.  Stafford, 
who  came  to  Hittle,  from  Tennessee,  in  1831,  He  died  in  1847, 
and  his  wife  about  the  same  time.  They  had  seven  children ;  two 
of  the  sons  are  in  Oregon,  and  one  in  Kansas.  One  of  the  daugh- 
ters is  the  wife  of  Lorenzo  Hainline,  of  Hittle,  and  the  other,  now 
a  widow,  lives  in  Bovnton.  Mr.  Stafford  was  born  in  Tazewell  Co. 
in  1838.  He  enlisted,  Sept.  15,  1861,  in  Co.  E,  7th  111.  Inf,  and 
was  discharged  Nov.,  1864.  He  was  married,  Nov.  18,  1868,  to 
Ellen  J.  Tefft,  and  has  four  children. 

Hon.  L.  M.  Stroud,  farmer ;  P.  O.,  Armington ;  was  born  Sept. 
27,  1822,  in  Dixon  county,  Tenn.,  not  far  from  the  house  of  Gen. 
Jackson.  His  father,  Thomas  Stroud,  emigrated  from  North  Caro- 
lina to  Tennessee  in  1806,  and  married  Miss  Virginia  Thompson, 
whose  people  came  from  Virginia.  While  Mr.  Stroud  was  a  Jack- 
sonian  Democrat  he  did  not  believe  in  slavery,  and  he  therefore  left 
Tennessee  and  settled,  in  1830,  in  what  is  now  Logan  county.  He 
died  March  7,  1858,  at  Atlanta,  his  wife  having  passed  away  the 
year  before.  Mr.  L.  M.  Stroud  did  not  enjoy  very  great  educational 
advantages,  but  nevertheless  he  had  that  energy  and  shrewd  com- 
mon sense  which  are  bound  to  bring  success.  He  has  not  far  from 
900  acres  of  land,  and  a  fine  store  in  Minier  conducted  by  his  son. 
He  has  represented  his  town  in  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  and  was 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  493 

a  Representative  of  the  27th  District  in  the  Legislature  of  1873-74. 
He  was  married,  April  7,  1847,  to  Miss  Elva,  daughter  of  Captain 
Adams,  who  fell  in  the  Black  Hawk  war  at  the  battle  of  Old  Man's 
Creek,  or,  as  it  has  since  been  called,  Stillman's  Run,  after  a  terrible 
conflict  with  the  Indians.  Mrs.  Stroud  was  born  in  Bedford  county, 
Tenn.,  Jan.  9,  1826.  They  have  a  family  of  nine  children,  several 
of  whom  are  married, 

Eton  F,  Verry,  merchant  and  grain  dealer,  Armington.  He  is  a 
son  of  William  A.  Verry,  and  was  born  Nov.  23,  1852.  He  was 
educated  in  common  schools  and  Eureka  College.  He  was  married 
Feb.  6,  1879,  to  Ella,  daughter  of  Thomas  Dills,  one  of  the  old 
residents  and  most  influential  citizens  of  Hittle.  Politics,  Republi- 
can. 

mUiam  A.  Verry,  stock  farmer,  Armington.  Was  born  in 
Boston,  Mass.,  Jan.  17,  1819.  In  1820,  his  father,  William  C.  Verry, 
came  to  this  State  and  settled  in  Morgan  county,  near  Jacksonville. 
In  1843  Mr.  Verry  came  to  this  county  and  settled  on  section  22, 
Hittle,  where  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land.  Almost  every 
endowment  necessary  for  success  in  business  seems  to  have  been 
bestowed  upon  Mr.  Verry,  and  to-day  2800  acres  of  fine  farming 
land  and  a  large  amount  of  other  property,  stand  as  a  monument 
to  the  energy,  industry,  and  good  management  which  have  always 
been  characteristic  of  him.  Mr.  Verry  was  married,  Oct.  20,  1842, 
to  Sarah  A.  Farnsworth,  and  four  children  have  been  the  fruits  of 
this  union.  Their  names  are  William  E.,  George,  Elon,  and  Fran- 
ces. In  politics  Mr.  Verry  is  a  Republican,  and  while  not  a  mem- 
ber of  any  church,  he  always  lends  a  helping  hand  to  every  good 
cause  which  comes  under  his  notice. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  taken  charge  of  the  public  matters 
of  the  township  from  time  to  time,  since  its  organization : 

SUPERVISORS. 

Hesekiah  Armington 1850  L.M.Stroud 1870-71 

David  Mainline 1851-53  Peter  Paugh 1872-73 

R.  B.  Marlev 1854  Lorenzo  Hainiine 1874 

David  Hainline 1855-57  John  H.  Burt 1875-76 

Ellis  Dillon 1858  John  Q.  Darnell 1877 

S.  K.  Hatfield 1859  John  H.  Burt 1878 

Jonathan  Merriam 1861  John  Q.  Darnell 1879 

George  N.  Bry.son 1863-69 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

Jacob  H.Judy 1854  H.J.Allen 1869 

S.K.Hatfield 1855  J.  M.  Guv 1870 

John  Kampf 1856  John  Q.  Darnell 1871 

Jonathan  Burwell 1857  James  M.  Brooks 1872 

J.  W.  Graves 1858  D.  A.  Dempsev.  1873 

Foster  Griffin 1859  James  M.  Brooks 1874 

Jacob  H.  Judy 1861  B.  H.  Griffin 1875-77 

David  Allen 1863-65  Ambrose  Gilbert 1878 

B.  H.  Griffin 1866-67  Bryson 1879 

Will  H.  Kelly 1868 


494  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

ASSESSORS. 

Ephraim  Glolfetter 1854  Jesse  M.  Guy 1872 

David  Mainline 1855-57  B.  R.  Hieronvmus 1873 

Wm.  Morehead,  Sr 1858  J.  Q.  Darnell" 1874 

Caleb  Mainline 185^-69  T.  M.  Dills 1875-77 

JohnKampf 1870-71  V.M.Darnell 1878 

COLLECTORS. 

S.  K.  Hatfield 1854-55  J.  M.  Guy 1870-71 

JohnKampf 1856-57  Thomas  H.  Hieronymus 1872 

Wm.  Slaughter 1858  B.  N.  Ewing 1873 

Daniel  Albright 1859  V.M.Darnell 1874 

John  G.  Wood 1861  E.  W.  Roberts 1875 

Oliver  Mason 1863-65  D.  S.  Dempsev 1876 

Joseph  Kelly. 1866  Joseph  Bradley 1877 

W.  M.  Kelly 1867-68  C.  W.  Roberts 1878 

Benj.  R.  Mieronymus 1869  Johnson 1879 


MOPED  ALE  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  was  named  by  Moses  Meeker,  who,  at  a  meeting  of 
the  County  Court,  in  1850,  christened  it  Hopedale.  This  name  was 
unanimously  adopted.  When  the  late  Mr.  OrendorfF  laid  oflf  the 
village  of  Hopedale  he  called  it  Osceola.  Upon  application  to  the 
Postmaster  General  for  a  post-office,  he  found  there  was  another 
Osceola  in  the  State.  The  village  was  then  changed  to  the  name  of 
the  township.  The  township  is  largely  woodland,  quite  hilly,  and 
the  Mackinaw  river.  Little  Mackinaw  and  Indian  creek  run 
through  it. 

The  first  church  building  erected  in  the  towns^hip  was  called 
Shiloh,  and  was  named  by  Jno.  E.  Davis.  It  was  built  about  the  year 
1839,  principally  by  the  Methodists  and  Presbyterians.  The  latter 
appear  to  have  had  the  controlling  interest.  It  was  also  used  as  a 
school-house  for  a  number  of  years.  It  is  now  known  as  the  Old 
Shiloh.  There  are  three  churches  in  the  township,  and  three  school- 
houses  where  divine  services  are  held.  The  next  church  built  was 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  This  was  erected  in  the  village  about 
1854.  It  burned  down  during  the  past  winter.  The  Old  Shiloh 
has  not  been  used  as  a  church  for  22  years.  The  New  Shiloh  was 
built  by  the  Methodists  about  20  years  ago.  This  church  stood 
upon  the  ground  of  the  old  one,  and  it,  too,  is  a  church  of  the  past. 
The  M.  E.  Church  of  the  village  was  erected  in  1874  at  a  cost  of 
$2,400.  The  first  sermon  was  preached  by  Hiram  Buck,  in  Septem- 
ber,  1874;  Il6v.  S.  F.  Johnson  was  at  that  time  pastor.     Then 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  495 

came  Revs.  A.  Bland,  J.  C.  Keller,  and  finally  the  present  pastor, 
Rev.  W.  C.  Avery.  The  first  baptismal  ceremony  occurred  Aug. 
19,  1877,  when  John  Bright  and  twelve  others  were  baptised,  some 
by  immersion.  The  first  marriage  ceremony  in  the  edifice  was  cele- 
brated on  the  evening  the  church  was  dedicated  —  T.  W.  Harlan 
and  ]\Iiss  H.  P.  Coggins  were  the  contracting  parties. 

The  first  settler  in  Hopedale  was  Aaron  Orendorff,  who  settled 
here  about  1827.  D.  W.,  son  of  Aaron  Orendorff,  was  the  first 
white  child  born  in  the  township.  The  first  Sunday-school  was 
taught  by  Jas.  McDowell  in  the  Old  Shiloh  Church. 

The  old  town  of  Hopedale  was  laid  off  Nov.  1,  1853,  by  Thomas 
Orendorff.  The  new  town  was  incorporated  Feb.  22,  1869.  The 
first  Trustees  elected  and  who  attended  the  first  meeting  were,  T. 
H.  Orendorff,  Wm.  Neisen,  J.  R.  Ogden  and  E.  Barnum.  Oren- 
dorff was  elected  president,  Ogden  secretary,  and  Barnum  treasurer. 
Thomas  Smith  tells  us  that  the  first  store  opened  in  Hopedale  was 
by  D,  W.  Orendorff  and  Mr.  Mortimer.  Afterwards  T.  H.  Oren- 
dorff formed  a  partnership  with  T.  A.  Smith  and  had  the  second 
store. 

The  first  meeting  for  the  organization  of  the  township  was  held 
at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Purviance,  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  April,  1850. 
Laban  Hicks  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  Charles  W.  Holden 
appointed  secretary.  James  E.  Davis  was  elected  moderator  for  the 
day.  A  vote  was  taken  and  R,  H.  Holden  was  elected  clerk  for 
the  day.  Township  officials  were  then  elected.  For  Supervisor, 
Chas.  W.  Holden  received  27  votes,  which  elected  him  by  a  majori- 
ty of  6.  For  Clerk,  Richard  H.  Holden  received  28  votes,  which 
was  a  like  majority.  For  Assessor,  \Vm.  H.  Briggs  received  a 
majority  of  8 ;  and  for  Collector,  Andrew  Kerr  was  elected  by  10 
majority.  Wm.  Milner  is  put  upon  the  records  as  being  elected  as 
Clerk,  which  is  incorrect.  The  Commissioners  of  Roads  elected 
were:  Nathaniel  Bennett,  Enoch  T.  Orendorff  and  G.  W.  Bryan, 
each  of  whom  received  49  votes.  Enoch  T.  Orendorff  was  elected 
Overseer  of  Poor;  and  the  Justices  of  the  Peace  elected  were  Jesse 
Fisher  and  Geo.  W.  Bryan.  John  Bennett  and  John  Davis  were 
elected  Constables. 

In  order  to  more  fully  detail  the  history  of  the  town  and  town- 
ship we  will  speak  personally  of  some  of  the  leading  and  represen- 
tative citizens : 

Robert  N.  Barger,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Hancock  Co.,  111.,  March 


496  HISTORY   OP  TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 

19,  1842;  His  parents,  were  John  S.  Barger,  (who  was  born  in 
1802,  in  Va.  He  died  in  1876),  and  Sarah  A.  Baker  (who  was 
born  in  1803,  in  Ky.,  and  died  in  1878).  Dr.  Barger  has  had 
superior  educational  advantages,  having  attended  college  in  Jackson- 
ville, and  is  a  graduate  of  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago,  and  also 
of  St.  Louis  Medical  College.  During  the  War  he  was  a  member 
of  Co.  I.,  73rd  111.  Inf.  He  was  Acting  Hospital  Steward  for  12 
months;  was  married  Jan.  1,  1870,  to  Martha  S.  Poe,  who  was  born 
in  1851.  Mr.  B.  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church.  P.  O., 
Hopedale. 

Joseph  Beanchamp,  carpenter  and  builder,  sec.  24,  P.  O.,  Hope- 
dale;  is  a  native  of  Canada,  where  he  was  born  in  1826.  The 
ancestry  of  Mr.  B.  were  French.  He  was  apprenticed  five  years,  to 
learn  his  trade,  by  the  end  of  which  time  he  become  a  skillful  work- 
man ;  Mr.  B.  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Brier,  a  daughter  of 
Isaac  Brier;  there  were  born  of  this  union  twenty  two  children, 
of  whom  only  seven  are  living  —  Louie,  Jos,  Henry,  George, 
Louisa,  Emma  and  Alexander,  Mr.  B.,  informs  us  that  his  grand- 
mother was  the  mother  of  thirty-six  children.  Mr.  B.  settled  at 
what  is  now  Hopedale  13  years  ago  and  has  erected  every  building 
of  any  importance  in  the  village.  He  was  the  builder  of  the  first 
house  in  the  town.  It  is  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Willard.  We  can- 
not speak  to  highly  of  him  as  a  skilled  mechanic. 

John  S.  Sever  was  born  in  the  State  of  Indiana,  Oct.  10,  1848; 
is  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Eliza  (Curtis)  Bever.  John  S.  came  to  this 
county  July  28,  1855.  He  attended  the  common  schools  of  his 
adopted  county.  He  was  married  Feb.  2,  1871,  to  Catharine 
Pearson.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  children  —  Francis  E.,  born 
Jan.  16,  1872,  and  Berdella,  born  Sept.  28,  1873;  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bever  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  is  a  Democrat 
in  politics.     P.  O.,  Delavan.  *' 

Jacob  Bever  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  having  been  born  in  that 
State,  Aug.  25,  1855.  He  is  a  son  of  Christian  Bever  and  Lydia 
Easton.  Jacob  Bever  came  to  this  county  in  1862;  attended  the 
schools  in  Dillon  township.  He  was  married  Nov.  14,  1878,  to 
Idella  Davidson,  a  native  of  Indiana.  Mr.  B.  is  a  member  of  the 
Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ;  is  a  Democrat  in  poli- 
tics ;  P.  O.,  Delavan. 

Matthias  Bever,  farmer,  sec.  33 ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale ;  was  born  in 
Adams  Co.,  Ohio,  Feb.  20,  1820.  His  parents  were  Matthias  and 
Catharine  (Chumoker)  Bever.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to 
this  county  Feb.  28,  1855;  received  a  common  school  education. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church;  was  married  March  14, 
1853,  to  Rebcca  A.  Fuller,  who  was  born  April  3,  1829.  They 
have  one  daughter,  Catharine  Ann,  born  Feb.  14,  1852.  She  was 
married  to  Henry  Henkle  in  Sept.,  1875.  Mr.  B.  is  a  Democrat  in 
politics. 

Samuel  Bever,  Sr.,  is  a  native  of  Adams  county,  Ohio,  where  he 


"■^i-vCs^  *-■!] 


tvv- 


(deceased") 
Dillon, '^^• 


:-'ai*rr. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  499 

was  born  Dec.  23,  1815.  His  parents  were  Michael  and  Margaret 
Bever.  Samuel  B.  attended  the  common  schools  of  Indiana,  and 
came  to  this  county  July  "28,  1855.  He  follows  farmino;;  resides  on 
sec.  30 ;  owns  400  acres  of  land ;  is  connected  with  the  Church  of 
the  United  Brethren;  was  married  to  Eliza  Curtis  Sept.  27,  1838. 
They  have  had  eleven  children  born  as  follows: — Jane,  born  July 
20,  1839;  Susanna,  Dec.  3,  1841;  Ephraim,  Feb.  21,  1844;  James, 
Nov.  9,  1846;  John  S.,  Oct.  10,  1848;  Matthias,  Sept.  1,  1850; 
Mary,  Nov.  27,  1852;  Martha,  Nov.  25,  1854;  Elizabeth,  Feb.  10, 
1858;  Mahala,  Oct.  5,  18(i0;  Ida  A.,  May  21,  1866.  Mr.  B.  acts 
with  the  Damocratic  party.     P.  O.,  Hopedale. 

Christian  Birky,  farmer,  sec.  31  ;  P.  ().,  Delavan  ;  was  born  in 
Elm  Grove,  this  county,  in  May,  1847.  His  parents  were  Christian 
and  Catharine  Birky.  Mr.  B.  attended  the  common  schools  of  this 
county ;  is  a  member  of  the  Omish  (Mennonite)  Church ;  was  mar- 
ried Feb.  17,  1878.     He  is  a  Democrat  in  politics. 

Henry  H.  Brigliain,  station  agent  and  operator  on  the  C.  &  A. 
R.  R.,  Hopedale,  was  born  in  Chatauqua  Co.,  N.  Y.,  July  30,  1833. 
His  father,  James  B.  Brigham,  was  born  in  the  year  1782,  Nov.  6, 
at  Marborough,  Mass.,  died  Jan.  31,  1<S61  ;  he  served  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  His  mother  was  born  May  15,  1793,  died  Jan.  26, 
1869.  They  were  married  March  4,  1810,  at  Fredonia,  N.  Y.  It 
was  in  that  place  that  Henry  received  his  education,  where  he  took 
an  academic  course.  He  was  connected  with  the  U.  S.  Treasury 
Department  during  the  war. 

William  H.  Briyfj,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  24 ;  was  born  in 
Westchester  county,  N.  Y.,  on  the  21st  of  Oct.,  1807.  His  father, 
Phillip  H.  Briggs,  was  a  native  of  N.  Y.  He  received  a  liberal 
education,  and  was  married  to  Phoebe,  daughter  of  John  Ryen,  of 
Fordham,  N.  Y.,  who  was  born  May  4,  1788.  ]Mr.  B.  went  to  New 
York  city  about  1808,  where  he  became  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business.  He  was  very  successful,  and  died  Oct.  19,  1840;  his  wife 
died  April  1,  1866.  The  descendants  are  four  in  number  —  William 
H.,  whose  name  is  at  the  head  of  this  sketch,  Phoebe,  who  married 
Ebben  Leggett,  and  now  resides  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  Larina,  who 
married  Charles  Valentine,  and  Ann  Eliza,  who  is  married  and  lives 
in  Philadelphia.  William  H.  received  a  liberal  education  in  New 
York  city.  On  the  26th  of  Nov.,  1 828,  he  was  married  to  Louisa, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Hoif,  of  Monmouth  county,  N.  J.  In  1 H29 
Mr.  B.  entered  on  a  mercantile  career  in  New  York;  in  1836  he 
came  West,  locating  near  Hopedale.  He  first  rented  farm  property  ; 
in  1837  he  purchased  207  acres,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  547  acres 
and  a  beautiful  farm  residence.  Few  men  are  better  known  for 
generosity  than  Mr.  B.  He  has  been  Supervisor  and  Assessor  for 
this  township.  The  marriage  of  j\Ir.  B.  was  productive  of  six  child- 
ren, four  of  whom  are  living — Hannah,  Jane  E.,  Cecilia  and  Will- 
iam H.,  jr. 

John  Burgess,  born  in  England  May  4,  1822.     Thomas  and  Lucy 


500  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

(Black)  Burgess  were  his  parents.  He  attended  the  common  schools, 
Mr.  B.  came  to  this  country  in  1849;  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church;  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Hurn,  Oct.  6,  1851.  She  died 
in  1869.  She  was  the  mother  of  Lucy,  born  July  12,  1857;  Jen- 
nie, born  Nov.  1,  1859;  Lilian,  born  May  7,  1863.  Mr.  B.  was 
again  united  in  marriage  March  20,  1870,  to  Lucinda  Bennett,  by 
whom  he  had  five  children,  born  as  follows :  Laura,  July  30,  1871 ; 
John  R.,  Jan.  3,  1873;  Elizabeth,  Dec.  15,  1874;  Mattie  S.,  Nov. 
26,  1877;  Rose,  March  22,  1879. 

Otto  Butterweck,  of  the  firm  of  Schulte  &  Co.,  Hopedale,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Germany,  being  born  in  that  country  Aug.  24,  1848.  His 
parents  were  Gustav  and  Mary  (Brenneman)  Butterweck,  natives  of 
Germany.  Mr.  B.  came  to  this  country  Nov.  1,  1864  ;  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  and  Wiesbaden  College.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Lutheran  Church,  and  politically  a  Republican, 

Andrew  J.  Bijern,  farmer,  sec.  11 ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale.  Mr.  B.  is  a 
native  of  Franklin  county,  O.,  and  is  the  youngest  son  of  Joseph 
and  Sarah  Byers,  and  was  born  Jan.  7,  1828.  He  grew  to  manhood 
in  his  native'  State,  receiving  a  liberal  education.  In  1852  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  ^Nlary  Sands,  daughter  of  Thos.  Sands. 
Two  years  later  Mr,  Byers  settled  in  Hopedale,  where  he  purchased 
town  property  and  built  for  himself  and  family  a  home.  Since  this 
time  Mr.  B.  has  followed  farming.  Five  children  have  blessed  this 
union  —  William  H.,  Hope,  Alvira,  Sarah,  and  Ira. 

August  L.  Capps  was  born  in  Hanover,  Prussia,  Feb.  18,  1850. 
His  parents  are  August  and  Fredricka  (Fricke)  Capps.  He  was 
married  Feb.  22,  1876,  to  Mary  Bever,  who  was  born  Nov.  27, 
1852.  They  have  had  one  son,  Eugene  Ray,  born  Nov.  13,  1876, 
died  April  25,  1877.  Mr.  C.  is  a  miller  by  trade,  and  is  now  run- 
ning the  mill  at  Hopedale.     He  is  a  Democrat  in  politics. 

John  Cheshier  was  born  Sept.  15,  1837,  in  North  Carolina.  His 
parents  were  Solomon  and  Nanney  (Todd)  Cheshier,  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  came  to  this  county  in  1859,  Is  a  farmer,  residing 
upon  sec,  15,  He  belongs  to  the  Methodist  Church,  and  was  mar- 
ried April  9,  1860,  to  Amanda  J,  Terhune,  a  native  of  Indiana, 
where  she  was  born  Dec,  20,  1845,  They  have  two  daughters  — 
Josepine,  born  Feb.  28,  1861,  and  Bertha  May,  born  July  31,  1877. 
Mr.  C.  is  a  Republican  in  politics. 

Fhilandor  E.  Davis,  attorney  and  Justice  of  Peace,  Hopedale, 
was  born  in  Little  Mackinaw,  this  Co.,  Aug.  14,  1830;  is  the  son 
of  James  E.  and  Mary  (Taylor)  Davis.  His  father  was  born  in 
1797,  died  in  1872;  niother'born  in  1793,  died  1871.  He  attended 
the  common  schools  of  the  county  and  then  entered  De  Moines 
College,  Iowa.  During  the  war  he  enlisted  in  Co,  A.,  108th  111. 
Inf.;  was  transferred  to  Co,  K.,  in  which  he  held  rank  as  1st  Lieut. 
Has  been  J.  P,  for  twenty  years,  and  Supervisor  for  eight  years  ;  was 
elected  J,  P,  when  only  24  years  old.  He  was  married  in  June, 
1850,  to  Rosetta  Roberts,  who  was  born  in  1830,  died  in  1862;  was 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  501 

married  again  to  Catherine  Henderson,  who  was  born  in  1840,  and 
came  to  this  Co.  from  Ohio  when  but  seven  years  okl.  By  her  he 
has  two  children  —  Eugene  R.,  born  Nov.,  18BG,  and  John  S,,  A])ril, 
1872.  By  his  first  wit'e  he  has  but  one  child  living,  Evangeline, 
born  1852.    She  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Peitzman,  and  lives  in  Kansas. 

John  L.  Donalson,  farmer,  sec.  30 ;  P.  C,  Hopedale ;  was  born  in 
Kentucky,  April  24,  1828  He  is  the  son  of  James  and  Sarah 
(Klines)  Donalson,  both  natives  of  that  State ;  came  to  this 
county  in  1873;  married  Margaret  Beaver  June  24,  1846.  They 
have  been  blessed  with  fourteen  children,  nine  of  whom  are  living 
—  Elizabeth,  born  Feb.  8,  1846;  Delilia  L.,  Feb.  12,  1848;  James, 
Nov.  8,  1850;  Sarah  A.,  Oct.  8,  1851;  Nancy  I.,  Feb.  12,  1853; 
Christopher  C,  May  6,  1859;  Joseph,  Oct.  9,  1861;  Maria,  Nov. 
12,  1863;  Martha  *R.,  1865;  Jacob,  Nov.  22,  1868;  Mary  E., 
1869;  Minnie,  May  22,  1870;  Isaac  and  Catherine,  twins,  born  in 
1872,  dead;   Sarah,  Mattie  and  Mary  are  also  dead. 

William  M.  Ely,  farmer  and  carpenter,  sec.  24 ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale ; 
was  born  in  Ohio  in  1833.  In  1858  Mr.  Ely  moved  to  this  county, 
and  first  found  employment  as  a  farm  hand.  The  same  year, 
Dec.  30,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Margaret,  daughter  of  J.  T. 
Scates,  the  following  year  Mr.  Ely  moved  to  Indiana,  where  he  re- 
sided at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion.  He  enlisted  in  the  142d 
Indiana  Vol.,  participated  in  many  battles ;  at  the  close  of  the  war 
he  returned  to  Ind.  and  purchased  a  farm.  Eight  years  ago  Mr. 
Ely  sold  his  property  in  Ind.,  and  returned  to  this  Co.  Mr.  Ely 
has  always  taken  a  deeji  interest  in  educational  matters,  and  now 
holds  the  ])osition  of  School  Director.  He  is  the  father  of  seven 
children  —  Emma,  Parthena,  Susannah,  Katie,  John,  Nettie  and 
Harriet. 

Michael  Flynn  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  where  he  was  born  in  Feb. 
1850.  His  father,  Patrick,  and  mother,  Ellen  Cullnan,  were 
natives  of  Ireland  and  are  still  living.  Mr.  F.  came  to  this  county 
Oct.  20,  1866.  He  purchased  his  present  farm  of  Mr.  W.  F.  Hod- 
son.  He  was  married,  April  9,  1874,  to  Julia  Cooney,  a  native  of 
this  county.  She  was  born  Nov.  28,  1853.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren—  Catharine  A.,  born  April  2,  1875;  Thomas  F.,  April  9, 
1877;  Patrick,  born  May  2,  1879.  Mr.  F.  is  a  Catholic;  P.  O., 
Hopedale. 

Henry  31.  Ford.  This  gentleman  is  one  of  the  business  men  of 
Hopedale.  He  W('s  born  in  Madison  Co.,  Ind.,  Aug.  14,  1837. 
He  is  the  son  of  Abraham  M.  (who  was  born  in  Feb.  1801,  and 
died  1861)  and  Rebecca  (Hendrickson)  Ford,  who  was  born  in  Se])t., 
1811  and  is  still  living.  Came  to  Hopedale  ten  years  ago  and  em- 
barked in  business,  and  has  been  quite  successful.  Has  been  engag- 
ed in  the  harness  trade  for  26  years.  Pie  was  educated  in  common 
schools  and  La  Grange  College,  Kentucky.  He  enlisted  in  Co.  F. 
9th  Ky.  Cav.  as  Sergeant.  Was  Cai)t.  Co.  A.  1st  Regt.  of  Eng. 
and   Mechanics.     Was  wounded  by   bushwackers.     Has  served  as 


502  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

J.  P.  for  four  years.  Oct.  6,  18G6,  he  was  married  to  Mary  E. 
Laughery,  who  was  born  ]\lay  30,  1842. 

Arthur  Gibson  Crisp  is  a  native  of  England,  where  he  was  born 
Aug.  29,  1823.  Charles  E.  and  Ann  E.  Crisp,  his  parents,  were 
natives  of  the  same  country.  Arthur  G.  came  to  this  country  in  the 
fall  of  1867.  He  resides  on  sec.  11 ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale.  He  received 
an  academic  education  in  London ;  is  an  active  member  of  the  jNIeth- 
odist  Church;  was  married  in  April,  1875,  to  Mary  E.  Heckard,  a 
native  of  Ohio.  They  have  two  children — Arthur  H.,  born  March 
2,  1876,  and  Frances  Irena,  born  Sept.  6,  1877.  Mr.  C.  is  a  Re- 
publican. 

Adam  Griesemer  is  a  native  of  Germany,  where  he  was  born  Feb. 

14,  1825.  His  parents  were  John  and  Elizabeth  Griesemer.  Adam 
came  to  this  county  in  March,  1869.  He  received  a  common  school 
education.  Mr.  H.  is  a  farmer,  and  resides  on  section  23 ;  P.  O., 
Hopedale.  He  has  a  fine  farm  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 
We  would  refer  the  reader  to  a  portrait  of  Mr.  Griesemer  in  this 
History.  Mr.  G.  was  married  in  October,  1848.  He  is  the  parent 
of  ten  children,  as  follows:   Elizabeth,  born  Aug.  3,  1851,  died  Feb. 

15,  1853;  Adam  C,  born  Aug.  27,  1853;  Mary  Ann,  Jan.  6,  1855; 
Theresa,  May  2,  1857;  Barbara  A.,  Aug.  20,  1859;  Rosa,  Oct.  27, 
1861;  John  W.,  Julv  16,  1864;  Clara  M.,  Mav  13,  1867;  Charles 
M.,  Sept.  18,  1869;' Henry  Simon,  July  20,  1872.  Mr.  G.  is  a 
German  Catholic. 

Charles  L.  Hess  is  a  native  of  Rockingham  county,  A^a.,  where 
he  was  born  Sept.  3,  1851.  His  parents  are  Joseph  and  Anna 
(Roudbush)  Hess.  Charles  L.  received  a  common  school  education 
in  his  native  State,  and  he  came  to  this  county  in  Feb.,  1875;  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Church.  P.  O.,  Hopedale.  In  politics  a 
Democrat. 

Joseph  P,  Hess  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  being  born  in  that  State 
April  3,  1854.  He  is  a  son  of  Joseph  Hess  and  Anna  (Roudbush) 
Hess.  Joseph  P.  received  a  common  school  education.  He  came 
to  this  county  in  Feb.,  1875;  by  occupation  a  farmer  on  section  32. 
P.  O.,  Hopedale.  Is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church ;  was 
married  in  Auir.,  1875,  to  Ella  Dick.  Thev  have  had  one  child,  a 
daughter,  who  died  in  infancy.     Politically,  Mr.  H.  is  a  Democrat. 

3Iilton  H  Hodson  (deceased).  Among  those  born  and  raised  in 
Tazewell  Co.  is  Mr.  H.,  who  is  worthy  of  special  notice  in  this  volume. 
He  was  born  in  Hopedale  township  in  1831.  His  father,  Reuben 
H.,  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  but  of  whom  but  little  can  now 
be  learned.  He,  many  years  after  his  marriage,  moved  to  the  West, 
settling  on  the  banks  of  the  Mackinaw  in  this  county.  Here 
he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  We  now  follow  the  fortunes  of 
Milton  Hodson.  Reared  among  pioneer  associations  he  grew  to 
vigorous  manhood,  and  received  a  liberal  education  for  the  times  in 
which  he  lived.  In  1851  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Margaret  E. 
McDowell,  a  daughter  of  James  McDowell,  an  honored  citizen  and 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  503 

early  pioneer  of  this  county.  After  the  usual  hardships  in  settling 
a  new  country,  Mr.  H.  acquired  a  nice  farm  property.  After  an 
active  life,  and  having;  the  respect  and  confidence  of  all  who  knew 
him,  he  passed  peacefully  away,  in  1876,  leaving  to  the  care  of  his 
wife  two  children  —  Cyrus  K.  and  James  M. 

Reuben  Hodson,  farmer,  sec.  15;  P.  O.,  Hopedale.  Mr.  H.  was 
born  in  this  county,  in  May,  1844,  on  the  old  homestead  of  his 
parents,  William  and  Caroline  Hodson.  When  our  country  called 
for  tro()])s,  Mr,  Reuben  Hodson  went  to  her  defense,  and  enlisted  in 
Co.  A,  72d  reg.,  111.  vol.,  for  three  months;  he  re-enlisted  in  the 
Artillery  service.  Mr.  H.  participated  in  many  important  battles, 
among  which  we  mention  Snake  creek  gap,  Lays  Ferry,  Roanoake, 
Dallas,  Old  Church,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Siege  of  Atlanta,  Jones- 
boro.  Fort  McAllister,  Savannah,  Columbia,  Mill  creek.  He  re- 
turned to  Tazewell  county,  where  he  was  united  in  marriage  in 
March,  1875,  to  Miss  Alice  Stout,  a  daughter  of  Seneca  Stout.  Of 
this  marriage  two  children  have  been  born,  Jessie  R.  and  Roy. 

Wiliuua  R.  Hodson,  farmer,  sec.  23  ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale.  The  Hod- 
san  family  are  among  the  first  to  settle  in  this  county  ;  the  father  of 
him  whose  name  heads  this  sketch  was  a  native  of  Virginia.  He 
was  the  father  of  eight  children  ;  Reuben  Hodson  emigrated  from 
Ohio  to  this  county  in  1828,  and  settled  in  what  is  now  Dillon 
township;  here  he  built  him  a  log  cabin,  William  R,,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  received  a  common  school  education.  He  well  re- 
members the  big  snow  of  1830  and  1831,  and  the  sudden  change  of 
1836.  He  has  passed  through  all  the  trials  incident  to  the  subjuga- 
tion of  a  new^  country.  In  1836,  INIr,  H.  was  married  to  a  daughter 
of  Rev.  J.  E.  Davis,  by  wdiom  he  has  had  three  children  —  Mary, 
Reuben,  and  William  F.  Mrs,  H,  died  in  1859.  His  present  wife 
is  Emily  J.  Sparrow,  a  daughter  of  Elias  Sparrow,  was  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1826. 

George  W.  Hook  was  born  in  Highland  county,  O,,  Oct.  19,  1837. 
His  parents  were  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  Hook ;  they  were  of 
German  descent.  ]Mr.  H.  came  to  this  county  in  1865;  he  received 
a  common  school  education ;  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  he 
enlisted,  Feb.  27,  1862,  in  Co.  D,  11th  Ohio  Cavalry;  mustered  out 
April  4,  1865;  was  married  in  Feb,  1856,  to  Catharine  Mankee. 
They  have  eight  children,  born  as  follows :  Charles  V.,  July  7, 
1858;  Mary  L.,  June  26,  1862;  Anna  L,,  Jan,  11,  1866;  John 
William,  Feb,  13,  1867;  Rebecca  J,,  April  2,  1869;  Ellis  J.,  Dec. 
5,  1870;  Ida  M.,  March  21,  1872;  Cora  E.,  July  24,  1876.  Is  a 
Democrat.     P.  O.,  Hopedale. 

Nathan  Hudson  was  born  in  Mason  county,  Ky.,  Aug.  27,  1842. 
His  parents  were  George  W,  Hudson  and  Sarah  A,  Fisher,  his  Avife. 
Mr.  H.  came  to  this  county  in  1871 ;  commenced  as  a  laborer,  but 
now  has  an  interest  with  E,  S,  Hobert  and  A.  B.  McClure,  in  the 
drain-tile  manufacturing  business.  Mr.  H.  was  married  in  April, 
1872,  to   Cynthia  Ann  Tool.  ,  They  are  the  parents  of  Mary  E., 


504  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

born  May  6,  1877,  and  an  inflmt  son,  born  April   27,  1879.     Mrs. 
H.  is  a  Methodist,  and  Mr.  H.  is  a  Presbyterian. 

Peter  I)idg,  farmer,  sec.  25 ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale ;  was  born  in  Ger- 
many in  1855,  in  1859  his  parents,  Jacob  and  Anna  Imig,  emigrated 
to  America,  settling  in  McLean  Co.,  this  State,  remaining  there  two 
years,  then  moved  to  Hopedale  township,  this  county,  where  the 
head  of  the  family  passed  away  June  25,  1872.  The  survivors  of 
this  family  are  Mrs.  Imig,  Henry,  Peter  and  Anna.  The  home 
farm  is  one  among  the  best  in  the  township. 

William  F.  Ireland,  hardware  dealer.  Mr.  I.  was  brought  to  the 
county  in  1856,  when  but  two  years  old,  and  embarked  in  the  drain- 
tile  business  here  in  April,  1875,  and  Nov.  3,  1878,  opened  up  in 
his  present  location  in  Hopedale,  in  the  hardware  business.  He  was 
born  in  Warren  county,  O.,  July  11,  1854,  and  is  the  son  of  Francis 
and  liuth  (Coddington)  Ireland,  of  that  State.  He  was  wedded  to 
Cora  Black,  Dec.  29,  1878.  Miss  Black  was  born  in  Ohio,  in  April, 
1859.  Mr.  I.  has  served  the  town  as  Trustee,  and  is  a  man  well 
esteemed  by  the  community. 

William  H.  Jackson,  farmer  and  stock  raiser.  Joseph  Jackson, 
the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of  Maryland  ;  but  little  of 
his  early  life  is  known.  He  united  his  fortunes  with  Miss  Jane  R. 
Devillbis,  by  whom  he  raised  a  family  of  ten  children,  all  of  whom 
are  living  but  one.  Some  23  years  ago  he  concluded  to  cast  his  lot 
among  the  people  of  the  West,  and  accordingly  made  his  way  to 
Logan  county,  this  State ;  after  a  short  residence  in  Lincoln  he 
purchased  a  farm  on  which  he  still  resides,  and  is  one  of  the  best 
improved  farms  in  that  county.  William  H,,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  received  a  good  common  school  education,  attending  school 
during  the  winter  season  mostly;  was  united  in  marriage  in  1873, 
to  Mrs.  Lucretia  Ileaugh.  She  was  the  widow  of  William  Reaugh, 
whom  she  married  in  California ;  they  moved  to  this  county  where 
Mr.  Keaugh  died;  of  this  marriage  two  children  were  born  —  Lillie 
M.  and  William  H,  Mrs.  Jackson  is  a  daughter  of  James  Babbitt, 
of  Scott  Co.  She  has  three  children  of  this  marriage  —  Joseph, 
Henry  C,  Harriet  E. 

Mr?.  Kitty  Ann.  3IcDoicell,  widow  of  the  Rev.  James  McDowell 
(deceased).  Mr.  McDowell  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina;  and  a 
graduate  of  Princeton  Presbyterian  College,  where  he  received  his 
degree  with  full  honor.  He  studied  for  the  ministry,  and  was  or- 
dained as  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  minister;  moving  to  this 
county,  he  became  both  a  successful  farmer  and  a  zealous  effectual 
minister  of  the  Gospel.  Mr.  McD.  was  licensed  as  a  minister  in 
1825,  and  immediately  started  on  what  was  called  the  Green  River 
Circuit.  From  that  period  to  April,  1830,  his  time  was  mostly 
spent  in  riding  the  Circuit  and  preaching.  From  his  journal,  kept 
during  this  time,  we  find  him  a  laborious  worker,  and  a  succesful 
minister  of  Christ.  The  first  six  months  labor,  from  October,  1825, 
to  Api'il,  1826,  he  says:  "Since  last  Presbytery,  47  made  profession 


HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  505 

of  religion,  and  12  joined  the  Church.  I  have  received  $9.25  in 
cash,  three  pairs  of  socks,  one  pair  pants,  and  two  cravats ;  my 
expenses  were  $5.75."  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  his  pay  in  money 
was  $3.50.  Again  he  says,  ^' from  April  20,  to  Nov.  12,  I  rode 
1738  miles,  preached  161  times,  54  professed  religion.  I  received 
by  way  of  remuneration,  $27.25 ;  my  expenses  were  $3.62."  Mr. 
McDowell  organized  the  first  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  on 
Little  Mackinaw.  He  died  on  the  29th  day  of  Oct.,  1846.  Three 
children  blessed  his  marriage  with  the  lady  whose  name  is  at  the 
the  head  of  this  sketch ;  they  were  Margaret,  Lucy,  and  Joseph  W. 
Mrs.  McDowell  is  a  native  of  Kentucky.  She  was  born  in  Breck- 
enridge  Co.,  in  1814,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Edward  and  Lucy 
Rawlings,  who  were  natives  of  Kentucky.  Mrs.  McDowell  was 
married  when  but  16  years  old,  and  the  next  day  after  her  marriage 
accompanied  her  husband  to  this  county,  where  he  had  previously 
visited  and  built  a  log  cabin.  This  cabin  was  of  the  usual  style  of 
that  day,  and  still  stands  on  the  old  homestead.  We  give  a  portrait 
of  Mrs.  McDowell,  and  would  gladly  give  one  of  her  husband,  but 
unfortunately,  he  never  had  a  picture  of  any  kind  taken  of  himself 
Mrs.  McDowell  was  married  Sept.  12,  1830.  She  has  in  her  pos- 
session some  very  interesting  relics.  She  has  a  family  Bible  that 
has  been  handed  down  from  one  generation  to  another,  for  150 
years.  She  also  has  considerable  Continental  money,  of  the  denomi- 
nation of  $20,  which  is  a  real  curiosity  to  the  people  of  this 
generation. 

Elkha  F.  McMuUen,  farmer,  sec.  5,  P.  O.,  Tremont,  is  the  son  of 
Hugh  and  Nancy  (Frazee)  McMuUcn,  of  Maryland,  where,  in  Alle- 
gany Co.,  he  was  born  March  8,  1821.  He  came  to  this  Co.  on  the 
4th  day  of  the  same  month  twenty  years  thereafter.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Mary  E.  Bennett  Sept.  23,  1855.  He  has  held 
local  official  positions.     He  is  a  Republican  in  politics. 

Patrick  MorriHey,  farmer,  sec.  16 ;  P.  O.,  Hoi)cdale.  Mr.  Morri- 
sey  is  a  native  of  the  county  of  Waterford,  Ireland,  where  he  was 
born  about  1837.  His  father,  Patrick  INIorrisey,  who  was  a  farmer 
in  Ireland,  married  Mary  Coffey,  by  whom  he  had  nine  children. 
Patrick,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  the  second  child.  He 
passed  his  boyhood  days  in  his  native  country,  and  at  the  age  of  26 
crossed  the  ocean  to  cast  his  fortunes  in  a  new  country.  He  made 
his  way  West  and  found  himself  at  Tremont,  this  county,  where  he 
found  employment  as  a  farm  hand.  He  was  married  to  Johannah 
Whalen  ;  there  were  born  of  this  marriage  seven  children  all  of 
whom  are  living,  and  whose  names  are  —  Mary,  Michael,  Joseph, 
Patrick,  Morris,  Martin,  and  John.  Mr.  M.  first  purchased  land  10 
years  ago,  consisting  of  six  acres,  but  now  owns  163  acres,  which  is 
due  to  his  indomitable  will  and  energy. 

Jasper  Mount  was  born  in  this  county  in  1846,  and  is  the  oldest 
son  of  Matthias  Mount,  Esq.,  so  well  and  favorably  known  in  this 
county.     Jasper  attended  the  common  schools  of  this  county,  and 


506  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

completed  his  education  at  Notre  Dame,  Indiana,  receiving  his 
degree  in  1866;  after  which  he  returned  to  his  home  and  labored  for 
his  father  until  1<S67,  at  which  time  he  was  joined  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Angeline  Waldon,  who  was  born  in  Elm  Grove  township,  in 
1846.  Mrs.  Mount  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  this  county.  After 
his  marriage  Mr.  Mount  was  engaged  as  book  keeper  and  foreman 
in  Orendorffs  woolen  mills.  He  afterwards  settled  on  section  22, 
where  he  has  been  successfully  engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising. 
Mr.  M.  has  held  several  local  offices  of  his  township.  He  is  Col- 
lector of  Hopedale  at  present.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  Mount  to 
Miss  Waldon,  was  blessed  with  six  children,  five  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing—  Abagail,  born  July  8,  1869;  Katie  E.,  born  Oct.  9,  1870, 
died  Nov.  11,  1870;  Robert  Lee,  born  Oct.  14,  1871:  Lucy  A., 
born  in  1874;  Ida  B.,  born  March  17,  1876;  Margaret,  born  Nov. 
21,  1878. 

James  R.  Ogden,  farmer,  sec.  21  ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale.  Mr.  O. 
ranks  among  the  older  residents  of  the  county.  He  was  born  in 
Hopedale  township  in  1831.  His  father,  Elias  Ogden,  is  well  re- 
membered by  the  citizens  of  this  vicinity.  He  came  to  this  Co.  in 
1831  coming  from  Ky.  He  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  where  he 
was  born  in  the  year  1791.  He  filled  many  of  the  offices  of  this 
township.  He  died  while  on  a  visit  to  his  old  friends  in  Ky.  At 
the  time  of  his  decease,  there  were  then  living  Mrs.  Ogden  and 
eleven  children,  whose  names  were  —  Lueinda,  Nancy,  Mary,  An- 
drew J.,  J.  R.,  Martha  A.,  Lupena,  (?)  Henry  L.,  George  P.,  Luti- 
tia  E.,  and  Ira  B.  James  R.  Ogden,  from  whom  this  sketch  is 
obtained,  entered  Uncle  Sam's  service  in  1865,  in  Co.  D.,  152d 
Illinois  Vol.  Was  sergeant;  was  honorably  discharged  Sept.  18, 
1865,  at  Memphis,  Tenn.  He  returned  to  Tazewell  Co.  where  he 
now  resides;  in  1852  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Caroline  L. 
Beal,  a  daughter  of  Moses  Beal  of  Washington,  this  Co.  Five 
children  have  blessed  this  union,  four  of  whom  are  now  living, 
they  were  —  William  L.,  Charlie  E.,  Victor  F.,  Henry,  (deceased), 
and  Anna.  Mr.  Ogden  has  held  the  position  of  Town  Clerk  for 
some  20  years  and  most  all  the  local  offices  besides.  He  is  the 
the  owner  of  120  acres  of  valuable  land. 

Willkua  Fhillipfi,  of  the  firm  of  Phillips  Bros.,  owners  of  saw- 
mill ;  residence,  sec.  3 ;  P.  O.,  Mackinaw.  He  is  the  son  of  Andrew 
B.  and  Lydia  (Runey)  Phillips,  and  was  born  in  1839.  He  received 
a  common  school  education,  in  Livingston  Co.,  111.  He  enlisted  in 
Co.  E,  129th  111.  Inf.,  and  fought  for  the  stars  and  stripes.  In 
1867,  March  28,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Martha  J.  Fisher. 
Their  children  number  five  —  Mary  L.,  Cyrus  D.,  Walter  A.,  Ord 
E.  and  Lydia  M. 

Samuel  Frobasco  was  born  in  Virginia,  March  9,  1825.  His 
parents,  Francis  T.  and  Margaret  (Higgins)  Probasco,  were  natives 
of  the  same  State.  Mr.  P.  received  a  common  school  education  and 
came  to  this  county  in  October,  1840;  settling  three  miles  east  of 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  507 

Pekin,  in  what  is  known  as  the  Hodson  settlement.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  married  in  1849,  to  Eunice  Bennett,  a  daughter  of 
Michael  Bennett,  one  of  the  first  settlors.  He  died  of  the  cholera 
during  the  epidemic  of  1833,  They  are  the  parents  of  the  following 
children  —  Francis,  born  March  7,  1850,  he  now  lives  in  Colorado; 
James  H.,  Dec.  15,  1851 ;  Emily  J.,  Nov.  4,  1854,  she  is  the  wife 
John  Trimble;  Charles  W.,  May  12,  1857,  died  Sept.  23,  1858. 
Mr.  P.  belongs  to  the  Christian  Churcli. 

Tho8.  H.  Orendorff,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  came  here  with  his  par- 
ents at  the  age  of  thirteen,  in  1827,  almost  before  the  magic  hand  of 
civilization  had  waved  its  scepter  over  the  native  wildness  of  the  Prai- 
rie State.  More  than  half  a  century  has  rolled  its  ponderous  wheels 
through  the  trackless  starless  course  of  time  since  Thos.  Orendorff 
set  his  foot  on  the  unplowed  soil  of  Tazewell  Co.  Even  at  that  early 
age  his  keen  foresight  and  shrewdness  led  him  to  see  that  this  sec- 
tion must  take  rank  among  the  best  localities  of  the  Northwest. 
He  received  his  education  by  private  tuition  before  the  advent  of 
our  free  school  system.  AMien  about  the  age  of  23,  while  engaged 
in  farming  in  Schuyler  Co.,  111.,  he  met  and  loved  Miss  Letitia  C. 
Mitchell,  whom  he  married  and  brought  to  Hopedale  on  his  return, 
about  1843.  From  this  union  four  children  were  born,  only  one  of 
whom,  G.  P.  Orcndortf,  now  sitting  in  the  General  Assembly  of  Illi- 
nois, is  living.  Mr.  O.  did  much  to  advance  the  interests  of  this 
county,  and  a  few  years  before  his  death,  which  was  in  Dec,  1878, 
he  laid  out  the  village  of  Hopedale,  and  by  his  influence  established 
a  post-office  there.  Nov.,  1863,  occurred  the  death  of  his  wife,  and 
during  the  year  18(36  he  was  married  to  Miss  S.  Maggin,  of  Bloom- 
ing Grove,  McLean  county,  who  still  survives  him  and  lives  in 
Hopedale. 

Greene  P.  Orendorf,  a  large  land-o^vner  and  extensive  farmer  in 
Hopedale  township,  is  the  only  surviving  son  of  Thomas  H.  and 
Letitia  Orendorff,  who  were  among  the  first  to  settle  in  Tazewell 
county,  and  who  will  be  remembered  by  the  early  settler  as  being 
closely  identified  with  many  of  the  leading  movements  which  oper- 
ated to  advance  the  best  interests  of  the  county.  Greene  P.  Oren- 
dorff was  born  in  Hopedale  in  1844,  and  after  attending  the  schools 
of  his  native  place  he  passed  through  Wesleyan  University,  Bloom- 
ington.  111.,  afterwards  taking  a  commercial  course  at  Bryant  & 
Stratton's  Business  College,  Chicago.  In  politics  he  acts  with  the 
Democratic  party,  and  has  held  a  number  of  important  local  offices, 
and  at  the  present  time  occupies  a  seat  in  the  present  Legislature, 
having  been  chosen  by  the  voters  of  his  district  as  a  man  eminently 
fitted  to  discharge  the  duties  of  that  office,  and  his  record  gives  evi- 
dence of  the  fact  that  he  will  not  only,  with  ability,  represent  his 
own  party  and  his  own  section,  but  will  be  found  ready  to  cast  his 
vote  and  use  his  influence  for  the  enactment  of  any  law  benefiting 
the  whole  State.  A  full-page  portrait  of  Mr.  Orendorff  will  be 
found  in  our  book. 
31 


508  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

John  K  Roach  is  a  native  of  Wilson   Co.,  Tcnn.,  where  he  was 
born  July  20,  1843;  his  parents  were  John  N.  and  Elmira  Roach. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  this  county  in  1867.     Mr.  Roach 
is  engaged  in  the  drug  trade  in  Hopedale,  where  he  commenced 
business  in  November,  1877 ;  he  was  with  G.  P.  Orendorif  for  seven 
years.     Mr.  Roach  was  sergeant  in  Co.  A,  117th   rcgt.,  for  three 
years ;  among  the   battles  he  participated  in  were  Vicksburg,  Fort 
Deruse,  Compte,  Cross  Roads,  Yellow  Boil,  Pleasant  Hill,  Tupelo, 
Old  Town  Creek,  Nashville,  Spanish  Fort,  and  Fort  Blakely,  and 
thirty-three  skirmishes.     Mr.  R.  was  married   in  October,  1875,  to 
Emma  Waldon,  who  was  born   1851,  in  this  county.     They  have, 
one  girl,  Deda  May,  born  Oct.  26,  1878.     Mr.  R.  is  a  Methodist, 
and  Mrs.  R.  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian.     Mr.  R.  is  a  Republican. 
William  A.  RoeJffson,  former,  sec.  16  ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale.     Perhaps 
none  of  the  more   substantial   agriculturalist  of  this  township  are 
better  or  more  favorably  known  than  William  A.  Roelffson.     He 
was  born  in  White  Co.,  this  State,  in  1821.     He  had  attained  his 
thirteenth  year  when   his  parents,  Lawrence   and   Mary  RoelflFson, 
located   in  Groveland  township,  this  county.     Mr.  R.  received  his 
education  in  the  old  log  school-houses  that  existed  in  his  boyhood 
days.     In  1843  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eliza  A.  Mc- 
Curdy,  a  daughter  of  Michael  and  Ann  McCurdy,  natives  of  Penn- 
sylvaiiia.     During  the   pioneer   days  of  Mr.   R.,  before   and   after 
marriage,  he  roughed  it,  so  to  speak,  in  common  with  his  neighbors. 
Mr.   R.  was  the   owner  of  a  saw-mill  at  Groveland;  in   1850  he 
moved  to  DeWitt  county,  where  he  erected  a  saw-mill  near  Long 
Point,  and  for  sixteen  years  conducted  a  successful  business.     In 
1860,  having  returned  from  DeWitt  Co.,  he  purchased  a  saw-mill 
from  Taylor  Wright,  in   this   township;  he   supplied  the   Illinois 
Central  Railroad  with  ties   and  bridge  timbers.     Mr.  R.  has  from 
time  to  time,  held  several  local  offices.     He  has  a  form  of  210  acres 
of  valuable  land.     Of  the  marriage  above  referred  to,  eleven  child- 
ren were  born,  eight  of  whom  are  living.     Augustus,  who   married 
Miss  Sarah  Myers ;  AVilliam  J.,  who  married  Miss  Rose  Walters ; 
Rose,   who  married  Robert  P.  Tate;  Henrietta  I.,   who   married 
Elias  A,  Wood ;  Anna  M.,  who  married  Mathias  T.  Wood ;  E.  P., 
who  married  Eliza  Copps ;  Robert  D.  and  Lawrence  D. 

Israel  Sands,  former,  P.  O.,  Hopedsle ;  was  born  in  Jefferson  Co., 
Ohio,  July  27,  1831.  His  parents  were  Thomas  Sands,  who  was 
born  July  3,  1802,  died  Dec.  26,  1871,  and  Jane  Sprunce,  who  was 
born  in  Jan.,  1811.  She  is  still  living.  Mr.  Sands  came  to  this 
county  in  the  spring  of  1855.  He  served  during  the  war  in  the  108th 
Regiment.  Mr.  Sands  was  married  to  Hope  V.  Gilmore  March  3, 
1850.  She  died  Nov.  2,  1860.  She  was  the  mother  of  six  children, 
born  as  follows:  Frank,  Jan.  25,  1852;  Townsend  N.,  Oct.  15, 
1854;  Ida  E.,  Dec.  5,  1856;  Mary  J.,  May  20,  1858;  and  Marcus 
and  Martha,  twins,  June  25,  1860;  Marcus  died  Dec.  11,1860. 
Mr.  Sands  was     nited  in  marriage  to  Lucy  Bowser  Sept.  27,  1865. 


x:y, 


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u 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  511 

She  died  Dec.  27,  1867.  He  Avas  again  married  Feb.  25,  1874,  to 
Sarali  Stewart ;  is  a  Methodist  and  a  Rebnblican. 

W'dUaiii  H.  Schulte,  of  the  firm  of  Schnlte  &  Co.,  genei'al  mer- 
chants, Hopedale.  Mr.  S.  commenced  business  here  Feb.  12,  1876. 
He  was  born  in  Germany  Dec.  16,  1850.  AVilliani  and  Sophie 
(Stockmann)  Schnlte  are  his  parents,  and  both  of  whom  living.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  married  Nov.  1,  1876,  to  Sarah  Davin, 
Avho  was  born  May  1,  1857;  she  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church;  they  have  one  child  —  Mabel,  born  Sept.  1,  1878. 

Addison  Myrtle  Smith,  farmer,  sec.  2 ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale ;  was  born 
May  13,  1835,  in  this  county.  His  parents  were  John  Addison 
and  Cyntha  S.  (Floyd)  Smith.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church;  was  married  Dec.  31,  1857,  to  Julia  E.  Stinnett,  a  native 
of  this  township.  They  have  three  sons  —  AVilliam  A.,  born  Dec. 
2,  1858;  Henrv  Olive,  born  Aug.  20,  1861;  Clarence  Albert,  born 
March  15,  1864. 

Henry  31.  Smith  was  born  on  the  place  where  he  now  lives,  sec.  11, 
March  27,  1837.  His  parents  were  John  A.  and  Cyntha  S.  (Floyd) 
Smith.  Henry  M.  attended  school  in  the  old  Floyd  school-house. 
The  windows  in  those  days  were  greased  paper,  fastened  over  holes 
in  the  old  log  building.  Mr.  S.  was  married  Oct.  16,  1856,  to 
Mary  E.  Hodson,  a  daughter  of  Wm.  R.  Hodson.  She  was  born 
March  12,  1840.  They  are  the  parents  of  El  via  C,  born  ]\Iay  8, 
1858,  died  April  11,  1860;  Thomas  E.,  born  Jan.  6,  1860,  died 
March  22,  1860;  C.  Ella,  born  May  8,  1861 ;  F.  Elmer,  born  Sept. 
15,  1864;  Eveline,  born  Aug.  23,  1869;  Carrie  E.,  born  July  18, 
1875.     Mr.  S.  is  a  Methodist;  P.  O.,  Hopedale. 

NtUlianiel  F.  Smith  is  a  native  of  Kentucky,  having  been  born  in 
that  State  Sept.  2,  1833.  His  parents  were  John  A.  and  Cynthia 
S.  (Floyd)  Smith,  natives  of  Va.  Mr.  Smith  came  to  this  county 
43  years  ago.  Has  held  several  local  offices;  was  married,  in  1855, 
to  Margaret  A.  Kilby.  They  have  five  cliildren,  born  as  follows  — 
Charlie  A.,  July  20,  1856;  Liona  and  Livona  (twins),  April  11, 
1859;  Miriam,  Jan.  4,  1866;  Maggie,  April  4,  1869.  Livona  mar- 
ried T.  N.  Sands.     Mr.  Smith's  P.  O.  is  Hopedale. 

Robert  S.  Smith,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  25 ;  P.  O.,  Hope- 
dale;  was  born  in  1829;  is  the  youngest  son  of  John  Smith,  a 
native  of  Virginia,  who,  in  an  early  day,  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Swift.  Mr.  John  Smith  moved  to  Kentucky  in  an  early  day,  where 
Robert  S.  was  born.  When  Robert  was  but  five  years  old  his 
parents  moved  to  this  county,  locating  in  Tremont.  Among  pioneer 
associations  Robert  passed  his  boyhood  days,  and  grew  to  manhood ; 
during  the  winters  he  would  attend  the  subscription  schools ;  in 
1850  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  C.  Bryan,  daughter 
of  W.  and  Lucinda  Bryan.  Of  this  marriage  six  children  were 
born,  three  of  whom  are  living,  whose  names  are  —  George  J.,  John 
A.,  and  William  H,  Mr,  S.  made  his  first  purchase  of  land  in 
1850. 


512  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 

George  0.  Wafihhurn,  farmer,  sec.  11 ;  P.  O.,  Hopedale;  was  born 
in  Rush  Co.,  Indiana,  Nov,  7,  1841.  His  parents,  George  and  Ella 
(Potter)  Washburn,  were  natives  of  Ohio.  They  are  both  deceased. 
Mr.  W.  came  to  this  county  in  1861 ;  was  married  in  Jan.,  1868,  to 
Susanna  Beaver.  She  is  a  native  of  this  county.  Thev  are  the 
parents  of  five  children  —  Minerva,  born  July  2,  1869;  Laura,  born 
Jan.  28,  1871;  Nellie,  born  Oct.  10,  1873; 'Charlie  E.,  born  Nov. 
3,  1875,  and  an  infant. 

*S'.  M.  WilUarivi,  farmer;  was  born  in  this  county  Feb.  14,  1844. 
His  father,  Shadrach  Williams,  who  is  well  remembered  by  the 
pioneers  of  this  county,  was  a  native  of  Tenn.  He  died  at  an  ad- 
vanced age  in  Hopedale  township.  His  wife  was  Jane  Paisely,  who 
was  also  a  native  of  Tenn.  Of  this  marriage  three  children  were 
born.  Shadrach  W.  was  married  three  times  during  his  long  and 
eventful  life.  S.  M,  AVilliams  received  a  common  school  education, 
and  was  married  in  1864,  to  Miss  Rilla  Shipman.  They  have  one 
daughter  —  Sarah  J. 

The  following  gentleman  have  served  the  township  in  the  various 

official  capacities  named : 

SUPERVISORS. 

Charles  Holder 1850-52  Adolphus  Russell 1867 

Edward  Bird 1854  James  R.  Campbell 1868 

Thomas  Orendorflf 1855  P.  E.  Davis 1869-70 

Jesse  Fisher 1856  Michael  E.  Pomfret 1871 

Eleazar  Hodson 1857-60  P.E.Davis 1872 

P.  C.  Davis 1861  G.  P.  Orendorff 1873-75 

Thomas  Orendorff 1863  P.E.Davis 1876 

D.  W.  Brhton 1864  G.  P.  Orendorff 1877-78 

Levi  Orendorff 1865  E.  J.  Orendorff. 1879 

Wm.  E.  Pomfret 1866 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

Richard  H.  Holden 1850  T.H.Smith. 1864 

James  H.Flovd 1854  David  Boucher. 1865 

John  Bennett 1855  J.  R.  O^den 1866 

James  R.  Ogden 1856-61  W.  H.  Briggs 1867 

David  Boucher 1863  J.  R.  Ogden 1868-79 

ASSESSORS. 

Wm.  H.  Briggs 1850  I.  Orendorff. 1865 

William  :Milner 1854  Aaron  0.  Davis 1866 

William  M.  Briggs 1855  M.D.Davis 1867 

Lorenzo  James 1856  Wm.  H.  Roof 1868 

John  Whitaker 1857  N.F.Smith 1869 

Jesse  Fisher 1858-60  Jasper  Mount 1870 

John  Brown 1861  A.  J.  Kinsey 1871-75 

Wm.  H.  Briggs 1863  Jesse  Fisher,  Jr 1876 

B.J.Burke 1864  T.A.Smith 1877-79 

COLLECTORS. 

William  Milner 1850  J.  R.  Campbell 1865-66 

Lorenzo  James 1854  H.M.Davis 1867 

Alfred  M.  Davis 1855  George  Hines 1868 

D.  AV.  Orendorff. 1856-57  E.  Barnum 1869 

P.  N.  Hill  1858  M.  E.  Pomfret 1870 

Thomas  H.  Orendorff. 1859  Jasper  Mount 1871-73 

B.J.  Burke 1860-61  A.D.Russell 1874 

D.  AV.  Britton 1863  Jasper  Mount 1875-79 

J.  A.  Davis 1864 


HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  513 

LITTLE  MACKINAW  TOWNSHIP. 

In  point  of  agriculture,  of  the  class  and  kind  of  improvements, 
and  of  the  wealth  and  high  standing  of  her  people.  Little  Mackinaw 
is  second  to  no  township  in  Tazewell  county.  It  is  mostly  prairie 
land,  undulating,  and  well  drained  by  the  Little  Mackinaw,  Whitten 
branch  and  Sugar  creeks.  The  Kansas  City  branch  of  the  C,  A. 
&  St.  L.  Railroad  passes  through  it  on  a  direct  east  and  west  line. 
The  village  of  Minier  is  located  on  sec.  22,  on  the  line  of  this  road, 
and  also  on  the  Illinois  Midland  Railroad.  This  town  was  laid  out 
in  1867,  Oct.  18th,  by  Geo.  W.  Minier,  Chas.  E.  Boyer,  and  others. 
It  is  now  a  thriving  place,  and  considerable  business  is  done  here. 
We  speak  more  fully  of  the  business  men  further  on  in  this  article. 
The  township  is  inhabited  by  a  cultured,  refined  and  a  religious 
people.  Good  churches,  neat  school-houses,  and  the  fine  commodi- 
ous residences  on  every  hand,  are  unmistakable  evidences  of  the 
verity  of  this  statement. 

Minier  is  a  very  extensive  grain  maiket.  There  are  five  elevators 
now  in  the  village,  the  oldest  of  which  is  now  owned  by  Williams 
&  Quigg,  and  is  located  on  the  C,  A.  &  St.  L.  R.R.  It -.was  built 
by  Samuel  Smith,  in  1865.  It  has  a  capacity  of  7,000  bushels.  The 
next  elevator  erected  was  by  Wm.  E.  Verry,  in  1874.  It  also  has 
a  capacity  of  7,000  bushels,  and  located  on  the  same  road.  The 
next  one,  in  point  of  the  date  of  erection,  is  located  on  the  I.  M. 
R.R.,  and  was  built  by  Williams,  Railsback  &  Co.  In  1877,  Line- 
baiger  &  Johnson  put  up  an  elevator,  with  a  capacity  of  4,000 
bushels,  on  the  C,  A.  &  St.  L.  road.  During  the  present  year, 
(1879)  R.  P.  &  J.  Lower  put  up  one  on  the  I.  M.  R.R.,  with  a 
capacity  of  3,000  bushels. 

The  township  was  settled  at  a  very  early  date,  by  Samuel  and 
John  Stout.  It  was  at  the  house  of  the  former  that  the  incident 
related  in  the  first  chapter,  in  regard  to  the  first  marriage  license 
being  issued  by  Mordccai  Mobley,  occurred.  Soon  came  Railsback, 
Buchanan,  Hevenhill  and  *ere  long  quite  a  settlement  was  made  at 
Stout's  Grove.  The  first  birth  was  that  of  a  child  of  Joseph  Stout 
—  name  and  date  unknown.  The  first  death  was  that  of  an  orphan 
child,  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Stout.  The  first  school  was  taught 
by  Thos.  F.  Railsback,  on  section  5.  The  first  sermon  was  preached 
at  Mr.  Railsback's  house  by  Elder  Ottman,  a  Christian  minister,  in 
1831. 


5l4  HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Little  Machinaw  Christian  Church  was  organized  in  1833,  in  a 
log  building,  and  was  among  the  first  congregation  of  this  people 
organized  north  of  the  Sangamon  river.  The  members  at  the  time 
were  Thomas  F.  Railsback,  Louisa,  his  wife,  A.  B.  Davis,  Catherine 
Allensworth,  Benjamin  Herndon,  and  Nancy,  his  wife,  Elijah  Howell, 
and  Maria,  his  wife.  Elder  James  Lindsey  was  the  first  minister. 
The  church  edifice  is  about  36  by  40  feet,  and  cost  $2,100.  The 
first  discourse  in  this  structure  was  preached  by  Elder  Minier,  in 
September,  1863,  the  year  tlie  building  was  erected.  It  is  located 
near  the  residence  of  G.  W.  Minier.  Connected  with  the  building 
and  grounds  is  a  beautiful  cemetery,  perhaps  the  finest  necropolis 
in  the  county.  The  present  pastor  of  the  church  is  Elder  R.  D. 
Cotton.  The  Sunday-school  is  superintended  by  Richard  Chapman, 
and  has  an  average  attendance  of  75.  The  Little  Mackinaw  Church 
is  the  parent  of  four  other  Christian  Churches,  viz :  The  Christian 
Church  of  Minier,  and  those  at  Mackinaw,  Concord  and  Lilly. 

Minier  Christian  Church. — This  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1874. 
It  is  a  frame  building,  and  is  located  on  South  Railroad  street. 
The  original  members  of  the  congregation  were  W.  P.  Williams,  J. 
E.  Railsback,  J.  F.  Quigg,  J.  M.  Edmiston,  and  others.  The  first 
pastor  was  Samuel  Lowe,  who  dedicated  the  church  and  preached 
the  first  sermon.  The  officers  are  J.  B.  Chaplin,  R.  J.  Mitchell,  J. 
E.  Railsback,  J.  M.  Edmiston,  John  F.  Quigg,  and  Asa  Hicks. 
The  present  membership  number  about  130.  The  value  of  building, 
$3,000;  average  salary  of  pastors,  |1,000.  The  Sunday-school  has 
an  average  attendance  of  75. 

United  Evangelical  St.  John's  Church. — The  church  edifice  of  this 
cone-reiration  is  located  in  Minier,  and  was  erected  in  1870,  at  a  cost 
of  $2,000.  The  first  sermon  was  preached  by  Rve.  Witte,  who  organ- 
ized the  congregation  in  1870.  The  officers  are  Valentine  Imig, 
Sr.  Henry  Imig,  Carl  Imig,  Ernest  Schroeder,  and  Valentine 
Myers.  The  present  membership  numbers  about  30.  The  parson- 
age is  valued  at  |],500.  Average  salary  of  pastors  about  $400. 
There  are  about  50  scholars  in  attendance  upon  the  Sunday-school. 
The  present  pastor  is  Rudolph  Mcuk. 

Minier  M.  E.  Church  was  organized  in  January,  1870.  The 
original  members  were  T.  J.  Brown,  Wm.  Glodfelter,  Wm.  Morris, 
John  Burwell,  and  others.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  M.  Pilcher. 
The  present  officers  are :  A.  C.  Hcnslee  and  Wm.  A.  Sallee.  The 
present  membership  numbers  about  45.     The  present  pastor  is  Rev. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  515 

S.  Shinn.  The  church  edifice  is  a  good  frame,  located  on  4th  Ave- 
nue, and  was  built  in  1869  at  a  cost  of  $3,000. 

The  first  school  building  was  a  log  cabin,  erected  on  section  8,  in 
1834 ;  John  Turley  was  teacher.  The  scholars  were  James  Lindsey, 
Wm.  Allensworth,  D.  G.  H.  Railsback,  P.  G.  H.  Railsback,  and 
Wm.  Herndon.  The  first  frame  school-house  was  built  about 
1850.  It  was  used  as  a  church  at  first.  School  was  taught  here  by 
Elder  G.  W.  Minier. 

In  the  town  of  Minier  there  is  one  of  the  best  schools  in  the 
county.  It  is  presided  over  by  Miss  Imogene  Minier,  principal ; 
Miss  Ida  Burrows,  teacher  of  the  intermediate  department ;  and 
Miss  Kate  Denny  primary  department.  The  building  is  located 
in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  town.  It  cost  |5,000,  and  was 
erected  in  1870.     The  average  attendance  is  125. 

C  F.  Albright,  clerk  and  real  estate  and  loan  agent,  INlinier,  was 
born  in  Hittle  township,  this  county,  Nov.  1,  1849.  He  is  the  son 
of  M.  and  Mary  A.  Albright,  the  former  of  Tennessee,  his  mother  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania.  He  received  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  this  and  Logan  counties.  Politically  he  is  "  Pepublican 
by  a  large  majority." 

Jesse  F.  Beal,  farmer,  was  born  in  Washington  township,  Taze- 
well Co.,  Aug.  20,  1842,  and  received  such  education  as  was  afforded 
by  attendance  upon  the  common  schools.  His  parents,  Moses  H. 
and  Anna  A.  Beal,  were  natives  of  Ohio.  July  25,  1861,  he  enlist- 
ed in  Co.  D,  7th  111.  Infantry,  the  first  regiment  raised  in  the  State, 
and  served  three  years,  doing  battle  for  his  country.  In  1868,  Oct. 
15,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Jane  Etzler.  She  died  Oct.  23, 
1869.  He  was  married  again  Nov.  18,  1873,  to  Sarah  Jelly.  He 
casts  his  ballot  and  influence  on  the  side  of  Republicanism.  Post- 
office,  Minier. 

William  Bennett,  farmer,  section  19;  was  born  in  Elm  Grove 
township,  Tazewell  Co.,  111.,  May  5,  1829,  which  certainly  places  him 
in  the  list  with  "  old  settlers."  His  father,  Nathaniel  Bennett,  was 
from  Kentucky;  his  mother,  Elizabeth  Bennett,  was  from  the 
Buckeye  State.  William  only  enjoyed  such  educational  advantages 
as  the'  common  schools  of  this  county  afforded  in  pioneer  times. 
He  has  held  most  of  the  township  offices  at  different  times  and 
served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  nine  years.  Sept.  3,  1854,  he 
was  joined  in  holy  matrimony  with  Angelina  Kimler.  They  have 
had  twelve  children  —  four  boys  and  eight  girls  —  seven  of  w^hom 
are  now  living.     P.  O.,  Minier, 

John  S.  Briggs,  stock  dealer  and  farmer ;  resides  on  sec.  2 ;  post- 
office,  Minier.  Mr.  Briggs  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  Briggs,  one  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Central  Illinois,  and  of  Tazewell  county,  and  whose 
name  is  so  frequently  mentioned  in  the  early  history  of  the  county. 


516  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUKTY. 

He  held  the  offices  of  County  Commissioner,  County  Treasurer, 
Coroner,  and  was  Sheriif  at  the  time  of  his  death,  Avhich  occurred 
in  1844.  Mr.  Briggs,  the  father  of  John  S.,  come  to  Logan  Co., 
(then  Sangamon)  in  1822,  and  to  Tazewell  in  1825  or  '26,  and  set- 
tled in  Pleasant  Grove,  Elm  Grove  township.  He  was  a  native  of 
Virginia.  His  mother's  name  was  Susan  Briggs,  a  Kentuckian. 
John  S.  was  married  Nov.  14, 1839,  to  Amanda  V.  Railsback.  Their 
children  number  ten,  nine  living,  one  dead.  He  was  born  in  Nel- 
son county,  Ky.,  May  31,  1817;  he  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  politically  a  Repulican. 

James  M.  Edmiston,  station  agent  of  I.  M.  R.R.,  insurance  agent 
and  Notary  Public,  Minier;  was  born  in  Bradford  Co.,  Pa.,  Dec. 
27,1843.  His  parents,  Joseph  and  Sarah  Edmiston,  were  natives 
of  the  same  State.  He  came  to  the  county  in  1867,  and  the  year 
following  united  with  the  Christian  Church.  He  attended  the  pub- 
public  schools  of  his  native  county,  and  finished  his  education  at 
Wesleyan  University,  Bloomington,  111.  He  has  held  the  office  of 
Town  Clerk  and  village  Trustee,  and  for  a  period  of  five  years  has 
been  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  of  Minier.  On  the  first 
day  of  the  year  1868  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jennie, 
the  daughter  of  Elder  G.  W.  Minier.     They  have  three  children. 

Baultzer  Eversole,  Sr.,  is  a  native  of  Rockingham  Co.,  A-^a.,  where 
he  was  born  June  11,  1802.  His  parents  were  Peter  and  Catherine 
Eversole,  natives  of  the  above  named  State.  Mr.  E.  came  to  the 
State  in  1857,  and  to  the  county  in  1863.  He  received  his  educa- 
tion mostly  in  the  schools  of  Ohio.  By  occupation  he  is  a  farmer ; 
has  followed  the  milling  business  for  some  fifteen  years.  Mr.  E*. 
has  held  the  commissions  of  Lieutenant,  Captain  and  Colonel  in  the 
State  Militia  of  Ohio.  He  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  the 
same  State  for  six  years.  Was  joined  in  marriage  Feb.  6,  1823,  to 
.Miss  Sarah  Huhn;  she  died,  July  25,  1863.  Mr.  E.  was  again 
married,  Feb.  5,  1865.  He  has  been  the  father  of  eleven  children; 
George  W.  Eversole  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Altona  Gap,  Ga. 
Mr.  E.  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church ;  in  politics  he  is  a 
Republican. 

B.  N.  Ewing,  postmaster  and  druggist,  ISIinier,  was  born  in  Butler 
Co.,  Ky.,  Dec.  4,  1849.  His  parents  were  natives  of  the  same  State. 
He  attended  the  common  schools,  and  finished  his  education  by 
spending  two  terms  at  Wesleyan  University,  Bloomington,  111.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Alvira  Darnall,  Dec.  9,  1869,  and  the 
following  year  came  to  the  county  and  embarked  in  mercantile  bus- 
iness.    His  home  has  been  blessed  by  one  little  girl. 

3Iartin  Gainer,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Minier.  Mr.  G.  was  born  in  Ger- 
many, and  came  to  this  county  in  1835.  His  father,  George,  and 
his  mother,  Mary  Gainer,  w^ere  both  native  Germans.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  common  school  of  this  county,  and  engaged 
himself  in  farming.  He  resides  on  section  35.  March  19,  1861, 
he  took  unto  himself  a  wife  in  the  person  of  Mary  J.  Bishop.     On 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  517 

the  3d  day  of  March,  1871,  she  was  taken  from  him  by  death. 
Aug.  22,  1875,  he  was  married  again,  to  Mary  J.  Lower.  He  is  the 
parent  of  nine  chiklren  —  three  boys  and  six  girls  —  six  of  whom 
are  now  living. 

William  A.  Glotfelter,  tile  manufaeturer,  seetion  27 ;  is  the  son  of 
Solomon  and  Sarah  Glotfelter.  The  former  was  born  in  Lancaster 
Co.,  Pa.,  and  is  living  at  a  ripe  old  age  in  Green  county,  O.  His 
mother  was  born  in  the  Buckeye  State.  Mr.  G.  had  only  a  com- 
mon school  education,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1850  and  eiigaged 
in  farming.  He  now  manufactures  tile  and,  fortunately,  has  a 
superior  quality  of  clay  to  work,  and  he  has  constructed  excellent 
facilities  for  making  the  very  best  of  tile.  Oct.  9,  1849,  he  was 
joined  in  marriage  with  Sarah  Robinson.  She  died  in  October, 
1872,  and  he  married  again  in  1874,  to  Margaret  Barnes.  He  is 
the  parent  of  eight  children  —  five  boys  and  three  girls  —  six  of 
Avhom  are  living.  Religiously  he  is  a  Methodist ;  politically,  a 
Republican.     P.  O.,  Minier. 

Isaac  Y.  Gray,  farmer,  section  2,  came  to  Illinois  in  1858  and  to 
Tazewell  Co.  in  1870.  He  was  born  in  Georgetown,  Harrison  Co., 
Ohio,  Dec.  3,  1832.  His  parents  were  A^illiam  H.  ^nd  Susanna 
Gray,  the  former  from  Virginia,  the  latter  from  Ohio.  j\[r.  Gray 
attended  only  the  common  schools  to  obtain  his  education.  On  the 
24th  of  Feb.,  1856,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Sarah  A.  Turner, 
daughter  of  Harvey  Turner,  of  Logan  Co.  She  died  July  24,  1867, 
and  he  was  again  married,  May  1,  1870,  to  Susan  L.  Briggs,  daugh- 
ter of  John  S.  Briggs.  He  is  the  parent  of  two  children,  only  one 
of  whom,  a  girl,  is  now  living.  Mr.  G.  is  a  member  of  the  Chris-  . 
tian  Church  ;  politically  a  Republican  ;  post-office,  Minier. 

James  L.  Gunncll,  dentist,  Minier;  was  born  in  Christian  county, 
Ky.,  Feb.  16,  1832,  and  was  brought  to  this  county  in  the  sj)ring  of 
1834.  His  father  Avas  a  native  of  Virginia,  his  mother  of  North 
Carolina.  He  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  and  at 
Eureka  College,  Eureka,  111.,  and  has  chosen  the  dental  profession. 
He  enlisted  in  Co.  D,  94t]i  111.  Inf.  during  the  trving  days  of  the 
Rebellion  and  served  till  INIarch  16,  1863.  Ont^he  14thof  May, 
1878,  he  was  married  to  Kate  M.  Myers.  Orville  J.  was  born  to 
them  March  3,  1879.     Mr.  G.  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church. 

James  W.  Herndon,  farmer,  was  born  in  Christian  county,  Ky., 
Oct.  5,  1823,  and  was  brought^  to  Tazewell  county  when  a  lad  of 
only  seven  summers,  and  is  therefore  one  of  the  "  old  settlers."  His 
parents  were  Benjamin  and  Nancy  Herndon,  of  Virginia.  Mr.  H. 
has  served  his  township  as  Constable  and  Collector.  He  was  joined 
in  the  holy  bands  of  matrimony  with  Frances  Wilson,  on  the  24th 
of  July,  1850.  They  are  the  parents  of  six  children — three  boys 
and  three  girls  —  five  of  whom  are  living.  He  casts  his  influence 
and  ballot  on  the  Democratic  side  of  politics.     P.  O.,  ^linier. 

Elwood  Hicks,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Minier;  came  to  this  county  in  the 
fall  of  1837.     In  1859  he  went  to  California  with  a  drove  of  cattle, 


518  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

and  returned  in  Dec,  1862.  He  is  the  son  of  Asa  and  Annie  Hicks, 
of  Georgia,  and  was  born  in  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  Feb.  3,  1833. 
He  came  to  the  county  when  a  child,  grew  up,  attended  the  conmion 
schools,  and  settled  down  here  and  is  rearing  a  family.  He  has 
served  as  School  Director  for  seven  years.  March  5,  1863,  was  the 
day  upon  which  he  married  Eliza  A.  Shumaker,  who  has  borne  him 
six  children  —  four  boys  and  two  girls  —  five  of  whom  are  living. 
Religiously  he  was  raised  a  Quaker ;  politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

Francis  0.  Kilby  came  to  Tazewell  county  at  an  early  day  and 
when  quite  a  small  lad,  being  only  eight  years  old.  He  is  the  son 
of  St.  Clair  and  Ellen  Kilby  of  Virginia,  and  received  his  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  the  county  and  entered  the  agricultural 
pursuit  and  resides  on  section  6.  He  confessed  his  Savior  before 
men  and  united  himself  with  the  Christian  Church.  Sept.  1,  1853, 
he  was  joined  in  marriage  with  Mary  E.  Allensworth.  They  have 
two  children,  a  boy  and  a  girl.     Post-office,  Mackinaw. 

N.  L.  Kilby,  farmer,  was  born  in  Rappahannock  county,  Va., 
Feb.  17,  1832.  His  parents,  who  were  also  A^irginians,  were  St. 
Clair  B.  and  Ellen  Kilby.  They  brought  their  son,  N,  L.,  to  this 
county  when  a  boy  of  five  years  of  age.  He  attended  the  common 
schools  where  he  received  his  education,  grew  up  and  made  the  good 
confession  and  united  with  the  Christian  Church.  He  was  married 
to  Margaret  Allensworth  Sept.  19,  1854.  They  have  been  blessed 
with  five  children  —  two  boys  and  three  girls  —  but  their  home  has 
been  saddened  bv  the  death  of  one.     Post-office,  Mackinaw. 

Williaiii  Lilly,  farmer,  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Lilly,  of  Mary- 
land, was  born  in  Alleghany  county  of  that  State,  Aug.  12,  1822. 
He  came  to  Illinois  when  a  lad  of  thirteen,  and  two  years  later 
(1837)  came  to  Tazewell  county.  All  the  advantages  for  an  educa- 
tion offi3red  him  were  such  as  were  aiForded  him  in  the  log  school- 
houses  of  Ohio  and  Illinois  in  pioneer  times.  He  has  held  the  office 
of  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  thirteen  years.  July  28th,  1859,  he  was 
uni'-ed  in  marriage  with  Elizabeth  Aldridge,  who  has  borne  him  four 
children,  three  of  whom  are  living.  He  is  identified  with  the  Re- 
publican party.     Residence,  sec,  12;  post-office,  Minier. 

James  C.  McClure  (deceased),  was  born  in  Huntingdon  county. 
Pa.,  July  25,  1828,  came  to  this  county  in  1850,  and  died  May  28, 
1877.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  coun- 
ty. He  learned  the  carpenter  trade  which  he  followed  until  his  mar- 
riage, and  from  that  time  until  his  death  he  follo%,ed  farming.  Jan. 
30,  1859,  he  was  married  to  Lucinda  Robinson,  who  was  born  in 
Green  county,  Ohio,  Nov.  18,  1831.  She  is  the  mother  of  four 
children — George  E.,  born  Dec.  30,  1859;  Wilbur  C,  born  Sept. 
4,  1861 ;  William  A.,  Aug.  31,  1863;  and  James  C,  Oct.  27,  1866. 
Mr.  McClure  was  a  life-long  Democrat.  His  widow  lives  on  sec.  6, 
where  she  is  engaged  in  farming.     Her  post-office  address  is  Macki- 


naw. 


Elder  George  W.  Minier.     The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in 


% 


5ARAH  M\^^ 


Little  Mackinaw, Township. 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  521 

the  township  of  Ulster,  Bradford  Co.,  Penn,,  October  8,  1813.    His 
father,  John  Minier,  was  of  German  descent  and  educated  in  the 
German  language.     His  mother  was  of  English  parentage  and  born 
in  the  State  of  New  Jersey.     Both  his  grandfathers  were  soldiers  in 
the  American   Revolution,  and   he   now  says   he   desires   no   better 
blood    in   his   veins  than   that   which  resisted  the  oppressions   and 
usurpations  of  the  English  King  and  Parliamenr   and  gave  freedom 
to  the  thirteen  colonies  of  North  America.     Aside  from  the  public 
schools  of  the  rural  district  in  which  his  father  lived  he  had  the  ad- 
vantage of  an  academy  in  the  village  of  Athens.     At  this  school 
young  Minier  worked  for  his  board  and  tuition,  nights,   mornings 
and  Saturdays,  at  a  hotel  kept  by  an  old  lady.     His  younger  brother, 
the   Hon.  T.   L.  Minier,  ex-Senator,    of  Elmira,   N.   Y.,  attended 
the  same  Academy.     He  returned  to  his  father's  house  and  labored 
with  and  for  his  father,  and  at  times  seeking  employment  of  the 
neighboring  farmers.     At  nineteen  years  of  age  our  young  friend 
found  himself  in  possession  of  nearly  §5  ready  cash  and  a  suit  of 
clothes.     Through  a  friend  he  obtained  a  school  in  New  York  and 
began  in  earnest  the  office  of  an  instructor.     He  continued  teaching 
until  the  spring  of  1837,  when  he  started  for  Illinois.     One  of  his 
first  efforts   in   this  State   was  the  surveying  of  a  State  road  from 
Peru,  on  the  Illinois  lliver,  to  Knoxville,  in  Knox  Co.     On  the  1st 
day  of  Jan.,  1839,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Ireland,  with  whom 
he  still  lives.     The  fruits  of  this  union  has  been  twelve  children, 
six  of  each  sex.     Ten  of  these  are  living.     In  1847  he  removed  to 
Bloomington,  McLean  Co.  and  opened  a  high  school  for  boys  and 
girls.     In  1848  he  opened  the  first  high  school  exclusive  for  young 
ladies  that  was  ever  attempted  in  Bloomington.     In  1850,  his  health 
being  impaired,  he  sold  his  school-house  and  "  good  will "  to  a  Mr. 
Finlay,  and  Professor  Wilber  took  his  place  as  princi])al.     In  the 
autumn  of  1851  he  removed  to  the  farm  on  which  he  still  lives  and 
began  farming,  to  which  pursuit  he  is  enthusiastically  devoted.     He 
purchased  his  land  of  the  Government  by  laying  a  soldier's  warrant, 
and  so  got  it  for  about  eighty-three  cents  per  acre.     He  united  him- 
self with  both  the  Horticultural  and  Agricultural  Societies  of  the 
State,  and  was  connected  with  them  as  one  of  the  A^ice-Presidents 
for  a  number  of  years.     Here  he  rapidly  improved  in  what  he  still 
calls  the  "  divine  arts  of  tillage,"  emphatically  declaring  that  "  Hor- 
ticulture is  the  religion  of  Agriculture."     Mr.  Minier  was  conscien- 
tiouslv  opposed  to  human  slavery  ;  an  early  and  outspoken  abolition- 
ist, and  during  the  time  of  enlisting  soldiers  for  the  late  war,  he 
made  many  able  and  eloquent  speeches   in  favor  of  volunteering. 
During  August,  1839,  Mr.  Minier  took  the  survey  and  topography 
of  a  portion  of  the  Illinois  river,  surveyed  the  bars  and  islands,  and 
ascertained  by  quadrant  the  altitude  of  "  Starved  Rock,"  which  was 
found  to  be  9^6  feet.     In  1867,  in  company  with  Messrs.  Blackstone, 
Boyer  and  Strout,  he  platted   the  village   which  bears  his  name, 
which  is  located  three  and  one-half  miles  south  of  his  residence,  and 


522  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

numbers  already  some  800  inhabitants.  Mr.  M.  entered  the  minis- 
try nearly  forty  years  ago.  During  all  these  years  very  seldom  a 
Sunday  passed  that  did  not  find  him  in  the  pulpit  reproclaiming  the 
Gospel,  and  during  the  week  among  his  books  or  in  his  fields  and 
among  his  herds  and  flocks,  living  like  the  Patriarchs  with  his  flocks 
and  herds  around  him.  Having  the  advantages  of  an  extended  ac- 
quaintance he  has  probably  had  the  pleasure  of  uniting  in  wedlock 
as  many  persons  as  any  other  man  in  Central  Illinois. 

Theodore  L.  Kilmer,  merchant,  miller,  real  estate  dealer  and  agent, 
Minier ;  is  a  son  of  George  AV.  and  Sarah  Minier,  the  former  from 
Pennsylvania,  the  mother  of  Virginia.  He  was  born  in  Putnam 
county.  111.,  May  18,  1842,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1850.  He 
was  liberally  educated  by  his  father.  After  attending  the  common 
schools  he  entered  Bryant  &  Straton's  Commercial  College,  Chicago, 
from  which  he  graduated.  He  also  attended  Wesleyan  University, 
Bloomington.  He  enlisted  in  company  I,  94th  111.  Infantry ;  was 
elected  Sergeant  and  promoted  First  Sergeant  and  then  Second 
Lieutenant.  He  was  appointed  agent  for  the  State  of  Illinois  and 
the  Northwest  for  the  Paris  Fxposition  in  1866.  He  is  an  active 
member  of  the  Christian  Church  and  Superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  at  Minier,  He  was  married  Aug.  3,  1870,  to  Ellen  Arming- 
ton.     They  have  two  children,  girls. 

Rodney  J.  Mitchell,  banker  and  grain  dealer,  Minier ;  was  born  in 
Rutland,  Meigs  Co.,  O.,  Oct.  31,  1833.  His  parents,  James  G.  and 
Sophia  (Williams)  Mitchell,  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio, 
respectively.  His  father  for  nearly  half  a  century  has  proclaimed 
the  Gospel,  being  a  minister  in  the  Christian  Church.  His  son  united 
with  that  Church  in  1850,  and  has  been  an  active  member  since. 
He  received  only  a  common  school  education.  He  came  to  this 
county  in  1855  and  located  on  section  10,  this  township,  and  en- 
gaged in  agriculture.  He  remained  on  the  farm  for  twelve  years 
when  he  moved  into  Minier  and  embarked  in  commercial  life. 
Mary  E.  Railsback,  his  wife,  and  to  whom  he  was  married  Dec.  24, 
1858,  is  the  daughter  of  Thomas  T.  Railsback,  one  of  the  jpioneers 
of  the  county.  Mr.  M.  has  served  his  township  as  Supervisor  sev- 
eral terms  and  filled  other  official  positions.  He  casts  his  ballot  and 
influence  with  the  Republican  party. 

Johnson  A.  llyers,  farmer,  P.  O.,  Minier ;  was  born  in  Armstrong 
county,  Pa.,  July  2,  1828,  and  was  brought  to  Tazewell  county  seven 
years  thereafter.  Thus  we  see  his  life  has  been  almost  wholly  passed 
in  this  county.  His  parents  were  John  and  Catherine  Myers, 
natives  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  sent  to  the  common  schools  of 
this  county  in  primitive  times.  Carolina  A.  Davis,  his  wife,  he  was 
married  to  Sept.  21,  1847.  Ten  children  —  three  boys  and  seven 
girls — have  been  born  to  them,  only  five  of  whom  are  now  num- 
bered among  the  living.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church, 
and  in  life  has  been  snccessful. 

Henry  A.  Peyne  was  born  in  Germany  April  3,  1844,  and  came, 


HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  523 

with  his  father,  to  this  country  at  the  very  tender  age  of  one  year, 
and  as  far  back  as  '49.  When  Henry  was  but  5  years  old  his  father 
settled  at  Hittle's  Grove,  this  county.  They  settled  in  Little  Macki- 
naw township  in  '53,  when  they  engaged  in  farming.  Mr.  Peyue 
married,  Jan.  31,  1871,  Miss  Caroline  Buehrig;  four  children  have 
been  born  to  them,  2  boys  and  2  girls.  Mr.  P.  was  very  successful 
as  a  farmer  but  wishing  to  engage  in  the  mercantile  business,  he 
sold  his  fine  farm  and  engaged  in  trade  at  Minier,  where  he  is  now 
conducting  a  successful  and  growing  business. 

John  F.  Quigg,  whose  ancestors  point  with  pride  to  the  Keystone 
State  as  the  land  of  their  nationality,  himself  has  the  proud  distinc- 
tion of  being  born  in  Tazewell  Co.,  which  event  occurred  on  the  13th 
day  of  Dec.  1841.  He  is  one  of  the  firm  of  Williams  &  Quigg, 
bankers  and  grain  dealers  at  Minier.  Both  branches  of  their  busi- 
ness have  grown  to  be  both  extensive  and  lucrative,  and  their 
methods  of  business  transaction,  has  made  for  them  a  record  to 
which  they  can  refer  with  satisfaction  and  feelings  of  pride.  Mr. 
Quigg  dates  his  wedding  day,  and  therefore  his  truest  happiness, 
from  Dec.  28,  1871,  at  which  time  he  clasped  the  hand  and  recorded 
a  vow  in  high  heaven,  that  he  would  love  and  protect  Miss  Sheets 
until  death  did  them  sever.  Two  little  boys  were  sent  to  gladden 
their  home.  He  lives  in  the  faith  and  embraces  the  religion  of  the 
Christian  Church. 

James  E.  Railsback,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Railsback  & 
Mitchell,  ]\Iinicr,  and  a  native  of  this  county,  was  born  Nov.  17, 
1833,  only  a  few  years  after  the  formation  of  Tazewell  Co.,  and 
before  the  native  soil  of  these  beautiful  prairies  had  been  turned  by 
the  pioneer  plowman.  This  firm,  in  addition  to  a  general  banking 
business,  carry  on  an  extensive  grain  and  lumber  trade,  and  are  rated 
among  the  solid  business  firms  in  this  county,  and,  indeed,  their 
commercial  transactions  and  business  re])utation  extends  beyond  the 
boundaries  of  a  single  county.  Mr.  Railsback  was  married,  Oct.  3, 
1855,  to  Susan  M.  Howell,  whose  death  occurred  Jan.  28,  1861,  and 
March  3,  1865,  was  married  to  Ann  P.  Adams,  and  is  the  parent  of 
four  children.  Mr.  R.  has,  since  1849,  been  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Church,  in  whose  cause  he  has  labored  assiduously  during 
all  these  years. 

Philip  G.  H.  Railsback  was  born  in  Montgomery  Co.  Tenn., 
Feb.  14,  1822.  His  parents,  Thomas  F.  and  Louisa  V.  Railsback, 
were  Virginians.  He  came  to  the  county  with  his  parents  in  1830. 
His  father  was  one  of  the  leading  pioneers  and  served  for  a  number 
of  years  County  Commissioner.  Philip  had  only  such  education  as 
the  common  schools  of  this  county  afforded  at  an  early  day,  but, 
nevertheless  he  has  been  very  successful  in  life.  He  is  engaged  in 
farming  on  section  6.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church ; 
politically,  a  Democrat.  Feb.  15,  1842,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Susan  M.  Adams.  They  have  five  children  living,  three  dead. 
Post-ofiice,  Mackinaw. 


524  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

David  P.Richardson,  mason,  Minier;  son  of  George  W.  and 
Mary  Richardson ;  the  former  of  England,  the  hitter  of  Vermont. 
He  was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Ind.,  May  2G,  1838;  was  educated 
in  public  schools  of  Indianatown,  Pa.,  and  Methodist  College  at 
Thornton,  Ind.  In  May,  1861,  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebell- 
ion, he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  company  I,  20th  111.  Infantry.  He 
was  appointed  Corporal,  promoted  to  first  Sergeant  then  to  first 
Lieutenant  and  finally  Captain  of  the  same  company.  He  was  dis- 
charged July  16,  1865.  He  has  served  as  United  States  Collector 
of  internal  revenue  for  Iroquois  and  Ford  counties  and  Collector  of 
his  own  township.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat.  On  the  30th  day 
of  March,  1864,  he  was  married  to  Lydia  Parker.  They  have  two 
children  living,  one  dead. 

William  F.  Howell  was  born  in  Crafton  county,  N.  H.,  Sept.  15, 
1839.  His  parents,  Jonathan  B.  and  Cyntha  Rowell,  were  also 
natives  of  New  Hampshire.  Mr.  R.  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  New  Hampshire  and  Illinois  and  Lombard  Universities, 
this  State.  He  came  to  the  State  in  1849  and  to  this  county  in 
1871.  Among  the  first  that  went  in  defense  of  our  flag,  when  it 
was  assailed  by  rebel  hands  in  '61,  was  Wm.  H.  Rowell.  He  enlist- 
ed in  June,  1861,  in  Co.  D,  8th  Mo.  Infantry  and  served  till  July  4, 
1864.  Another  important  event  of  his  life  occurred  Oct.  20,  1869. 
Upon  that  date  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Belle  Dickinson. 
They  have  four  children,  two  girls  and  two  boys.  Politically  Mr. 
R.  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  farmer  and  resides  on  sec.  13.  Post- 
office,  Minier. 

Jolm  Shreeve,  farmer,  sec.  25 ;  P.  O.,  Minier ;  was  born  in  Perry 
county,  O.,  March  14,  1811 ;  came  to  this  county  in  1855  and  set- 
tled in  Deer  Creek  township.  He  rented  the  Cullom  form  there  for 
nine  years,  when  he  purchased  the  £irni  upon  which  he  now  lives 
and  cultivates.  Mr.  Shreeve's  parents,  Israel  and  Mary  Shreeve, 
were  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  He  has  been  twice  married,  the  first 
time  April  11,  1833,  to  Catherine  Koons,  who  died  Aug.  5,  1864. 
March  9,  1865,  he  was  married  to  Angeline  Cooper.  He  united 
with  the  Methodist  Church  in  1855  and  in  politics  he  adheres  to  the 
Republican  party. 

William  Moss  Shreve,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  this  county,  having 
been  born  in  Morton  township,  Tazewell  Co.,  Dec.  15,  1833.  He 
attended  the  common  schools  in  his  boyhood  days  and  gleaned  a 
good  common  school  education.  His  parents,  Israel  and  Elizabeth 
Shreve,  were  natives  of  Virginia  and  Kentucky,  respectively.  Mr. 
S.  at  present  holds  the  offices  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Highway 
Commissioner  and  Town  Trustee.  He  was  married  to  Mary  E. 
Eggman  Sept.  28,  1857,  who  has  borne  him  eight  children  —  two 
boys  and  six  girls  —  all  of  whom  are  living  save  one.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  In  politics  he  stands  upon  Repub- 
lican platform.  He  is  engaged  in  farming  on  section  36,  where  he 
has  a  fine  farm  and  good  improvements  and  displays  much  taste  in 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  525 

ornamental  and  shade  trees  and  the  improvement  of  his  grounds. 
Post-office,  Minior. 

Philip  W.  Smith,  is  a  son  of  Pliilip  H.  and  Catharine  Smith, 
Philip  W.  Smith,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Lebanon 
Co.,  Pcnn.,  Sept.  12,  1842;  was  educated  at  the  public  schools  of 
of  Philadelphia,  Penn.  By  occupation  he  is  a  shoe-maker  and  re- 
sides in  the  town  of  ^linier.  Mr.  S.  was  Drum  Major  in  the  oth 
Penn.  Reserves,  during  the  late  war.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
Feb.  21,  1868,  to  Miss  Emma  Roothadrawl.  They  have  six  chil- 
dren —  three  boys  and  three  girls ;  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church.     Post-office,  Minier. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  guided  the  public  affiiirs  of  the 
township  since  its  organization. 

SUPERVISORS. 

B.  F.  Orendorff. 1850  John  S.  Bricrsrs 1S64-67 

A.  B.  Davis 1S51-52      Rodnev  J.  Mitchell 186S-69 

D.  W.  C.  Orendorff lS53-o4      William  Bennett 1870-71 

J.  L.  Summers 1855-61       Asa  Hicks 1872-79 

Zerah  Munsell 186:; 


o 


TOWN-CLERKS. 


Wm.  R.  Adams 1854  Wm.  Barrett  1867-68 

J.L.Summers 1855  Ezra  E.  Howard 1869-73 

Zerah  Munsell 1856-58      J.  M.  Edmiston i:)74 

R.J.Mitchell 1859  George  W.  Ferree 1875 

John  Hunter 1860-61       Wm.  Beuhrig 1876-77 

John  Hendenson 1863  George  Whitman 1878 

Johns.  Dalv 1864  Wm.  Beuhrig 1879 

R.  J.  Mitchell 1865-66 

ASSESSORS. 

James  Galbraith 18-54-56      G.  AV.  Minier 1865-66 

George  W.  Minier 1857  Wm.  M.  Shreeve 1867 

James  Galbraith 1858  J.  S.  Briggs 1868-69 

J.  B.  Hicks 1859  William  Bennett 1870 

J.  S.  Briggs 1860-61      J.  .S.  Briirgs 1871 

Wm.  P.  Allensworth 1863  William  Murdock 1372-78 

J.  L.  Summers 1864  B.  C.  Allensworth 1879 

COLLECTORS. 

T.  F.  RaiLsback 1854  John  Rupp 1864 

J.  H.  Ross 1855  J.  E.  Railsback 1865-66 

Samuel  B.  Buckley 1856  T.J.Brown 1867-69 

Richard  C  Gaines 1857  Richard  C.  Gaines 1870-71 

S.B.Buckley 1858         -'Adam  Hample 1872-75 

R.  C.  Gaines 1859-60      John  Ling 1876 

John  Hunter u  1861  Adam  Hample 1877 

Wm.  P.  Allensworth 1863  D.P.Richardson 1873-79 


526  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

MALONE  TOWNSHIP. 

This  was  the  last  township  of  Tazewell  Co.  to  receive  its  first 
settler.  His  advent  was  not  until  1850,  over  twenty-five  years  after 
settlers  came  into  other  parts  of  the  county.  Much  of  the  priarie 
land,  before  the  county  was  generally  cultivated,  was  so  wet  that 
many  supposed  it  never  could  be  tilled  profitably.  In  this  respect 
Malone  was  worse  than  most  any  other  portion  of  the  county.  We 
find  a  very  good  description  of  the  state  of  the  land  in  an  early  day 
in  a  report  made  by  a  commission  appointed  by  the  Legislature  to 
survey  and  appraise  the  swamp  lands  of  the  county.  This  survey 
was  made  in  1852,  and  the  report  reads  as  follows:  "The  whole  of 
this  body  of  land  is  such  as  would  be  generally  denominated  wet 
prairie  land.  During  the  spring  months  of  April  and  May  M'ater 
stands  upon  the  ground  to  the  debth  of  from  one  to  two  inches  to 
one  to  two  feet.  The  higher  ground  on  the  west  side  is  compara- 
tively dry,  and  is  composed  of  sand  ridges  interspersed  with  small 
oak  timber,  but  the  prairie  on  the  north,  east  and  south  sides  is 
among  the  best  for  farming  purposes  to  be  found  in  this  section  of  the 
county.  In  the  course  of  a  few  years  this  low  land  will  become  very 
valuable,  both  for  pasture  and  meadow.  At  a  little  expense  a  ditch 
could  be  cut  into  Crane  lake,  when  the  land  would  be  dry  enough 
for  the  slough."  Upon  such  lands  as  they  adjudged  swamp  or  over- 
flowed lands,  they  put  a  valuation  of  from  50  to  80  cents  per  acre. 
In  Spring  Lake  they  valued  some  land  as  low  as  10  cents  per  acre. 
Several  years  age  a  large  ditch  was  cut  through  the  township  which, 
with  numerous  small  ones,  a  fine  system  of  tiling  and  cultivation, 
has  relainied  this  rich  soil,  and  now  some  of  the  finest  farms  in  the 
county  are  located  here. 

Among  the  earliest  settlers  here  were  Silas  Dowed,  Thos.  Perry, 
James  McCoy,  James  and  John  AVilson,  Calvin  F.  Buckman,  Dr. 
Hubbard,  S.  and  William  Latham,  Joseph  Watts,  and  William 
Boyer.  John  A.  Kerman  was  the  first  to  train  the  children  in  the 
school  room.  The  first  marriage  occurred  in  1850.  Francis  M. 
Griffin  and  a  daughter  of  James  McCoy  were  the  contracting 
parties. 

Mr.  Wm.  Boyer  relates  some  incidents  of  earfy  life  here,  that 
will  be  read  with  interest,  no  doubt.  He  says  Ohio,  the  State  he 
left  when  he  came  here,  abounded  in  game,  and  in  consequence  he 
had  hunted  a  great  deal.     On  his  arrival  here  he  found  game  equally 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  527 

as  plentiful,  and  he  has  enjoyed  many  exciting  hunts  after  deer, 
brant,  geese,  etc.  One  winter  he,  with  his  son,  John  P.,  Ed.  Vancil 
and  Manuel  Purcell,  went  on  a  deer  hunt.  A  heavy  snow  lay  upon 
the  ground.  They  started  in  a  sleigh  and  soon  discovered  some 
deer,  and  succeeded  in  killing  two  of  them.  Across  the  "flat" 
there  were  two  groves — one  called  Swamp  Grove  the  other  Ash 
Grove.  Between  the  two  the  deer  were  generally  numerous.  The 
party  saw  some  deer  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  and  arranged 
it  that  Ed.  Vancil  should  circle  around  them  with  the  team  and 
drive  them  through  these  groves,  where  Mr.  B.  and  the  others  were 
to  lie  in  wait  for  them.  In  a  short  time  Vancil  returned  and  re- 
ported that  "  the  deer  did  not  scare  worth  a  cent."  Indeed,  instead 
of  running  at  his  approach,  they  came  right  up  to  the  sleigh,  struck 
at  him,  shook  their  antlers,  and  manifested  unmistakable  signs  of 
fight.  At  least  to  such  an  extent  that  Vancil  acknowledged  being 
afraid  to  shoot,  although  well  armed.  At  the  conclusion  of  this 
singular  report  the  party  hurried  to  the  spot,  and  succeeded  in  get- 
ting only  one  shot,  and  secured  another  deer.  In  this  herd  forty- 
seven  deer  were  counted  by  Mr.  B.  He  relates  that  at  that  time  he 
could  find  deer  at  any  season  of  the  year  in  what  was  called  Crane 
lake  swamp.  This  was  previous  to  the  cutting  of  the  county  ditch 
and  it  was  therefore  very  wet. 

AVolf  hunts  were  not  unfrequent  in  an  early  day  here.  The 
wolves  were  so  numerous  and  troublesome  that  regularly  organized 
raids  were  made  upon  them.  With  dogs,  guns,  and  other  weapons, 
the  people  would  turn  out  and  drive  them  to  their  coverts.  At  one 
particular  hunt,  which  is  spoken  of  by  John  P.  Boyer,  six  men 
engaged  to  exterminate  or  intimidate  the  marauding  rascals,  to  such 
an  extent,  at  least,  as  to  aiford  temporary  relief.  The  hunt  was 
carried  on  with  dogs,  used  for  the  purpose  of  tracking  them.  The 
men  went  on  foot,  and  often  started  up  several  and  followed  them 
for  miles.  The  wolves  were  driven  to  their  burrows,  where  the 
party  succeeded  in  capturing  nine  young  ones.  These  were  divided 
among  the  party,  taken  home  and  trained,  and  grew  to  be  well  be- 
haved dogs,  save  they  were  bound  to  live  on  spring  chickens,  camp- 
meeting  or  no  camp-meeting. 

The  personal  sketches  and  family  history  of  the  following  persons 
of  this  township  properly  contribute  to  make  up  its  history : 

George  Ail,  farmer,  sec.  9;  P.  O.,  Green  Valley;  son  of  George 
aud  Mary  (Brown)  Ail,  natives  of  Germany,  having  lived  on  the 
32 


528  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

river  Rhine.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Ripley  county, 
Ind.,  Sept.  22,  1837  ;  received  a  common  scliool  education,  and  came 
to  this  county  in  1855;  has  hekl  several  local  offices;  was  married, 
April  20,  1859,  to  Mary  Jane  Thompson,  a  native  of"  Hillsdale  Co., 
Mich.  She  died  Aug.  16,  1878;  she  was  a  consistent  Christian  lady 
and  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church.  They  were  the  parents  of 
Henrict  E.,  born  Jan.  21,  1860;  Lilly  Olive,  born  Sept.  30,  1863; 
George  Leander,  Feb.  28,  1866;  Jennie  Maud,  July  27,  1875. 

Joseph  Ary,  farmer,  sec.  8 ;  was  born  in  White  Co.,  near  Carmi^ 
this  State,  Oct.  20,  1820.  His  parents,  George  Ary  and  Susan 
Dosier,  his  wife,  were  natives  of  Virginia.  Joseph  received  a  com- 
mon school  education,  and  M-hile  quite  young  worked  at  the  cooper's 
trade ;  has  served  his  county  in  several  local  official  positions ;  was 
married,  in  1839,  to  Frances  Griffin,  a  native  of  Ky.  The  union 
has  been  blessed  with  nine  children,  only  three  of  whom  are  living. 
They  were  born  as  follows:  Lucinda,*  Aug.  13,  1840;  J.  Henry,* 
Sept.  6,  1842;  John  Anderson,  Feb.  5,  1845;  Mary  A.,*  April  13, 
1847;  Millessa,*  Aug.  8,  1849;  Minerva  A.,  Aug.  14,  1852;  Geo. 
Alonso,  Nov.  13,  1855;  Presilla,*  Feb.  2,  1859.  Those  marked  * 
are  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  iVry  have  been  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church  for  30  years.  His  grand  parent,  Adam  Dosier,  served 
in  the  Continental  army  for  seven  years  under  Washington  ;  Mr. 
Ary  remembers  distinctly  of  hearing  him  recite  the  many  exciting 
times  he  had  witnessed,  and  many  hardshi])s  he  went  through,  in  the 
war  for  Independence.  He  died  in  White  Co.,  111.,  at  a  very  ad- 
vanced age. 

Jerome  Boyiaparte  Bailey,  farmer  and  blacksmith,  sec.  11 ;  P.  O., 
Green  Valley;  was  born  in  Hillsboro,  N.  H.,  May  31,  1839.  His 
parents  are  Josiah  Gordon  and  Catharine  (Barnes)  Bailey.  Jerome 
B.  came  to  this  county  in  1853,  attended  school  at  Pekin,  and  ^vas 
married,  July  7,  1864,  to  Ada  Noel,  of  Green  Co.,  111.  They  have 
two  daughters,  Jesse  N.,  born  Oct.  23,  1869,  and  Mabel  Lee,  born 
March  16,  1875.  Mr.  B.  is  paying  special  attention  to  the  culture 
of  strawberries.  In  1878  he  raised  on  a  small  ])atch  54  bushels, 
being  at  the  rate  of  675  bushels  per  acre.  He  has  If  acres,  which 
is  a  very  large  strawberry  bed. 

William  Boyer,  a  native  of  Frederick  Co.,  Md.,  where  he  was  born 
in  1816.  His  parents  were  Peter  and  Catharine  (Runkles)  Boyer, 
natives  of  Germany.  Mr.  Boyer,  with  his  parents,  moved  to  Ohio 
in  1836  and  settled  in  Muskingum  Co.  He  arrived  in  this  county 
in  the  year  1848,  and  located  480  acres  of  choice  land.  He  has 
been  a  pioneer  of  two  States.  He  has  lived  to  see  this  county  grow 
to  its  present  populous  and  prosperous  condition,  and  is  now  pre- 
pared to  pass  the  remainder  of  his  eventful  life  happily.  He  was 
married  to  Lucinda  Day  in  April,  1836.  They  have  been  the  pa- 
rents of  thirteen  children.  John  P.  was  born  Dec.  8,  1836,  and  he 
married  Nancy  M.  Shoup;  Susanna,  born  July  2,  1839,  she  married 
David  Jones;  David  W.,  born  May  23,  1841,  married  Mary  Wise- 


HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  529 

man;  Margaret  Ellen,  born  June  4,  1843,  married  Wilson  Griffin, 
died  Jan.  1,1859;  Manuel,  born  Sept.  6,  1844,  married  Harriet 
Dean;  Thomas,  born  March  9,  184G,  married  Cecilia  Worstall; 
William  H.,  born  June  15,  1849;  Lucinda,  born  July  12,1850; 
Jacob,  born  May  26,  1853;  James  and  three  others  died  in  infancy. 
Post-office,  Green  Valley. 

John  Peter  Boi/er,  merchant  and  farmer;  P.  O.,  Green  Valley;  is 
a  native  of  Muskingum  Co.,  O.,  where  he  was  born  Dec.  8,  1836. 
He  is  the  oldest  son  of  AVilliam  and  Lucinda  Boyer.  For  an  edu- 
cation he  enjoyed  only  the  advantages  of  the  common  school.  He 
came  to  this  county  in  1849,  and  has  held  various  local  offices;  was 
married,  in  Jan.,  1858,  to  Nancy  M.  Shoup,  a  native  of  Muskin- 
gum county,  O.  Mr.  Boyer  and  his  wife  are  both  members  of  the 
Christian  Church. 

Thomaii  Boyer  was  born  in  Muskingum  Co.,  O.,  in  1846 ;  is  a  son 
of  William  Boyer,  a  native  of  Maryland,  and  Lucinda  Day,  his 
wife,  a  native  of  Licking  Co.,  O.  Thomas  came  to  this  county  with 
his  parents  in  1849;  received  a  common  school  education;  his  occu- 
pation is  that  of  a  former ;  Avas  married  to  Cecilia  Worstall,  in  March, 
1876,  who  is  a  native  of  this  county.  She  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Church.  They  have  one  son,  Francis  Melvin,  lx)rn  Nov. 
23,  1877.     P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

Hayes  Brownlee,  farmer,  sec.  13 ;  P.  O.,  Delavan ;  is  a  son  of 
Jos.  and  Rosanna  McKinstry  Brownlee,  natives  of  Washington  Co., 
Pcnn.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Marion  Co.,  O.,  in 
1832.  The  Brownlees  are  of  Scotch  descent,  and  the  McKinstrys 
Scotch-Irish.  John  McKinstry  came  to  Penn.  from  Ireland  over 
106  years  ago.  He  died  at  the  age  of  94.  He  could  remember  the 
battle  of  Cowpens  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  It  was  near  where 
his  parents  lived.  Mr.  Brownlee  has  held  several  local  offices ;  was 
married,  in  1855,  to  Elizabeth  Reed,  a  native  of  Marion  county, 
O.  They  have  six  children,  born  as  follows:  Clark,  Jan.  1857; 
Charles,  April,  1860;  Rosetta,  Jan.  1,  1863;  Mary  J.,  Sept.,  1864; 
Samuel,  April  13,  1866;  William,  March  13,  1869.  Mr.  B.  came 
to  this  county  in  1852. 

Bartholomew  Buckley,  farmer,  sec.  24 ;  was  born  in  the  county  of 
Cork,  Ireland,  in  1824.  His  parents  were  Timothy  and  Bridget 
(Welch)  Buckley.  His  grandparents  were  Bartholomew  and  Joanna 
(Murphy)  Buckley,  and  on  his  mother's  side,  Edward  and  Ellen 
(Guyre)  Welch.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  New  York  city 
in  1848,  and  then  to  Batavia,  N.  Y.,  and  to  this  county  in  1867; 
was  married,  in  1852,  to  Ann  Madden.  They  have  had  the  follow- 
ing children  :  Edward  U.,  born  1854;  Timothy  W.,  1856;  Eliza- 
beth A.,  Sept.,  1860;  Mary  J.;  George  W.,  1864;  AVilliam  H., 
1866  ;  Harriet  A.,  1868  ;  Thomas  J.,  1872.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buckley 
are  both  Catholics. 

^Tohn  T.  Burns  is  a  native  of  Carroll  Co.,  Md.,  where  he  was  born 
in  1837,     His  parents  were  John  and  Mary  M.   (Leister)  Burns. 


530  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

John  T.  came  to  this  county  in  1857,  and  is  engaged  in  farming  on 
sec.  2;  was  married,  in  1865,  to  Ellen  Wilson.  They  are  the  pa- 
rents of  Anna  M.,  born  Nov.  29,  18()6;  Louis  W.,  horn  March  2, 
1869;  Bessie  Maud,  born  Dec.  11,  1876.  Mrs.  Burns  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Church.     P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

John  W.  Cline  was  born  in  Elm  Grove  township,  Tazewell  Co., 
June  17,  1825.  He  is,  therefore,  the  first  male  child  born  in  this 
county.  Stephen  Woodrow,  to  whom  is  generally  accorded  this 
honor,  was  not  born  until  Sept.  of  1825,  three  months  after  the  birth 
of  Mr.  C.  He  has  witnessed  the  transformation  of  the  wild  prai- 
ries into  beautiful  homes.  Mr.  Cline  received  a  common  school  ed- 
ucation, and  has  held  the  offices  of  Supervisor,  School  Director  and 
others;  was  married,  18-47,  to  Roxana  Stewart,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Mrs.  Cline's  parents  were  Joseph  Stewart  and  Elizabeth  Grady,  the 
first  of  New  Jersey,  and  the  latter  of  Penn.  Phillip  Cline,  of  Vir- 
ginia, was  his  grandparent.  He  died  at  an  advanced  age  at  his  son 
John's,  in  Elm  Grove  township.  The  Clines  are  of  German  de- 
scent.    Mr.  Cline  is  a  farmer  on  sec.  17.     P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

Simeon  R,  Orosby,  retired,  is  a  native  of  Bristol,  Ontario  county, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  was  born  in  1806.  His  parents  were  Simeon  and 
Anna  (Rice)  Crosby,  of  Mass.  The  Crosbys  are  of  English  descent. 
They  settled  in  Mass.  at  an  early  day,  and  then  moved  to  Ontario 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born.  Mr.  C.  was 
Captain  for  a  number  of  years  in  the  N.  Y.  State  Militia,  and  was 
promoted  to  Colonel.  Mr.  Crosby  was  married,  in  1829,  to  Roxana 
Pitts.  She  is  deceased.  She  was  the  mother  of — Richard  M., 
Russell  W.,  Webster  R.,  Silas  H.,  and  Vernon  C.  Mr.  C.  is  a 
Republican  in  politics.  Post-office,  Green  Valley.  His  wife  was 
the  widow  of  George  Davis,  of  N.  Y".  Mr.  C.  came  to  this  county 
in  1852. 

Karl  Hoehley,  is  a  son  of  Gottfried  and  Christiana  (Grumbach) 
Hoehley,  natives  of  Prussia,  where  Karl  was  born  in  1828.  He 
crossed  the  ocean  and  came  to  this  county  in  1854.  He  attended 
the  German  schools  for  14  years;  was  married  to  Mary  Roush  in 
1859.  To  them  have  been  born  ten  children,  whose  names  and 
dates  of  birth  are  as  follows:  Elizabeth,  Eeb.  16,  1860;  Wilhel- 
mina,  July  8,  1861  ;  Mary  Catharine,  March  19,  1863;  Emma  C, 
June  27,  1864;  Frederick,  Mav  10,  1866;  Jacob  Levi,  Feb.  21, 
1868;  Louisa,  Nov.  9,  1869;  Jidia  A.,  Dec.  21,  1871;  W.  Frank- 
lin, Aug.  18,  1874;  Anna  R.,  Feb.  11,  1877.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoeh- 
ley are  menibers  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  He  is  a  farmer  on 
sees.  5  and  6.     P.  O.,  Manito. 

Alexander  Demmin//  IngermU,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  15; 
P.  O.,  Green  Valley.  Mr.  Ingersoll  is  one  of  the  most  extensive 
farmers  and  stock  raisers  in  Tazewell  Co.  He  is  the  owner  of  1245 
acres  of  land,  on  which  he  usually  raises  70  acres  of  wheat,  36  acres 
of  barley,  70  acres  rye.,  500  acres  corn,  and  140  acres  of  oats.  He 
has  on  his  farm  14  head  of  horses,  40  head  of  cattle,  and  85  hogs. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  531 

Mr.  Ingersoll  was  born  in  Grafton,  O.,  in  182;).  His  parents  were 
Reuben  and  Christine  (VanDuseu)  Ingersoll,  of  Mass.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  received  a  common  school  education  at  Hinckley,  O. 
He  was  engaged  in  the  general  merchandising  business  in  his  native 
State;  came  out  West  to  this  county  in  Jan.,  185G,  and  has  held  the 
various  local  offices ;  is  a  Democrat.  He  was  married,  Feb.  22, 
1853,  at  Granger,  O.,  to  Sarah  Vanorman,  a  native  of  Ontario  Co., 
N.  Y.  They  are  the  parents  of  James  R.,  born  Nov.  27,  1853; 
Georgia  A.,  born  June  9,  1854;  Edward  Y.,  July  1,  1855;  John 
Elbridge,  Sept.  27,  1857;  Hubert  I.,  July  1,  18(j0;  Charles  E., 
Aug.  31,  1862;  Henrv  C,  Nov.  12,  1867;  Ella  Medora,  June  16, 
1868;  Doctor  Alexander,  Sept.  21,  1870;  Josie  Belle,  April  16, 
1876. 

Doctor  Benjamin  Franklin  Ingersoll  is  the  seventh  son  of  Reuben 
and  Christine  (Van  Duesen)  Ingersoll,  who  were  natives  of  Mass. 
They  moved  to  Ohio  in  1816,  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born,  at  Hinckley,  Medina  Co.,  in  1832.  He  received  a  common 
school  education.  He  arrived  in  this  county  on  the  29th  of  Jan., 
1856  ;  is  the  owner  of  520  acres  of  land  and  considerable  stock  ;  has 
held  several  local  offices;  was  married,  Dec.  23,  1852,  to  Ann  Eliza 
Johnson,  of  Ohio.  They  are  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  born 
as  follows  :  Emmagene  Z.,  born,  '53  ;  Franklin  T.,  born  Dec.  13,  '51 ; 
Josephine  A.,  born  Sept.  14,  '56  ;  AVilliani  H.,  Oct.  5,  '58,  died  Feb. 
4,'63  ;  Lauretta,  Oct.  6,  '60 ;  INIilton  Webster,  Aug.  22,  '62  ;  Fred- 
erick L.,  Sept.  11,  '64;  Samuel  B.,  Dec.  11,  '66;  Clara  Belle,  Sept. 
21,  '68;  Stephen  Asher,  Jan.  14,  '71;  James  O.,  Jan.  28,  '74. 
Post-office,  Green  Valley. 

William  Pitts  Latham,  farmer,  sec.  10;  P.  O.,  Green  Valley;  was 
born  in  Cattaraugus  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1824.  His  parents  were  Hub- 
bard Sylvester  and  I^aura  (Short)  •  I^atham,  natives  of  New  York. 
Hubbard  Latham  and  Mercy  Bennett  were  his  grandparents,  and 
Hubbard  and  Ruth  Farbold  were  his  great  grandparents,  who  were 
natives  of  England,  His  great  grandfather  served  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war  as  Colonel  in  the  Continental  army.  AVilliam  P.,  whose 
name  is  at  the  head  of  this  sketch,  came  to  this  county  in  1851 ;  has 
held  the  offices  of  Supervisor,  Collector,  etc.  He  was  married,  Dec. 
30,  1851,  to  Ann  E.  Waggoner,  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Catha- 
rine (Strawbridge)  Waggoner,  natives  of  Penn.  Mr,  Latham  is  the 
father  of  John  S.,  born  Nov.  5,  '52 ;  Julia,  Nov.  8,  '54,  deceased ; 
Ada  B.,  Oct,  3,  '56;  Charles  W.,  May  2,  '59;  Laura  C,  Nov.  15, 
'61,  deceased;  Daniel  Lee,  April  14,  '65;  Cassius  W.,  May  12,  '67; 
Frederick  G.,  Aug.  25,  '71. 

John  M.  McDowell,  farmer,  sec.  25 ;  P.  O.,  San  Jose ;  was  born/ 
in  Franklin  Co.,  Penn.,  in  1850.  His  parents  were  AVilliam  E. 
McDowell  and  Mary  E.  Davidson,  his  wife.  John  M.  came  to  this 
county  with  his  parents  in  1855;  received  a  common  school  educa- 
tion, and  was  married,  March  9,  1876,  to  Elizabeth  Irving,  a  native 
of  Perry   Co.,  O.     They   have  two  daughters,   Myrtie   Bell,  born 


532  HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

March  31,  '77,  and  the  baby,  born  Dec.  21,  ,78.     Mr.  McDowell  Is 
identified  with  the  Republican  party. 

Henry  Crawford  McDoicell,  farmer,  sec.  24 ;  P.  O.,  San  Jose ;  was  '' 
born  in  Franklin  Co.,  Penn.,  Nov.  12,  1827.  His  parents  were 
William  and  Sally  (Work)  McDowell.  Henry  C,  attended  the 
common  schools  of  his  native  State.  He  came  to  this  county  in 
1853,  and  was  married,  Dec.  3,  1856,  to  Eleanor  Glud,  of  Berkshire, 
Mass.  They  are  the  parents  of  William  H.,  born  Sept.  21,  '60; 
George  A.,  born  June  13,  '63 ;  Carrie  May,  born  May  14,  '69 ; 
Charles  C,  born  March  30,  '72.  Mrs.  McDowell  is  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  Church. 

Thomas  McKinsiry  was  born  in  1813.  His  parents  were  Mary 
(Patton)  McKinstry,  a  native  of  Penn.,  and  John  McKinstry,  a  na- 
tive of  Ireland.  He  came  to  this  country  about  the  year  1773. 
They  had  seven  children,  six  of  whom  are  now  living,  which  shows 
that  the  McKinstrys  are  of  a  very  long-lived  family.  Maria,  now 
72  years  old,  is  the  widow  of  James  Brownlee.  Rosanna  is  70  years 
old,  and  the  widow  of  Joseph  Brownlee.  James  is  68  years  old. 
Matthew,  aged  65.  Rebecca,  aged  53 ;  she  is  now  a  widow.  All 
the  above,  except  Thomas,  reside  at  present  in  Ohio.  Thomas, 
whose  name  is  at  the  head  of  this  sketch,  is  65  years  of  age.  He 
was  married,  in  1835,  to  Mary  Ann  Graves,  a  native  of  Ohio.  They 
have  one  son,  James  F.,  born  June  14,  1850.  He  served  as  Justice 
of  the  Peace  for  14  years,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church  for  30  years.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1852.  Is  a 
Republican  in  politics. 

George  Solon  Nave  was  born  in  Marion,  Perry  Co.,  Ala,  March 
22,  1846.  His  parents  were  Jesse  B.  and  Mary  W.  Nave.  Mr.  N. 
went  through  the  Sophomore  class  at  Horow  College,  Ala.,  and 
graduated  at  the  University  of  Ala.  Is  now  a  farmer,  sec.  4.  He 
served  in  the  20th  Ala.  regt.,  C.  S.  A.,  as  Sergeant  Major  and  Cap- 
tain, being  promoted  for  gallantry  at  the  battle  of  Rock  Face 
Mountain.  AVas  married,  Dec.  19, 1875,  to  Ella  M.  Latham.  They 
have  one  son,  Hubert  Latham. 

Joseph  N.  Phillips  is  a  native  of  Tazewell  Co.,  being  born  here 
March  19,  1842.  He  is  the  only  child  of  John  and  Catherine 
(Stipes)  Phillips,  who  are  natives  of  France,  but  now  reside  in 
Sand  Prairie  township,  this  county.  They  were  among  the  earliest 
settlers.  Joseph  received  a  common  school  education ;  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Emma  Crabb.  They  have  four  children  — 
John  D.,  born  April  8,  '70;  Joseph  W.,  born  Dec.  24,  '71 ;  George 
Edward,  born  March  26,  '77  ;  Catharine  Margaret,  born  Oct.  10, 
'78.     He  is  a  Democrat ;  P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

James  K.  Pagh.  Mr.  Pugh  is  a  descendant  of  Jesse  Pugh,  who 
came  to  America  with  AVilliam  Penn.  Ellis  Pugh  and  Phoebe 
Copie  were  the  parents  of  James.  James  and  Joanna  Pugh  were 
the  parents  of  Jesse.  Jesse  and  Rebecca  (Babb)  Pugh,  natives  of 
Va.,  were  the  parents  of  James  K.,  who  was  born  in  Warren  Co., 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  533 

O.,  in  1826,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1848.  Has  held  the  offices 
of  Supervisor,  Collector,  and  Com.  of  Highways ;  was  married  to 
Sarah  S.  Tcnnent,  a  native  of  N.  Y.  They  have  had  born  to  them 
four  children,  only  one  of  whom  is  now  living.  Mr.  P.  is  a  farmer 
and  resides  on  sec.  10. 

Benjamin  Strmcbridge,  farmer,  sec.  9 ;  P.  O.,  Green  Valley,  was 
born  in  Lycoming  Co.,  Penn.,  May  14,  1814.  His  parents  were 
Benjamin  and  Alargaret  (Kiuman)  Strawbridge.  Mr.  S.  had  only 
such  advantages  for  an  education  as  the  subscription  schools  offered. 
He  learned  the  shoe-maker's  trade.  Mr.  S.  was  Notary  Public  at 
Williamsi)ort,  Penn.,  appointed  by  Gov.  Packard ;  was  elected 
County  Treasurer  of  his  native  Co.  in  1861,  on  the  Democratic 
ticket,*  being  the  only  Democrat  elected.  He  was  married  July  14, 
1844,  to  Sarah  Calvert.  Thev  were  the  parents  of  John  B. ;  Mary 
C;  William  R. ;  Frank  B.;' Jesse;  George  B.  McC. ;  Mary  C. ; 
P.  W.;  Ellis;  Smaley  E. 

Michael  Pritc-hard  Wolford,  farmer,  sec.  24  ;  P.  O.,  Green  Valley  ; 
was  born  in  Hampshire  Co.,  W.  Va.,  in  1845.  His  parents  are 
Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Short)  Wolford.  Michael  came  to  this  county 
with  his  parents  in  1855;  attended  the  common  schools  and  learned 
the  blacksmith  trade;  was  married  March  25,  1875,  to  Mary  J. 
Metcalf;  they  have  one  daughter,  lona  Elizabeth,  born  Feb.  24, 
'76,  and  one  son,  Frederick  Marion,  born  July  23,  '78.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wolford  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Samuel  Mijron  Woodrow,  farmer,  sec.  25 ;  P.  O.,  San  Jose.  Mr. ' 
Woodrow  was  born  in  this  county  in  March,  1855.  His  parents  are 
William  and  Ellen  R.  (Kellogg)  Woodrow.  Mr.  W.  attended 
school  at  Pekin  High  School,  Eureka  College,  and  Peoria  Business 
College.  He  is  the  owner  of  501  acres  of  valuable  land,  and  has  it 
well  stocked  and  improved.  He  was  married  Jan.  31,  1877,  to 
Sarah  Gravett,  a  native  of  White  Co.,  111.  They  have  one  son, 
William  W.,  born  April  24,  1878.  Mrs.  Woodrow  is  a  member  of 
the  Christian  Church.     Mr.  W.  is  a  Republican  in  politics. 

Edward  D.  Wordall  was  born  at  Zanesville,  O.,  in  1824.  John 
Worstall,  a  native  of  Penn.,  and  Lucy  Morris,  his  wife,  and  a  native 
of  N.  J.,  were  his  parents.  When  Mr.  W.  came  to  this  county  in 
1851,  he  carried  on  blacksmithing  at  Pekin  and  afterwards  the  same 
business  at  Circleville,  and  in  1861  he  moved  on  the  flirni  where  he 
now  resides.  He  filled  most  of  the  town  offices,  and  has  been 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  the  past  1 1  years ;  was  married  Oct.  4, 
1849,  to  Mary  V.  Foster,  of  Zanesville,  O.  They  have  had  ten 
children  —  Sarah  A.,  who  married  William  Dean,  of  Mason  Co.; 
John  C,  who  married  to  Manty  Debolt,  of  Ohio,  and  who  resides 
in  this  township;  Charles  W.  is  dead;  Arrila  J.,  who  married 
Isaiah  Correll  and  lives  in  Sand  Prairie  township ;  Celia  M.,  who 
married  Thomas  Boyer  and  resides  one-half  mile  west  of  the  old 
homestead;  George  F. ;  James  M. ;  William  IL,  and  Lottie  who  is 
dead. 


534  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

The  Supervisors,  Clerks,  Assessors  and  Collectors  who  have 
served  this  township  from  its  organization,  and  the  years  of  serving, 
are  as  follows : 

SUPERVISORS. 

W.P.Latham 1854-58  Jan^esK.  Pugh 1869 

James  Wilson 1859  J.M.Wilson 1870-72 

H.  S.  Latham 1860-64  Wm.  E.  McDowell 1873-74 

Wm.  D.  Cleveland 1865-67  John  Cline 1875-77 

Wm.  E.  McDowell 1868  James  K.  Pugh 1878-79 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

Wm.  D.  Cleveland 1855-58  Henry  Glover 1869 

C.  F.  3uckman 1859  Wilson  Griffin 1870-73 

Wm.  D.  Cleveland 1860-63  T.  J.  Barton 1875 

S.M.Webster 1864  Thomas  J.  Frazee 1876-77 

Edward  Worstall 1865  Aaron  P.  McGalliard 1878-79 

J.  B.  Bailey 1868 

ASSESSORS. 

CyrusB.  Chase 1855-57  A.  P.  McGalliard.. 1870 

C.  F.  Buekman 1858  J.  P.  Boyer 1871 

Wm.  E.  McDowell 1859  A.  P.  McGalliard 1872 

CyrusB.  Chase 1860-63  A.  D.  Ingersoll -...  1873-74 

C.  F.  Buekman 1864  Emanuel  Boyer 1875-76 

C.  B.  Chase 1865  M.  Boyer 1877 

J.  P.  Boyer 1866-69  Albert  Dean 1878-79 

COLLECTORS. 

Frank  K.  Pugh 1856  Hubbard  Latham 1863 

H.Latham 1858  Ira  F.  Randolph 1864 

Ira  F.  Randolph 1859  Wm.  P.  Latham 1865-70 

James  K.  Pugh 1860  Eugene  McCord 1871 

Wm.  P.  Latham 1861  Wm.  P.  Latham 1877-79 


MORTON  TOWNSHIP. 


Harvey  Campbell  proposed  the  name  for  this  township,  and  in 
honor  of  Gov.  Morton,  of  Mass.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Soward 
was  the  fir.st  settler.  He  located  on  sec.  31,  but  just  when  is  not 
known.  He  had  a  bearing  orchard,  however,  as  early  as  1831. 
Among  the  earliest  settlers  were,  Isreal  Shreeve  and  son,  Julius ; 
Daniel  Roberts  and  sons,  John  M.  Roberts,  Ambrose  Roberts, 
Darius  Roberts,  Walter  Roberts ;  Alfred  Phillips ;  Rev.  Wm.  Brown ; 
U.  H.  Crosby.  Maus  Shreeve  was  the  first  child  born,  which  was 
in  the  spring  of  1831.  The  first  death  was  Mary  Elizabeth,  infant 
daughter  of  Rev.  Wm.  Brown,  died  Dec.  1831.  The  first  school- 
house  was  built  on  sec.  4,  somewhere  between  the  years  1828  and 
1831.  It  is  claimed  that  Rev.  Wm.  Brown  taught  the  first  school 
in  his  own  cabin,  in  the  spring  of  1831.     The  second  school-house 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  535 

was  built  on  sec.  16.  All  material  and  work  was  paid  for  in  the 
currency  of  that  day,  viz:  labor  and  trade,  no  cash.  This  building 
is  now  used  as  a  dwelling  by  H.  N.  Crosby.  At  that  date  Uriah 
Crosby  was  the  frontier  settler,  and  had  to  plow  around  and  protect 
his  property  from  the  prairie  fires.  But  the  building  of  this  school- 
house  induced  others  to  settle  in  his  neighborhood. 

Uriah  H.  Crosby  came  to  Morton  in  1832,  and  settled  perma- 
nently in  1834,  erecting  his  log  cabin  on  the  spot  where  his  house 
now  stands,  on  sec.  9.  At  this  time  a  few  settlers  were  scattered 
here  and  there  over  the  county.  He  came  a  little  in  advance  l  f  the 
Tremont  colony,  from  New  York.  This  colony  entered  all  Govern- 
ment land  on  the  two  southern  tiers  of  sections  in  Morton.  ISIr. 
C.  was  busily  engaged  in  making  a  home  in  the  wilderness,  and  his 
trusty  rifle  was  his  constant  companion. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  this  country  it  was  not  uncommon  for 
children  to  get  lost,  yet  when  they  did  the  intensest  excitement  pre- 
vailed in  the  neighborhood.  When  Robert  G.  Strickland  was  only 
two  years  old,  he  started  out  to  find  his  father.  The  surrounding 
country  there  was  one  vast  wilderness  of  brush  and  timber.  He 
was  soon  missed,  but  no  traces  of  his  whereabouts  could  be  had  for 
some  fifteen  hours.  The  whole  settlement  turned  out  in  search  of 
the  child.  Three  district  schools  dismissed,  that  all  might  join  in 
the  search.  A  Mr.  Baricks  found  him  over  a  mile  from  the  house, 
and  took  him  to  Samuel  Tart's,  who  had  just  lost  a  little  boy,  and 
their  girl  was  so  glad  she  had  another  little  brother.  Mrs.  Tart  had 
a  little  niece  about  the  same  age  of  the  lost  boy,  who  lived  with  her. 
He  was  tired  and  dirty,  and  his  clothes  all  torn  and  face  badly 
scratched.  To  this  day  he  wears  the  scars  on  his  face.  He  was 
dressed  in  the  clothing  of  her  little  niece  by  Mrs.  Tart,  and  was 
sleeping  sweetly  when  his  father  called  for  him.  We  will  close  this 
narrative  by  stating  that  the  lost  boy  is  now  the  husband  of  the 
little  girl  whose  dresses  he  was  clothed  with.  He  resides  on  the 
same  old  farm,  and  has  seven  children,  none  of  whom  has  he  lost 
either  by  death  or  straying. 

The  original  village  of  Morton  was  laid  out  by  J.  M.  Campbell,  in 
October,  1850,  in  the  form  of  a  triangle,  comprising  about  five  and 
one-half  acres  of  land.  Since  then  he  has  made  several  additions. 
His  brother,  W.  W.,  together  ^^'1th  others,  have  added  to  the  village 
until  it  is  a  beautiful  place,  and  contains  about  300  acres  of  land. 
It  was  incorporated  under  the  late  general  law  for  organizing  villages, 
and  the  first  officers  were  elected  in  August,  1877. 


536  HISTOKY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Buckeye  M.  E.  Church  was  the  first  M.  E.  Church  organized  in 
the  township.  The  building,  a  frame,  30  by  40  feet,  is  located  on 
sec.  33.  It  was  built  in  1864,  at  a  cost  of  $1,700.  The  original 
members  were :  Israel  Shreeve  and  wife,  James  T.  Avers  and  wife, 
Wm.  Brown  and  wife,  (Mrs.  B.  now  resides  in  the  village  of  Mor- 
ton,) and  Benj.  Ayers  and  wife.  The  present  membership  is  31. 
The  parsonage  is  located  on  sec.  20,  Deer  Creek  township ;  value, 
$1,000. 

Morton  M.  E.  Church. — This  church  is  located  in  the  village  and 
is  a  good  brick,  Gothic  style,  30  by  50  feet,  and  cost  $1,800.  It 
was  built  in  1878.  The  congregation  Avas  organized  in  1842  by 
either  Zadock  Hall  or  Reuben  H.  Moifatt.  The  original  members 
were,  Father  Ratcliif,  Wm.  Barnuni  and  wife,  Robert  Roberts  and 
wife,  Joseph  Mitchell  and  wife,  and  Abner  Mitchell.  The  officers 
are,  Geo.  Sharp,  Robert  Roberts,  W.  P.  Rork,  C.  G.  Parker  and 
Wm.  Bennett. 

Morton  Baptist  Chirch  was  organized  March  6,  1851,  by  Elders 
W.  S.  Bly  and  G.  S.  Bailey,  with  24  members.  They  continued 
meeting  until  1859,  when  so  many  of  the  members  had  moved  away 
that  the  organization  was  disbanded,  and  the  remaining  ones  united 
with  the  Church  at  Washington. 

Morton  Congregational  Church  is  located  in  the  village,  and  was 
organized  in  August,  1851,  by  Rev.  W.  W.  Blanchard.  The  edifice 
was  erected  in  1870,  at  a  cost  of  $2,300.  It  is  30  by  40  feet  in  size. 
Up  to  the  year  1870,  services  were  held  in  the  Library  Association's 
building,  but  at  that  date  that  was  burned,  being  set  on  fire  by  an 
incendiary.  The  school-house  was  then  used  till  their  new  struc- 
ture was  ready  to  occupy.  The  original  members  were,  Mrs.  G. 
Webb,  Mrs.  W.  W.  Campbell,  John  S.  Lilly,  John  Lilly,  Ellen  J. 
Lilly,  Horace  Clark  and  wife,  Wm.  C.  Bartlett,  Daniel  Bartlett, 
Martin  Messingcr  and  wife,  Francis  Messinger,  H.  M.  Crosby  and 
wife,  and  Willard  Gray. 

Aj)odolical  Christian  Church  is  located  in  the  village.  The 
building  is  a  good  frame,  erected  in  1869,  and  an  addition  put  up  in 
1876.  It  is  in  size  58  by  60,  and  cost  $3,500.  The  congregation 
was  organized  in  1853  by  Benedict  Weynet.  The  present  member- 
ship is  150.  This  Church  has  no  salaried  ministers.  Geo.  Welk 
serves  as  elder. 

Before  closing  the  sketch  of  this  township,  we  wish  to  give  some 
personal  history,  believing  such  sketches  will  prove  interesting,  be- 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  537 

sides  they  contain  much  of  the  early  history.     For  this  purpose  we 
mention  the  following : 

John  W.  Brown  is  among  the  oldest  native  born  residents  of 
Tazewell  Co.  He  was  born  in  Morton  township  July  31,  1833. 
His  parents,  Rev.  William  and  Permelia  (C'ullom)  Brown,  were 
natives  of  Kentucky  and  came  to  this  township  three  years  before 
the  birth  of  their  son  John.  Rev.  Wm.  was  the  pioneer  preacher  of 
this  part  of  the  State.  He  died  May  14,  1845,  on  the  form  he  first 
settled  upon,  (the  southeast  quarter  of  section  13,)  in  October,  1830. 
Isreal  Slireeves  and  Moses  Norris  were  the  only  residents  of  this 
township  when  Mr.  Brown  came.  Mr.  Norris  lived  on  the  north- 
east quarter  of  section  23.  He  remained  there  only  a  few  years, 
when  he  moved  to  Iowa;  whether  living  now  or  not  we  can  not  find 
out.  Mrs.  Brown,  a  sister  of  the  late  Major  R.  N.  Cullom,  came 
to  Morton  at  the  time  her  brother  went  to  Deer  Creek.  She  is  still 
living.  John  W.  Brown  received  his  education  in  the  old  log 
school-house,  the  first  one  built  in  the  township.  He  has  quit 
farming  and  gone  into  the  village  and  deals  in  grain  and  stock.  He 
was  married  April  5,  18o5,  to  Sarah  McBride,  who  was  born  Aug. 
18,  1833,  in  Ohio.  Their  children  are  Samuel,  born  Nov.  14,  18o(j, 
and  Mary  P.,  born  Aug.  18,  1859.     Residence,  Morton. 

Robert  Barnard.  In  Essex  county  Eng.,  on  the  14th  day  of 
Aug.,  1030,  was  born  unto  Robert  and  Martha  (Chaifee)  Barnard, 
natives  of  the  same  county,  their  son  Robert.  From  England,  in 
1851,  Robert  came  to  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  and  the  following  year  to  this 
county,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  engaged  in  forming  on 
section  12,  and,  considering  the  size  of  the  family  he  has  reared,  he 
has  been  pretty  successful  in  life.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  Road 
Commissioner  and  School  Trustee.  Aug.  10,  1853,  Mr.  B.  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Rachael  Chaffee.  She  was  born  in  New  York 
Feb.  5,  1836.  They  are  the  parents  often  children,  eight  of  whom 
are  living.  Their  names  and  dates  of  births  are  as  follows :  ]5yron 
E.,  born  April  20,  'oo;  Martha,  Oct.  5,  1850;  Sarah,  Dec.  7,  '57; 
Susan,  Sept.  14,  '59;  A.  Lincoln,  Nov.,  '61;  Robert  H.,  Feb.  10, 
'63;  Marv,  Feb.  11, '65;  Frederick,  Julv  27,  '67;  Elvina,  Feb. 
14,  '69;  Elzina,  Feb.  24,  '71.  Sarah  and  "Susan  died  while  young. 
Mr.  B.  made  a  profession  of  religion  in  1860,  and  both  he  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  The  latter  joined 
in  Jan.  1879.     Post-office,  Washington. 

Charles  R.  Crandall,  farmer,  who  lives  on  sec.  9 ;  came  to  Taze- 
well Co.  in  1830.  He  was  born  of  New  England  parentage,  John 
Crandall,  his  father,  being  from  Massachusetts,  while  his  mother, 
Mary  (Croell)  Crandall,  was  born  in  Connecticut.  Charles  was  born 
Dec.  11,  1812,  at  Sheldon,  Genesee  Co.,  New  York.  Like  most 
pioneer  formers,  Mr.  C.  began  life  without  money  or  lands,  and  to 
day  he  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  formers,  owning  a  half  section  of 
land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  stocked  with  abundance 
of  fine  stock.     All  this  is  the   result  of  industry  and  integrity  of 


538  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

character,  always  indicative  of  a  well  rounded  Christian  life.  He 
united  his  fortunes,  Jan.  9,  1845,  with  Elizabeth  Norris,  of  London, 
England.  Their  only  son,  John  H.,  was  born  Jan.  9,  1846.  Mr. 
Crandall  embraced  the  Christian  religion  in  1850,  when  he  joined  the 
Baptist  Church. 

Uriah  H.  Crosby,  one  of  the  early  settlers,  was  born  at  Bristol, 
Ontario  Co.,  N.  Y.,  March  9,  1811.  He  came  here  from  Ohio,  as 
far  back  as  1834,  when  those  only  with  strong  determination  and 
nerves  of  steel  cared  to  come.  A  thousand  miles  on  foot,  with  rifle 
and  knapsack,  with  sore  feet  and  scanty  rations,  were  not  pleasant 
things  to  look  forward  to,  but  Mr.  Crosby  was  one  of  those  men, 
who,  in  danger,  with  a  destiny  to  fulfill,  never  falter;  to  prove 
which  his  whole  life  might  be  called  as  a  witness.  His  parents  were 
natives  of  New  Eno;land  and  Avere  humble  noble  characters.  Mr. 
Crosby,  at  the  age  of  28,  on  the  18th  day  of  April,  1839,  married 
Miss  Margaret  Murray,  and  from  the  union  sprang  nine  children, 
four  of  whom  —  Horatis  X.,  John  E.,  Mary  Oliver  and  Lucinda, 
are  living.  Mr.  C.  cast  his  first  vote  for  Gen.  Jackson,  for  Presi- 
dent, which  fact  healudes  to  with  pardonable  pride.  A  strong 
Democrat  in  Jackson's  time,  he  has  been  a  firm  Republican  since 
the  day  Lincoln  signed  the  Emancipation  Proclamation.  He  lives 
on  sec.  9 ;  P.  O.,  Morton. 

William  H.  Conibear,  M.  D.,  jNIorton,  was  born  in  1844,  and  is 
the  son  of  Thomas  and  Ann  (Kingdom)  Conibear,  natives  of  Eng- 
land, and  who  emigrated  to  America  in  1850.  He  settled  in  Peoria 
where  he  resided  until  1857,  when  he  came  to  this  county,  and 
settled  in  Deer  Creek,  and  after  two  years  moved  to  Bureau  county, 
where  he  died  in  1875.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  enlisted,  in  1862, 
in  112th  111.  luf ,  Co.  B,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He 
participated  in  the  battles  of  Knoxville,  Resecca,  Buzzard's  Roost, 
Kenesaw  Mountains,  Atlanta,  Franklin,  Nashville,  Bkiir's  Cross- 
roads, Dallas  and  Centerville.  Dr.  C.  commenced  the  study  of 
medicine  at  Sheffield,  Bureau  Co.,  in  1866,  after  which  he  attended 
a  course  of  lectures  at  Rush  INIedical  College,  Chicago.  He  com- 
menced practice  in  this  viHage  in  1869,  returning  to  Chicago  in 
1875,  and  was  graduated  from  that  institution.  He  was  married  to 
Miss  Jane  A.  Sterling,  a  native  of  Greenfield,  Conn.,  where  she  was 
born  in  1845.  Cornelia  A.,  Charles  E.,  John  C.  and  Eri  B.  are 
their  living  children.  Dr.  C.  is  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
School  Trustee  and  controls  a  large  practice  in  his  profession. 

Joseph  Dodds,  farmer;  was  born  in  Plattsburg,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  28, 
1822,  and  came  from  that  State  to  this  county  in  September,  1851. 
His  parents,  Joseph  and  Betsy  (Chapman)  Dodds,  were  natives  of 
England.  He  served  his  township  as  Collector  and  School  Director. 
An  important  event  of  Mr.  Dodds  life  occurred  April  28,  1850. 
That  is  the  date  of  his  marriage  with  Louisa  Gove.  Mrs.  Dodds 
was  born  in  Alburgh,  Yt.,  Nov.  26,  1827.  They  are  the  parents  of 
four  children,  one  of  whom,  however,  dwells  on  the  other  side  of  the 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  539 

Jordan  of  death.  The  names  and  births  of  chihlrcn  are  as  follows: 
Mary  A.,  born  April  28,  '51 ;  Sarah  Frances,  born  Feb.  13,  '56, 
and  died  Oct.  26,  '70;  George,  born  Feb.  5,  58;  Henry,  born  July 
29,  '64.  Mary  was  married"  to  Lester  B.  Roberts,  Feb.  22,  '72. 
Post-office,  jNlorton. 

Lorenzo  Durham  was  born  in  the  village  of  Baldwinsville,  Onon- 
daga Co.,  N.  Y.  His  father,  Lorenzo  D.  Durham,  was  a  native  of 
Baltimore,  Md.,  and  his  mother,  Matilda  Minard,  was  a  native  of 
New  York  City.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  left  an  orphan  at 
a  very  early  age,  his  father  died  in  1849,  and  his  mother  one  year 
later.  Lorenzo  was  left  upon  his  own  resources  until  1852,  when  his 
aunt,  Mrs.  Col.  Hugh  Gilston,  of  Baltimore,  offered  him  a  home, 
which  was  accepted.  He  finished  his  education  in  1854,  when  he 
entered  the  wholesale  drug-house  of  Clotworthy  &  Flint,  Baltimore, 
and  remained  there  until  1856,  when  he  went  to  Washington,  111. 
After  learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  at  ^yhich  he  served  as  aj^prentice 
three  years,  he  went  to  Groveland,  111.,  and  engaged  to  work  on  a 
farm,  where  he  remained  till  1861,  when,  Nov.  16th  of  that  year,  he 
enlisted  in  the  4th  111.  Cav.,  and  was  wounded  at  Pittsburg  Land- 
ing, which  disabled  him  for  cavalry  service,  but  after\yards  assisted 
in  raising  the  2d  West  Tennessee  Col.  Inf,  and  was  commissioned 
second  lieutenant  of  Co.  C,  and  in  1865  was  promoted  to  first 
lieutenant,  which  he  resigned  in  1866,  when  he  returned  home  and 
engaged  in  farming.  On  17th  October,  1867,  was  married  to  Mi- 
nerva B.  Gay,  of  Morton  township,  Taze\yell  Co.,  111.  He  moved 
to  the  town  of  Morton  in  1875.  In  April,  1877,  he  was  elected  J. 
P.,  and  has  held  that  position  to  the  present  time. 

Royal  B.  Joydin  was  born  in  Rutland  Co.,  Vt.,  Nov.  26,  1820. 
His  parents,  Calvin  and  Eunice  (Barlow)  Joyslin,  were  from  the 
Green  Mountain  State.  He  came  to  jNIorton  township  from  Ver- 
mont in  1847,  and  is  engaged  in  farming  on  section  27.  All  the 
education  he  ever  obtained  was  at  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
State,  and  by  his  own  personal  exertions.  Oct.  5,  1848,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Minerva  Brown,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Sally 
(Deusmore)  Brown,  of  New  York  and  New  Hampshire,  respectively. 
Their  children  number,  five  four  of  whom  are  living.  Fredrick  C, 
born  Aug.  30,  '51 ;  Charles  F.,  born  July  5,  '57 ;  Lulu  J.,  born 
Nov.  10,  '61;  Julia  L.,  born  June  3, '66,  and  died  Sept.  7, '73; 
Clara  B.,  born  March  26,  '73.  Previous  to  the  Emancipation  of 
the  negro  slaves,  Mr.  Joyslin  was  a  radical  Abolitionist  and  I^iberty 
Party  man  in  his  political  views.  Since  then  he  has  been  identified 
with  the  Republican  party.     Post-office,  Morton. 

Alexander  Mooherry.  The  subject  of  this  sketch,  a  man  of  fifty- 
four,  has  spent  forty-seven  years  of  his  life  in  this  county  and  is 
therefore  what  we  term  an  '^old  settler."  He  was  born  in  Franklin 
Co.,  Ohio,  Sept.  5,  1825.  His  parents,  John  and  Lyda  (Merion) 
Mooberry,  were  natives  of  Penn.  and  Mass.,  respectively.  Mr.  M. 
received  his  schooling  at  the  log  school-house  with  greased-paper 


540  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

windows  and  dirt  floor  in  Ohio,  and  at  the  same  kind  of  structure 
in  Illinois.  He  came  to  this  county  in  October,  18o2,  and  is  engaged 
in  farming  and  stock  raising  on  sec.  26,  He  converted  his  place 
from  the  raw  prairie.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  Assessor,  Road 
Com.,  and  that  of  School  Director  for  fifteen  years.  He  has  been 
married  twice.  The  first  time  to  Martha  J.  Mooberry,  Dec.  9, 
1851.  His  second  marriage  occurred  Dec.  13,  1864,  and  was  with 
Mary  C.  Lott.  He  is  the  parent  of  twelve  children,  and  what  is 
remarkable,  all  are  living.     Post-office,  ]\Iorton. 

Christian  May,  Postmaster  and  Notary  Public,  Morton;  was  born 
in  Dutchy  of  Nassau,  Germany,  in  1834,  and  emigrated  to  America 
Oct.  4,  1855,  landing  in  New  Orleans  Jan.  5,  1856,  in  a  shipwrecked 
condition,  being  88  days  on  the  ocean.  The  ship  w^as  struck  by  an 
English  vessel  and  disabled,  and  ran  into  Plymouth  for  repairs. 
In  March  of  that  year  he  came  to  this  village  and  worked  on  a  farm 
until  1862,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  82nd  I.  V.  Inf ,  Co.  E ;  was 
wounded  May  3rd,  1863,  at  Chancellorville,  Va.,  in  the  left  arm, 
and  sent  to  Finley  Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C,  where  his  arm  was 
amputated  May  31st,  and  where  he  was  confined  and  discharged 
Sept.  8,  1863;  returning,  attended  school  four  months  at  Groveland 
and  ten  months  at  Tremont,  when  he  engaged  with  a  marble  house 
at  Peoria  and  traveled  until  1869,  when  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  A.  Hay,  a  native  of  N.  Y.  State.  Was  appointed  P.  M.  in 
1870,  and  in  the  spring  of  the  same  year  elected  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  which  he  filled  for  seven  years;  has  also  been  Assessor  and 
Collector  for  many  years.  Has  been  School  Treasurer  since  1872, 
and  is  one  of  the  village  Trustees,  and  always  been  identified  with 
the  interests  of  the  town  and  county.  Dora  A.  and  Charles  H.  are 
their  living  children. 

Hon.  William  A.  Moore,  who  resides  on  sec.  25,  Morton  township, 
is  a  native  of  the  Blue  Grass  State,  having  been  born  in  Todd  Co., 
Ky.,  Nov.  1,  1839.  He  came  to  Illinois  when  but  seven  years  old. - 
His  parents,  David  G.  and  Ann  (Ellison)  Moore,  settled  in  Wood- 
ford Co.,  where  William  spent  his  ycjuth  and  obtained  his  education. 
He  married  Miss  Sarah  E.  Stumbaugh,  Feb.  20,  '62,  and  one  year 
later  came  to  this  county.  Mr.  M.  acts  with  the  Democratic  party, 
and  has  many  times  been  called  to  fill  important  offices  in  the  county, 
and,  in  1877,  was  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  General  Assembly  from  the 
27th  district,  which  postion  he  filled  with  marked  ability,  and  de- 
clined a  re-election  two  years  later. 

0.  J.  Pettyjohn  is  a  native  of  Tazewell  Co.,  having  been  born  in 
Tremont  township  Jan.  25,  1851.  His  parents,  James  and  Mary 
(Quinn)  Pettyjohn,  were  natives  of  Ohio.  He  attended  the  com- 
mon country  schools  for  some  years  and  then  entered  Jacksonville 
College,  Jacksonville,  111.  He  is  engaged  in  farming  and  resides 
on  section  29.  He  is  a  Director  of  his  school  district  and  Clerk  of 
the  Board.  February  23  of  the  present  year  (1879)  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Nannie  Todd.     Miss  Todd  was  born  in  Springfield, 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  541 

Ohio,  Feb.  8,  1855.     Her  parents,  James  and  Anna  (Espy)  Todd 
were  natives  of  Pennsylvania.     Post-office,  Morton. 

Lewis  Tai'bdl,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Elizabeth  (Lamb)  Tarbell, 
the  former  of  Vermont  and  the  latter  a  native  of  New  Hampshire, 
was  born  in  Chenango  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  1,  1828.  Ten  years  later  he 
came  to  this  county  and  has  since  resided  here.  He  is  engaged  in 
ao-ricultural  pursuits  on  section  33.  His  educational  advantages 
were  limited  to  the  common  schools  of  New  York  and  Illinois. 
The  17th  day  of  Nov.,  1853,  is  a  day  memorable  in  the  history  of 
ISIr.  Tarbell's  life.  Upon  that  day  he  was  united  with  IMary  Akens 
in  marriage.  The  union  has  resulted  in  the  birth  of  seven  children, 
four  bovs  and  three  girls.  All  of  them  are  living  save  one  of  the 
girls.     Post-office  address,  Morton. 

Erastus  Roberts,  hardware  and  agricultural  implement  dealer. 
Mr.  R.  was  born  in  Morton  township,  in  1842;  is  son  of  Darius 
and  Augusta  (Hathaway)  Roberts,  natives  of  New  York  State,  who 
came  to  the  West  in  1831  and  settled  in  this  township,  where  he 
entered  laud  and  lived  until  his  death,  Dec.  16,  1868.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  lived  at  home  until  1875,  when  he  came  to  the  village 
and  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  ]\Ioschel,  where  he  has  since 
carried  on  a  large  trade.  Was  married,  in  1862,  to  Miss  Harriet 
Loomis,  a  native  of  Peoria,  and  four  children  surround  the  fireside 
of  their  home  —  Carrie,  Edith,  Nellie  and  Fannie.  Mr.  R.  is  Town 
Trustee,  and  well  known  throughout  the  county. 

John  M.  Roberts.  The  subject  of  our  sketch,  was  among  the  first 
to  settle  in  this  county.  He  is  the  son  of  Daniel  and  Polly  (Phelps) 
Roberts,  natives  of  Connecticut.  John  was  born  in  Delaware  Co., 
N.  Y.,  on  the  9th  of  Dec,  1807,  and  after  receiving  a  good  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  his  State,  came  to  Tazewell  Co.,  at  the  age  of 
24,  in  the  year  1831,  setting  on  sec.  18,  Morton  township,  where  he 
now  lives,  himself  and  wife  residing  with  their  son,  Lester,  Mr. 
Roberts  is  the  oldest  settler  in  the  township,  living,  and  the  history 
of  the  county  is  also  the  history  of  himself,  he  having  been  so 
closely  identified  with  its  development.  He  was  first  married  to 
Mary  Burhans,  May  14,  1831,  and  Sept.  6,  1834,  was  again  united 
in  wedlock  to  Ann  Natirs,  five  children  having  been  born  to  him. 
He  has  held  many  important  offices  in  the  county,  all  of  M'hich  he 
has  filled  with  honor  and  ability.  In  1838  he  joined  the  Congre- 
gational Church. 

Joseph  Rich  was  born  in  France,  Jan.  1,  1822.  His  parents, 
Jacob  and  Catherine  (Zimmerman)  Rich,  were  also  French  people. 
His  father  was  a  soldier  under  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  and  participated 
in  the  famous  siege  of  Moscow.  He  was  born  in  1789,  came  to  this 
country  and  died  at  the  residence  of  his  son,  Joseph,  in  Morton 
township,  in  August,  1876.  Joseph  Rich  came  to  America  in  1840, 
and  landed  in  New  York.  He  worked  for  an  Italian,  near  Brook- 
lyn, for  two  years.  He  then  went  to  New  Jersey,  then  toTj*hiladel- 
phia,  Pittsburg,  and  brought  up  in  Ohio.     Here  he  remained  for 


542  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

five  years,  clearinD;  land  and  maulins:  rails.  He  finally  came  to  this 
county,  arriving  in  1848,  and  resides  on  sec.  1,  of  this  township. 
He  is  engaged  extensively  in  farming,  and  owns  1,050  acres  of  land, 
He  is  a  School  Director.  He  has  been  married  twice.  His  first 
marriage  occurred  in  1849,  and  was  with  Catherine  Rich.  In  1860, 
April  5th,  he  was  married  to  Catherine  Zimmerman.  Their  chil- 
dren number  seven,  all  living.  Tlieir  names  and  ages  are  as  follows : 
David,  born  Feb.  5,  '50;  Jacob,  March  15, '53;  Mary,  Sept.  10, 
'54;  Lydia,  May  1,  '56;  Daniel,  Oct.  25,  '57;  Joseph,  July  9,  '61; 
Christian,  March  8,  '65.     Post-office,  Washington, 

Christian  Hinith  was  born  in  Woodford  Co.,  111.,  Jan.  8,  1846,  but 
is  of  French  parentage;  his  parents.  Christian  and  ]\Iagdalaine 
(Schrock)  Smith,  were  natives  of  France.  He  came  to  this  county 
in  1853,  and  is  engaged  in  farming  in  company  with  his  brother-in- 
law,  Peter  Sweitzer,  on  sec.  2.  They  are  conducting  the  farm  of 
John  Sweitzer.  He  served  in  the  late  war,  in  Co.  G,  108th  111. 
infantry.  He  united  with  the  (Omish)  Minnonite  Church  in  1867. 
Feb.  13,  1873,  he  was  married  to  Rena  Sweitzer,  daughter  of  John 
E.  and  Mary  Sweitzer,  and  who  was  born  June  12,  1847.  They  have 
two  little  boys,  William  Arthur,  born  Nov.  22,  '73,  and  Frederic 
Albert,  born  Feb.  21,  '79.     Post-office,  Cooper. 

Christopher  Shaefer,  farmer,  sec.  28,  is  the  son  of  Christopher  and 
Mary  (Fisher)  Shaefer,  of  Virginia,  and  was  born  in  Green  Briar 
Co.  in  that  State,  April  29,  1813.  He  found  his  way  to  Ohio  and 
in  1841  came  from  Franklin  county  to  Tazewell.  He  received  a 
limited  education,  having  the  advantages  only  of  subscription 
schools,  but  in  life  has  been  reasonably  successful.  On  the  29th  of 
Dec,  1836,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Elizabeth  Cox,  who 
bore  him  eight  children,  four  boys  and  four  girls.  One  of  the  boys 
and  one  of  the  girls  sleep  in  their  graves.  He  confessed  his  faith 
in  Christ  in  1840,  and  is  connected  with  the  Baptist  Church.  Post- 
office,  Morton. 

Louis  Stcdtcr,  merchant,  Morton ;  was  born  on  the  river  Rhine, 
Germany,  in  1841,  and  emigrated  to  America  with  his  mother  in 
1853,  and  settled  in  Washington  township,  where  he  engaged  in 
farniing  until  1863,  when  he  moved  to  Livingston  Co.  where  he 
resided  until  1874,  at  which  time  he  settled  in  this  village  and 
opened  his  present  place  of  business,  where  he  has  since  been  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  keeping  a  general  stock  of  goods.  Was  mar- 
ried in  1861,  to  Miss  Annie  Schrock,  a  native  of  this  county. 
She  died  in  1874.  He  has  five  children  by  this  marriage  —  Joseph, 
Peter,  Lewis,  Laury,  and  Annie.  His  present  wife,  Phoebe 
Rediger,  was  born  on  river  Rhine  in  1846.  Mr.  S.  has  been  Jus- 
tice  of  the  Peace  three  years,  and  has  been  otherwise  identified  with 
the  interests  of  the  town  and  county, 

John  Sweitzer,  son  of  John  and  Veronica  Sweitzer,  of  France,  was 
born  in  that  country  Sept.  15,  1807.  He  had  heard  much  of  Amer- 
ica and  longed  to  press  its  free  soil.     Accordingly,  in  1832,  he  sailed 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  543 

for  the  United  States.  He  spent  some  time  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
in  1833  came  to  Illinois  and  located  in  Woodford  county,  which,  at 
that  time,  was  included  in  Tazewell  county.  He  remained  there 
until  1851,  when  he  came  to  sec.  2,  of  this  township,  where  he  now 
resides.  He  has  retired  from  active  labor  himself  and  rents  his 
farms,  whicii  ineludge  720  actes.  On  the  day  he  was  twenty-one 
years  of  age  he  was  married  to  Mary  Engel,  who  was  born  in  France 
Dec.  1,  1807.  Her  parents  were  Christian  and  Barbara  (Brunner) 
Engel,  of  France.  They  are  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  seven 
of  whom  are  living :  Christian,  born  July  24,  '29 ;  Barbara,  Jan. 
10,  '31 ;  Neronica,  Aug.  26,  '32;  John,  Oct.  2(j,  '34;  Joseph,  Nov. 
30,  '39  ;  Mary,  Dec.  7,  '41  ;  Bena,  June  12,  '47  ;  Peter,  Sept.  7,  '49  ; 
Catharina,  Jan.  4,  '52.  Three  of  the  children  died  young  and  have 
no  record.  Christian,  a  sea  captain  and  pilot,  of  Oregon,  was 
drowned  in  the  Pacific  ocean,  near  San  Francisco,  Nov.,  1858,  while 
in  a  gale.  Joseph,  a  mate,  fell  from  a  steamboat  on  the  Columbia 
river,  Oregon,  in  1864,  and  was  drowned.  Peter  Sweitzer  resides 
in  Washington,  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  drain  tile  and  is 
doing  a  j)n»sperous  business.  Mr.  S.  is  a  member  of  the  Omish 
Mennonite  Church.     Post-office,  Washington. 

William  Voelpel,  blacksmith,  Morton;  born  in  1840  and  emi- 
grated with  parents  to  America  in  1848  and  settled  in  St.  Louis, 
where  he  lived  until  his  father's  death  in  1874.  In  1861,  enlisted 
in  the  5th  Mo.  V.,  Co.  B,  serving  three  months  and  twenty  days; 
returned  and  enlisted  in  the  2d  Mo.  V.,  Co.  F,  serving  one  year, 
when  the  regiment  was  disbanded.  Participated  in  the  battle  of 
Corinth.  The  following  year  came  to  this  village  and  became  en- 
gaged at  his  trade,  where  he  was  drafted  in  the  44th  I.  V.  I.,  Co. 
F.,  and  served  nine  months,  participating  in  the  battles  of  Franklin 
and  Nashville.  Returning  formed  a  partnership  with  Henry  Miller 
and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  purchased  his  interest,  wdiere  he 
has  since  carried  on  a  successful  and  remunerative  business.  Was 
married  in  1867  to  Miss  Barbara  Metz,  a  native  of  Germany.  They 
have  eight  children — William,  John,  Lucy,  Edward,  Annie,  George, 
Ida,  and  Mary.     Are  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 

Those  serving  the  township  in  the  various  official  capacities  of 
Supervisor,  Clerk,  Assessor  and  Collector,  are  given  below,  together 
with  the  year  or  years  of  serving : 

SUPERVISORS. 

Horace  Clark 1850  Wm.  A.  Moore 1874-75 

Joel  W.  Clark 1851-59  Samuel  C.  Smith 187(j 

Andrew  Gilhim 1860-61  John  H.  Cran.lall 1877 

Charles  K.  Crandall 1863-66  Samuel  C.  Smith 1878 

Wm.  Munroe 1867-71  William  Smith 1S79 

Thomas  Cooper 1872-73 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

Eri  Gray 1854-59      Frank  Greisser 1870 

J.  M.  Roberts 1860-69      John  M.  Roberts 1871-79 

33 


544 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 


Enoch  G.  Emerson 

All)ert  Parker resig 

John  M.  Roberts 

George  F.  Crandall. 

Charles  R.  Crandall 

Hiram  L.  Phillips 

Enoch  G.  Emerson 

Martin  L.  Smith 

Alex.   Mooberry 

Charles  Waters 


ASSESSORS. 

1854  J.  L.  Hayward 1864 

ned.  J.  W.  Brown 1805 

1S55  W.B.Roberts 18()G 

185*)  J.  L.  Hayward 18()7 

1857  Edward  Munroe 1868 

1858  Christian  May 1869-71 

1859  Alex.  Mooberry 1872-73 

18G0  Christian  May 1874-75 

1861  Samuel  C.  Smith 1870 

1863  Christian  May 1877-79 

COLLECTORS. 


John  W.  Ely 1854 

Charles  R.  Crandall 1855 

William  Gray 1856 

Geo.  F.  Crandall 1857 

Enoch  G.  Emerson. 1858 

Amos  Brown 1859 

W.  B.  Roberts 1860 

Thomas  J.  Brown.. 1861-63 

J.  H.  Loapman 1864 

D.  G.  Bracken 1865 

Christian  May,  jr 1866-68 


James  M.  Phillips 1869 

E.  N.  Phillips 1870 

Alex.  Mool)erry 1871 

Christian  May 1872 

Samuel  C.Smith 1873-74 

Wilson  S.  Smith 1875 

Simon  Denniel 1876 

William  Moschel 1877 

Samuel  R.  Plum 1878 

W.  B.  Renard 1879 


MACKINAW  TOWNSHIP. 


The  land  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township  is  somewhat  rough 
and  broken.  It  is  covered  with  a  splendid  growth  of  timber.  The 
southern  portion  is  fine  rolling  prairie,  and  contains  some  of  the 
best  farming  land  in  the  county.  The  first  improvement  was  made 
by  Abner  Smith,  on  sec.  28.  Among  the  early  settlers  were  Morde- 
cai  Mobley,  Elijah  Sergeant,  Samuel  Judy,  Michael  Hittle  and  Jonas 
Hittle.  Michael  Hittle  is  the  only  one  of  the  first  settlers  now 
living  here.     We  can  say  with  the  poet ; 

"Of  the  pioneer  who  came, 
Battling  for  a  home  and  name, 
All  are  dead." 

The  first  birth  was  that  of  Wm.  Hittle,  in  1833.  The  first  death 
was  Abner  Smith,  in  1828.  The  first  marriage  occurred  in  1830, 
when  Conway  Rhodes  was  united  with  Miss  Harmon.  The  first 
sermon  was  preached  by  Mr.  Mitchell,  a  Methodist,  in  1829.  The 
first  Justice  of  the  Peace  was  Jonas  Hittle.  The  first  school  was 
taught  by  Silas  B.  Curtis.  The  first  round-log  cabin  was  built  by 
Mordecai  Mobley,  a  pioneer,  who,  in  an  early  day,  officiated  in  the 
several  positions  of  what  are  now  County  Judge,  County  and  Cir- 
cuit Clerks,  Recorder,  and  Postmaster.     But  of  so  little  importance 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  545 

were  these  offices   in   those  days,  that  fees   from   all  of  them  were 
scarcely  sufficient  to  support  his  family. 

The  early  history  of  the  villags  of  Mackinaw  is  very  fully  de- 
tailed in  the  second  chapter  of  this  History,  we  therefore  deem  it 
unnecessary  to  record  it  here.  The  present  population  of  the  town 
is  about  800.  It  is  on  the  line  of  the  I.,  B.  &  W.,  and  I.  M.  Rail- 
roads. The  first  post-office  was  established  in  1827.  Mordecai 
Mobley  was  the  first  postmaster ;  the  present  postmaster  is  James 
E.  Hill.  There  is  one  drug  store,  three  grocery  stores,  one  furni- 
ture store,  one  hardAvare  store,  and  two  of  general  merchandise,  one 
hotel,  one  large  agricultural  implement  house,  three  wagon  shops,  and 
a  grist-mill.  There  is  a  Masonic  lodge,  which  was  organized  over 
a  half  century  ago,  and  is  now  in  a  flourishing  condition.  The  Trus- 
tees of  the  town  are  as  follows :  Daniel  Beckly,  James  H.  Porter, 
J.  L.  Davis,  Thomas  Higgins,  and  J.  H.  Wilson. 

RELIGIOUS    HISTORY    OF    MACKINAW    TOWNSHIP. 

Christian  Church. — From  the  earliest  settlement  of  Mackinaw 
township,  dating  as  for  back  as  1826,  there  were  occasional  religious 
meetings  held  at  private  houses  and  subsequently  school-houses. 
Methodist,  Cumberland  Presbyterian,  United  Brethren,  occasionally 
a  Baptist,  a  New  Light,  or  Old  Christian  preacher,  living  in  other 
settlements,  or  traveling  through,  would  stop  with  the  friendly 
pioneers  and  preach  to  those  who  would  gather  in.  These  meetings 
were  not  without  some  good  effect.  In  183-t,  Elder  James  A.  Lind- 
sey  came  from  Kentucky  and  settled  in  the  east  part  of  the  town- 
ship. He  was  a  minister  of  the  Disciples  or  Christian  Church,  and 
was,  perhaps,  the  first  resident  preacher  of  the  township ;  was  a 
man  of  sterling  worth  and  integrity,  kind  and  genial  in  disposition, 
and  ardently  devotional.  He  began  at  once  the  proclamation  of  the 
Gospel  as  taught  by  this  people.  Having  a  large  family,  and  real- 
izing the  importance  of  regular  church  influence,  he  soon  made  it  a 
special  feature  of  his  work  to  establish  the  cause  in  his  own  neigh- 
borhood. He  was  successful  in  harmonizing  some  of  other  religious 
views,  and  baptizing  others  who  had  made  no  profession.  These 
efforts  resulted  in  a  meeting  for  consolidation,  which  was  held  at  his 
house  in  Sept.,  1837,  and  on  the  5th  day  of  October,  at  what  was 
known  as  Mt.  Pleasant  school-house,  the  first  Christian  Church  of 
the  township,  and  perhaps  the  first,  that  was  strictly  on  that  basis,  in 
the  county.     The  Methodist  Conference  had  established  a  station  at 


546  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Mackinaw  town,  and  had  monthly  preaching,  and  this  has  always 
been  a  point  in  their  Conference.     The  Christian  Church  organized 
with  23  members  and  chose  as  Elders,  George  Hittle  and  Samuel 
Fleshen;  Deacons,  Michael  Hittle  and  Nehemiah  Hill;  James  E. 
Lindsey,  Evangelist,  and  R.  F.  Houston,  Clerk.     From  the  first  the 
congregation  prospered  and  increased  steadily,  seldom  failing  to  meet 
on  the  first  day  of  every  week.     Her  circle  of  influence  and  bound- 
aries enlarged.     The  school-house  and  the  private  homes  were  soon 
too  small  to  contain  the  anxious  congregations.     The  groves,  God's 
first  temples,   were   the   frequent  resorts  of  the   early  worshippers. 
This  book  will  foil  into  the  hands  of  those  who  will  remember  with 
emotions  of  supreme  delight  many  of  those  grove  meetings,  where 
was  heard  the  clarion  voices  of  a  Davenport,  a  Palmer,  or  a  Bowles, 
or  the  milder  teaching  of  a  Young,  a  Major,  or  a   Lindsey,  all  of 
whom  have  gone  to  their  rewards.     They  brought  scores  to  the  Cross 
and  delighted  the  souls  of 'the  devoted  throngs.     When,  in  the  year 
1849,  the  congregation  conceived  the  necessity  of  a   house  of  wor- 
ship, a  majority  of  the  members  favored  building  in  Mackinaw  town. 
Accordingly,  in  that  and  the  following  years,  they  erected  a  large 
and  comfortable  house.     For  a  period  of  over  a  quarter  century  they 
occupied  it,  and  seldom  failed  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  to  hold 
their  meeting  in  accordance  with  their  faith.     During  these   years 
they  have  enjoyed  the  pastoral  and  evangelizing  services  of  many  of 
the  finest  speakers   of  Central   Illinois.     In   addition   to   those  al- 
ready named  there  were  AVm.  Ryan,  James  Robinson,  the  Johnsons, 
the  Aliens,  S.   T.  Jones,   Howe,  Mitchel,   R.   Williams,   Chaplin, 
Poynter,  Shick,  Samuel  Lowe,  John  Lindsey,  ^\.  Houston,  and  a 
host  of  others. 

In  1875  the  Christian  Church  disposed  of  the  house  they  had 
used  so  long,  and  erected  another  more  modern  in  architecture,  and 
at  a  cost  of  ^3,300.  On  the  22d  day  of  August  of  that  year  it  was 
formally  opened.  Elder  Joseph  Lane  preaching  the  first  or  dedica- 
tory sermon.  Since  that  time  H.  A.  Pallister  has  labored  one  year 
with  them  with  marked  success,  and  a  number  of  other  speakers  of 
notoriety  have  been  with  them.  The  venerable  G.  W.  Minier  has 
been  a  frequent  speaker  for  this  congregation  for  many  years.  At 
the  present  time  Prof.  Kirk,  of  Eureka,  and  Elder  R.  B.  Chaplain, 
of  Normal,  each  preach  once  per  month.  The  meetings  are  well 
attended.  The  present  officers  are:  Elders,  D.  W.  Puterbaugh, 
Joseph  Myers,  Thos.  Wilson,  Geo.  Patterson;  Deacons,  Solomon 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  547 

Puterbaugh,  Jacob  Smith,  Moses  Ingersoll,  James  E.  Hill,  Samuel 
Puterbaugh,  David  Philips.  More  than  2,000  persons  have  had 
membership  with  this  congregation.  About  150  are  attending 
members  now.  Several  who  made  their  religious  start  here  have 
been  acceptable  preachers,  and  some  of  them  dfstinguished.  Some 
whose  Christian  career  began  at  Mackinaw,  have  been  instrumental 
in  building  up  the  cause  in  other  places.  Thus  the  history  of  the 
little  start  in  the  log  school-house,  in  1837,  can  never  be  told  in 
full  until  Millennial  morn,  when  the  gathering  hosts  shall  meet  before 
the  grand  assize  and  strike  glad  hands,  and  receive  the  recompense 
of  their  reward. 

The  M.  E.  Church. — The  church  edifice  of  this  congregation  was 
erected  in  1850,  at  a  cost  of  §1,000.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev. 
Wm.  Beadle.  It  was  organized  with  about  nine  members  —  J. 
Tucker  and  wife,  Dr.  Sailor  and  wife,  Jas.  Mathewson  and  wife, 
and  A.  S.  Smith  and  wife.  The  several  pastors  have  been  Revs. 
George  Miller,  Samuel  Smith,  John  Calhoun,  Wm.  McKay,  Mr. 
Pinkcrton,  George  Milsap,  John  Smith,  and  others.  The  present 
pastor  is  Rev.  Wm.  Wiley.     The  present  membership  numbers  24. 

Seventh  Day  Adventists. — This  congregation  was  organized  in  the 
village  in  1877,  and  includes  members  residing  in  Deer  Creek. 
They  have  no  church  edifice,  but  meet  in  private  houses.  All  mem- 
bers take  part  in  exercises.  One-tenth  of  the  actual  income  of 
members  goes  to  the  Church.  They  have  no  discipline  but  the  Bible ; 
construe  immersion  as  baptism,  and  observe  the  seventh  day  instead 
of  the  first  day,  as  the  Lord's  day.  Xo  person  is  admitted  into  the 
Church  who  uses  whisky,  tobacco  or  opium  in  any  form.  They 
believe  Jesus  Christ  is  soon  to  come  to  earth  to  destroy  it,  and  set 
up  his  kingdom ;  that  the  soul  sleeps  in  the  grave  until  the  final 
judgment  day. 

In  closing  this  sketch  we  wish  to  mention,  personally,  some  of 
the  leading  citizens  of  the  community. 

Edward  H.  Bacon,  farmer,  stock  raiser  and  brick-maker,  sec.  13; 
Post-office,  Lilly.  Mr.  B.  is  the  owner  of  about  1,200  acres  of  land. 
He  is  a  native  of  Oxford,  Butler  Co.,  O.,  having  been  born  in  tliat 
State  March  13,  1827.  His  jiarents  were  Edward  and  Jane  Bacon. 
His  father  was  a  native  of  X.  J.,  and  mother  of  l\'nn.  Mr.  B. 
received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  State.  He  came 
to  this  county  in  the  year  1860,  and  has  been  very  successful 
in  business  matters.  He  was  united  in  marriage  March  15,  I860, 
to  Miss  Sarah  Worden,     Of  this  union  one  daughter  and  one  son 


548  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

were  born.     The  latter  is  deceased.     In  politics  Mr.  B.  is  a  Demo- 
crat.    His  portrait  may  be  found  in  this  work. 

Charles  Bergen  has  followed  the  occupation  of  farming  since  he 
came  to  this  State.  He  located  in  this  county  in  1832 ;  has  only 
moved  once  since  coming  to  the  State  and  then  only  eight  miles ; 
now  resides  on  sec.  22.  He  is  the  owner  of  720  acres  of  fine  farm- 
ing land.  Mr.  B.  was  born  in  Kings  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  21,  1806; 
his  parents  were  Johannes  and  Johanna  Bergen,  natives  of  N.  Y. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  State  and  was 
married  Feb.  6,  1834,  to  Eleanor  Maples.  They  are  the  parents  of 
eight  children — two  boys  and  six  girls  —  only  three  of  whom  are 
now  living.     Post-office,  Lilly. 

Isaac  Blair  is  a  native  of  Ross  Co.,  O.,  having  been  born  in  that 
State  Feb.  4,  1836.  He  is  the  son  of  Bethnel  and  Sabry  Blair,  who 
are  natives  of  the  same  State.  Mr.  B.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  State 
and  111.  By  occupation  he  is  a  farmer,  residing  on  sec.  27.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  Oct.  5,  1860,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  S.  Chaplin; 
their  union  has  been  blessed  with  six  children,  five  of  whom  are 
living.  Mr.  B  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church.  His  Post- 
office  address,  Mackinaw. 

Joseph  L.  Boucher,  salesman  for  George  Miller  and  Son,  Macki- 
naw, was  born  in  Licking  Co.,  O.,  March  22,  1828.  His  parents 
were  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  of  Maryland  and  Virginia.  Mr.  Boucher 
came  to  the  county  in  1837,  and  was  a  delegate  in  the  first  Republi- 
can convention  ever  held  in  Tazewell  Co. ;  was  postmaster  at  Arm- 
ington  under  the  administration  of  Buchanan,  and  at  Mackinaw 
under  Lincoln  and  was  U.  S.  ganger  for  four  years  under  Grant,  and 
no  indictment  or  fault  was  ever  found  against  or  with  him  in  his 
official  duties.  Mr.  Boucher  was  married  Jan.  16,  1850,  to  Sarah 
Parmelee,  who  died  Jan.  13,  1851;  was  married  again  June  15, 
1853,  to  Mary  A.  Hittle.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church, 
and  a  Republican. 

Joseph  L.  Davis,  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Notary  Public.  Mr. 
Davis  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  since  1849,  with  the  exception 
of  two  years,  and  has  at  various  times  filled  the  offices  of  Town- 
Clerk,  Collector,  and  Assessor.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  He 
resides  in  the  village  of  Mackinaw.  He  is  a  native  of  Bennington 
Co.,  Vt.,  where  he  was  born  April  22,  1814.  His  parents  were 
Gideon  and  Lydia  Davis,  of  New  Hampshire.  He  attended  the 
common  schools  and  Chester  Academy,  of  Chester,  Vt.  He  was 
married  Sept.  22,  1838,  to  Catherine  Lance.  They  have  had  nine 
children  —  two  boys  and  seven  girls  —  six  of  whom  are  living. 

John  C.  Dennis,  jr.,  farmer,  sec.  35.  He  owns  160  acres  of  fine 
land  and  has  been  successful  in  his  chosen  pursuit.  When  our 
country  called  for  men  to  perpetuate  the  Union,  Mr.  Dennis  donned 
the  bliie  and  joined  Co.  G,  17th  111.  Infantry,  May  25,  1861,  and 
served  his  country  for  over  three  years.     He  is  a  native  of  Morgan 


MPS.  EMILY  I.HILL 


NEHEMIAH   HIL« 


MACK/NAtV  TOWNSHIP 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  549 

Co.,  this  State,  where  he  was  born  March  27,  1832.  He  was  educat- 
ed in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  county.  His  parents  are 
John  C  and  Rachel  A.  Dennis,  natives,  respectively,  of  Virginia  and 
Kentucky.  Both  of  them  arc  now  living  at  Eureka,  this  State, 
aged  76,  and  71.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  married  INIarch 
22,  1866,  to  Susan  A.  Railsback,  daughter  of  D.  G.  A.  Railsback. 
They  have  had  six  children  —  three  boys  and  three  girls  —  five  of 
whom  are  living.  He  belongs  to  the  Christian  Church.  P.  O., 
Minier. 

Robert  A.  Dunham,  retired,  resides  in  the  village  of  Mackinaw, 
and  is  the  owner  of  345  acres  of  land.  Mr.  Dunham  started  in  life 
with  a  cash  caj^tal  of  twenty-five  cents,  and  never  received  a  cent 
from  any  one  but  what  he  gave  value  received.  He  was  born  in 
Northumberland  Co.,  Pa.,  April  15,  1806.  His  parents,  Mathias 
and  Maria  Dunham,  were  natives  of  Pa.  and  N.  J.  He  received  a 
common  school  education  in  his  native  State.  He  came  to  this 
county  in  1834;  was  married  July  11,  1839,  to  Sidney  A.  Halsey. 
They  have  had  nine  children  —  five  boys  and  four  girls,  but  three 
of  whom  are  living.  He  is  a  Methodist.  His  political  views  are 
Republican. 

Peter  G.  Ilai/  was  born  in  Christian  Co.,  Ky.,  Jan.  12,1825; 
his  parents  were  John  and  Celia  Hay,  of  Virginia  and  Kentucky. 
Mr.  Hay  attended  the  common  schools  of  Kentucky  and  Illinois. 
He  came  to  this  State  in  1835  and  settled  in  this  county  in  1853; 
he  now  lives  on  sec.  25.  He  pursues  the  occupation  of  farming  and 
stock  raising,  in  whicli  he  has  been  quite  successful.  He  ownes  793 
acres  of  land.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  married  Nov.  27, 
1850,  to  Almedea  Smith,  who  has  borne  him  eight  children,  one  of 
whom  is  deceased.  Mr.  Hay  is  connected  with  the  Christian 
Church.     Political  views  are  Democratic.     P.  O.  address,  liilly. 

Neheminh  Hill  is  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  and  a  son  of  Gar- 
land and  Elizabeth  (Wade)  Hill.  His  mother  died  when  he  was 
quite  small.  His  father  moved  to  Ky.  in  an  early  day,  in  which 
State  Nehemiah  grew  to  maidiood  and  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Emily  I.  Wooldrige  May  13,  1828.  They  have  celebrated  "their 
golden  wedding.  Their  union  was  blessed  with  nine  cliildren  ;  their 
names  are  as  follows :  Mabel,  who  died  in  infancy  ;  Henry  W.,  who 
served  three  years  in  the  47th  regt.,  is  now  deceased ;  John  W. ;  J. 
E. ;  Benjamin  C,  who  served  in  the  26th  regt.  and  was  killed  in 
battle;  ^lary  Elizabeth,  deceased;  Philip  P.,  who  served  in  the 
26th  regt.,jwas  wounded  at  luka.  Miss. ;  Nehemiah  L.,  who  served 
in  26th  regt. ;  and  Hernion  W.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hay  are  consistent 
members  of  the  Christian  Church.  He  was  an  old-time  Wliig,  but 
has  acted  with  the  Republican  ]>artv  since  its  organization.  Post- 
office,  Mackinaw. 

Hermon  W.  Hill,  druggist,  INIackinaw.  Mr.  Hill  luis  a  first-class 
drug-store,  is  an  experienced  apothecary,  and  is  (juite  successful  in 
his  business.     He  is  a  native  of  Tazewell  Co.,  and  was  born  Aug. 


550  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

7,  1850.  His  parents  are  Nehemiah  and  Emily  I.  Hill,  natives  of 
North  Carolina  and  Mississippi,  respectively.  Hermon  W.  was  ed- 
ucated in  the  common  schools  of  this  county  and  Eureka  College, 
Woodford  Co.,  111.  He  was  married  to  Ida  B.  Boucher  Feb.  20, 
1879. 

James  E.  Hill,  postmaster,  of  the  firm  of  J.  E.  &  N.  L.  Hill, 
general  merchants,  INIackinaw.  Mr.  Hill  was  born  in  this  county 
and  township,  Oct.  29,  1835.  His  parents  were  Nehemiah  and 
Emily  I.  Hill,  of  North  Carolina  and  Mississippi.  James  E.  at- 
tended the  common  schools  of  this  county ;  was  married  to  Mary 
E.  Blair  Dec.  27,  1862.  They  have  one  boy  and  two  girls.  Mr. 
Hill  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and,  politically,  a 
Republican. 

Michael  Hittle  was  born  in  Greene  Co.,  O.,  Nov.  29,  1808.  His 
parents,  George  and  Mary  Hittle,  were  natives  of  Northumberland 
Co.,  Pa.  His  father  came  West  to  Ohio  in  1790.  He  visited  Illi- 
nois in  1817,  and  moved  into  Sangamon  county  in  1825,  where  he 
remained  only  four  months,  when  he  pushed  on  to  the  beautiful 
grove  in  Hittle  township,  which  was  christened  Hittle's  Grove  in 
honor  of  the  Elder  Hittle.  Mr.  H.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
felled  the  first  tree  and  split  the  first  rail  in  Hittle  township.  He 
sold  out  his  improvements  in  Hittle's  Grove  in  1830,  and  moved 
into  Mackinaw  township,  sec.  22,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  log  school-houses  of  Ohio  and  Indiana. 
Aug.  6,  1828,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mary  Ewing,  of 
Logan  county,  111.  She  died  Sept.  15,  1869.  June  16,  1870,  he 
married  Mrs.  Agnes  Bovd.  His  children,  with  dates  of  birth,  are 
as  follows:  Eliza  Jane,  May  29,  1829;  Mary  Ann,  Oct.  27,  1831; 
George,  April  8,  1836 ;  Ehzabcth,  July  8,  1837 ;  Angeline,  Aug. 
19,  1839;  Harriet,  Aug.  20,  1841;  J.  A.,  Oct.  16,  1843;  Clara  B., 
June  12,  1846;  Jonas,  May  14,  1849,  and  Emma  A.,  Sept.  6,  1851. 
Seven  of  these  ten  children  are  now  living. 

Mr.  Hittle  was  a  member  of  Capt.  Adams'  company,  Avhich  went 
from  this  county  during  the  Black  Hawk  war.  He  participated  in 
the  battle  of  Stillman's  Run.  We  were  not  aware  Mr.  H.  was  in 
the  Black  Hawk  war  at  the  time  we  wrote  the  chapter  on  that  war, 
in  this  volume,  or  we  would  have  given  his  name  there.  We  made 
diligent  inquiries,  but  his  name  was  not  mentioned.  Mr.  H.  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  Church ;  politically,  a  Republican ;  post- 
office,  Mackinaw. 

Mosea  W.  Ingersoll  is  a  son  of  William  and  Lora  Ingersoll,  na- 
tives of  Mass.  Moses  AV.  was  born  in  Courtland  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Sept. 
26,  1813.     He  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  State.     Mr. 

I.  moved  to  Ohio  in  1836,  and  to  this  Co.  in  1852.  He  follows  the 
occupation  of  farming.     INIr.  Ingersoll  was  united  in  marriage  Oct. 

II,  1840,  to  Miss  Caroline  Hoffner,  by  whom  he  had  eight  chil- 
dren. She  died  April  12,  1856.  He  was  again  married  June  25, 
1857,  to  Elizabeth  Taylor,  by  whom  he  had  five  children.     Of  his 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  551 

thirteen  children,  but  six  arc  now  living.     In   politics  Mr.  I.  is  a 
Eepnlilican.     P.  ().,  INIackinaw. 

Elder  Jtimes  Alfred  Lindsey  was  l^orn  April  28th,  1793,  near  Haw 
river  in  the  vicinity  of  Raleigh,  N.  C.     His  father,  James  Lindsey, 
a  native  of  Va.,  was  of  English  and  Welsh  origin.     His  mother, 
Delilah  Hodgson,  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  was  of  Scotch  ])arent- 
age.     His   father  was  a   mill-wright  by   ])rofession.     On    his   way 
from  the  South  at  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  in  which  he 
served  as  a  soldier  for  many  years,  he  was  taken  down  sick  in  North 
Carolina,  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Delilah  Brewer,  formerly  Miss  Hodg- 
son   as    above.     On    his    recovery   he   was   mtirried   to   the   Avidow 
Brewer,  who  bore  him  eight  children,  four  sons  and  four  daugliters, 
among    whom    was    James    Alfred,    the    subject    of  our   narrative. 
When  he  was  thirteen  years  old  his  parents  removed  to  Christian 
Co.,  Ky.     Here  his  father  opened  a  farm  and  built  a  mill,  which 
bears  the  name  of  Lindsey's  mill  to  the  present  day.     James  A. 
grew  up  among  the  pioneers  of  Western  Kentucky,  and  had  many 
an  adventure  with  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest ;  bears,  wolves  and 
panthers  being  numerous.     When  about  19  years  of  age  he  enlisted 
in  the  army  against   the  Indians   in  the   war  of  181*2;  but   before 
leaving  home  he  obeyed  his  deep  religious  convictions,  and  was  bap- 
tized Sept.  29,  and   united  with   the  Baptist   Church,  of  which  his 
forefathers  had  been  members  time  immemorial.     He  was  chief  mu- 
sician in   his  regiment.     He  was  married  when   21,  to  Miss  Jean 
Scott,  dautrhter  of  Wm.  Scott,  also  a  Revolutionarv  soldier.     Jean's 
origin  was  Scotch  and    Irish.     She  Avas  also  at  that  time  a  member 
of  the  Bajitist  Church  and  deeply  pious.     She  had,  however,  been 
reared    a    member    of  the    Scotch    Presbyterians    or   Independents. 
Soon  after  his  marriage  James  A.  became  fully  convinced  that  God 
required  him  to  preach  the  Gospel.     He  therefore  began  his  work  as 
a  minister.     He  was  poor,  but  thirsted  for  knowledge,  and  went  to 
school  after  his  marriage,  and  among  other  studies  he  mastered  sur- 
veying.    He  was  elected   County  Surveyor  of  Christian  Co.     He, 
however,  grew  exceedingly  unhappy  over  human  creeds  and  human 
names  in  the  Church,  and  resolved  to  abandon  all  these,  and  have 
no  creed,  but  God's  word,  and,  accordingly,  he  left  the  Baptist  con- 
nection and  took  his  whole  church  with  him.     In  the  meantime  he 
fell  in  with  the  ChristUoi  B<(pfisi,  and  on  reading  it  he  found  that  in 
many  things  Alexander   Campl)ell   taught  his   own  views,  and  on 
many  other  points  Campbell  gave  him  new  and   better  views.     So, 
when  he  took  the  Noali's  Spring  Church  witli  him  they  were  at  once, 
in  derisif>n,  called  Campbellites.     This  was  the  first  church  in  Ken- 
tucky south  of  Green  river  to  take  this  position.     Soon  many  other 
churches  and  several  other  preachers   went  with   them.     His   new 
position  was  taken  as  early  as  1827  or  1828.      W'iicn  he  had  worked 
hard  all  day  as  surveyor  he  wouhl  j)reach  at   night,  and  he,  in  this 
way,  baj)tized  many.      His  wife,  Jean,  bore  him  twelve  children  — 
six  sons  and  six  daughters  —  who  all  lived  to  be  grown.     The  fami- 


552  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

ly  record  is  as  follows :  James  Alfred  Lindsey,  born  April  28,  '93 ; 
Jean  Scott,  his  wife,  Aug.  6, '92 ;  Elizabeth,  Dec.  5, '14;  James, 
Feb.  18, '16;  William,  Oct.  13,  '17;  Alfred,  June  1,  '19;  John, 
June  15,  '21;  David,  Jan.  28,  '23;  Delilah,  Dec.  21, '24;  Jane, 
Oct.  22,  '26 ;  Eliza  Davenport,  June  10,  '29 ;  Lucy  Ann  Major, 
Feb.  1,  '31;  Mary  Eleanor,  Dec.  3,  '32;  Felix  Erastus,  April  15, 
'35.  He  never  dabbled  in  party  political  strife,  but  was  early  con- 
vinced that  human  slavery  was  wrong  and  alike  injurious  to  master 
and  slave.  Hence  his  great  concern,  for  many  years,  was  to  move 
his  family  from  the  region  of  its  pernicious  influences.  Elder  Lind- 
sey first  came  to  Tazewell  county,  in  the  fall  of  1833,  in  search  of  a 
new  home.  He  entered  land  on  sec.  23,  Mackinaw  township.  Dur- 
ing this  visit  he  baptized  the  first  man  and  the  first  woman  ever 
baptized  in  Tazewell  county.  In  the  Spring  of  1834  he  moved  to 
the  spot  chosen  for  his  new  home,  with  his  wife  and  their  eleven 
children,  the  twelfth  being  born  the  following  year.  On  his  arrival 
at  Little  Mackinaw,  which  occurred  about  two  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, on  Saturday,  he  found  that  they  had  a  meeting  appointed  at 
three.  He  preached  that  afternoon  and  again  on  the  next  day,  the 
Lord's-day,  at  the  house  of  Thomas  Railsback,  five  miles  south  of 
Mackinaw.  He  thus  promptly  began  his  life-work  in  his  new  home, 
which  he  prosecuted  to  the  day  of  his  death  with  unabated  interest. 
His  first  work  was  at  Little  Mackinaw,  where  he  and  his  numerous 
family  held  their  membership,  till  he  gathered  in  enough  of  his 
neighbors  to  form  a  congregation  in  his  own  neighborhood,  called 
Mount  Pleasant  congregation.  This  took  place  in  1837.  Being  a 
practical  surveyor  he  was  of  great  value  in  locating  corners  and 
lines,  and  this  settled  and  prevented  many  difficulties  and  much 
strife.  Being  a  good  practical  scholar  he  taught  for  several  winters. 
But  his  life-work  was  preaching  the  Gosjiel.  So,  as  the  Apostles 
and  the  primitive  preachers,  he  went  every  where  preaching  the 
Word.  He  constituted  a  church  at  Stout's  Grove ;  preached  often 
at  Bloomington,  and  in  the  region  all  round  about  Bloomington, 
Danvers,  Lexington,  Leroy,  etc.  He  began  to  preach  early  south- 
west of  Tremont,  and  soon  built  up  a  large  and  prosperous  church 
called  Antioch.  He  preached  much  at  Hittle's  Grove,  where  he 
baptized  many  and  established  a  strong  church.  He  was  the  first 
man  who  ever  taught  the  distinctive  features  of  his  church  at  Sugar 
Creek,  now  in  Logan  county.  Salt  Creek,  Dewitt  county,  at  Hieron- 
ymus,  Delavan,  Pekin,  Green  Valley,  and,  indeed,  for  from  fifty  to 
one  hundred  miles  all  around  Mackinaw.  He  early  formed  the  ac- 
quaintance of  H.  D.  Palmer,  near  Lacon,  Hugh  Bowles  and  his  son, 
Walter  P.  Bowles,  near  Clinton,  Elder  E.  Rhodes,  near  Blooming- 
ton, and  several  others,  who  belonged  to  the  Christian  connection  or 
New-Lights.  He  had  much  earnest  labor  in  harmonizing  the  differ- 
ences between  himself  and  them.  Yet  he  ultimately  succeeded,  and 
those  who  differed  so  widely  at  first  became  one,  and  all  preached 
and  practiced  as  he  had  done  from  the  first.     Thus  he  became  one  of 


ELDER  JAMES  A.LINDSEY 


MRS.  JEAN  S.LINDSEY. 


Mackinaw. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  555 

the  greatest  mouklino;  powers  that  gave  shape  and  caste  to  all  the 
churches  in  the  State  of  Illinois,  from  S])riiigfiekl,  north,  and  from 
the  Illinois,  east.  Although  his  great  power  lay  in  organizing  and 
harmonizing,  this  was  by  no  means  his  only  power.  His  mind 
being  clear  and  delineative,  he  seldom  failed  to  bring  conviction  to 
those  who  heard  him.  Hence,  he  was  a  successful  prosclyter,  and 
baptized  manv  hundreds  with  his  own  hands.  Being  mild  and  gen- 
tle toward  all  he  was  generally  beloved,  and  early  received  the  title. 
Father  Lindsey,  and  was  so  addressed  and  spoken  of  during  the  last 
forty  years  of  his  life,  and  his  name  is  yet  sacred  in  the  memory  of 
thousands. 

He  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  three  of  his  s(nis  successful  ])reach- 
ers  of  the  Gospel,  James,  Alfred,  and  John.  The  two  former  went 
to  the  spirit  land  before  him.  He  was  an  earnest  advocate  of  the 
great  temperance  cause,  and  as  early  as  1842,  in  company  with  his 
sons,  John  and  William,  got  up  a  Washingtonian  society,  writing 
the  pledge  with  his  own  hand.  He  was  often  heard  to  say:  "if  this 
nation  is  ever  overthrown,  it  will  be  caused  by  intemperance  and 
})ride."  He  was  also  one  of  the  first  jireachers  of  his  church  who 
advocated  a  missionary  society,  and  a  new  and  improved  translation 
of  the  Scriptures  into  our  great  English  language.  He  advocated 
the  establishing  of  high  schools  and  colleges  for  the  education  of 
preachers  and  teachers ;  and  after  his  son,  John,  graduated  at  Beth- 
any College,  and  entered  into  the  work  of  establishing  AValnut 
Grove  Academy  (now  Eureka  College),  he  gave  him  his  full  aid 
and  support,  and  deserved  more  honor  than  any  other  man,  living  or 
dead,  who  lived  as  far  from  the  College  as  he  did,  for  the  existence 
of  that  great  seat  of  learning.  During  his  career  of  near  forty  years 
in  this  county,  besides  constituting  some  twenty  or  thirty  churches, 
he  had  the  good  fortune  to  induce  many  young  men  to  enter 
the  ministry.  Tiie  last  earnest  labor  of  his  useful  life  was  to  aid 
in  establishing  a  congregation  and  erecting  a  house  of  worship  at 
Lilly,  a  new  town  near  his  own  home.  To  this  work  he  subscribed 
very  liberally.  His  son  William  is  now  Elder,  presiding  over  it. 
And  his  aged  widow,  now  near  87  years  of  age,  is  a  member  of  the 
Lilly  congregation.  His  three  living  daughters  also  have  their 
membership  here,  and  are  all  active  workers,  both  at  home  and  for 
the  foreign  mission  cause.  The  mother  also  gives  freely  to  the  mis- 
sion work.  Before  taking  any  step  in  life,  his  standing  question 
was,  "Is  it  right?"  His  motto  in  action  towards  others  was,  "Do 
unto  others  as  you  would  have  them  do  to  you."  "  Owe  no  man 
any  thing,"  was  his  financial  motto.  Hence  he  never  went  in  debt. 
For  all  reliijious  dutv  he  said,  "Give  me  a  thus  saith  the  Lord." 
His  posterity,  living  and  dead,  number  at  the  date  of  this  writing, 
eighty-eight  persons.  The  leading  features  of  his  life  grew  still 
more  vivid  as  he  drew  near  to  his  closing  hour.  His  house,  as  he 
lay  on  his  death-bed  for  many  weeks,  was  truly  a  house  of  worship. 
As  friends  crowded  around  him  from  far  and  near,  before  each  one 


556  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

took  his  last  earthly  farewell,  he  had  a  portion  of  God's  word  read, 
singing  and  prayer,  and  then  followed  the  exhortation  to  be  faithfnl. 
Thus  there  was  worship  from  three  to  five  times  a  day  in  his  room. 
He  was  in  his  80th  year  when  he  died.  Shortly  before  he  breathed 
his*  last,  he  looked  steadily  into  the  face  of  his  son  John,  who  stood 
near  him  and  said,  "  My  Son,  work  while  it  is  day.  The  night  soon 
cometh  when  no  man  can  work."  "  How  short  is  life  in  which  to 
do  the  great  work  for  God,  for  Christ,  for  Humanity."  He  wrote 
his  last  will  and  testament  with  his  own  hand  many  years  before  he 
died,  chosing  Michael  Hittlc,  who  had  for  near  forty  years  stood 
by  him  and  been  true  as  a  neighbor,  a  friend,  and  a  brother  in 
Christ,  to  see  that  he  was  hurried  in  a  precise  spot,  and  that  his  wife 
was  laid  to  his  right  side.  He  committed  to  the  care  of  his  daughter, 
Jane,  and  her  husband.  Dr.  S.  K.  Linn,  his  beloved  and  aged  wife, 
having  also  left  ample  provisions  for  her  support,  then  fell  asleep, 
and  rests,  not  like  Jacob,  with  his  fathers,  but,  like  Abraham,  with 
his  children.  As  a  souvenir  for  the  many  who  dearly  loved  the 
old  veteran,  we  place  in  this  volume  his  portrait,  and,  also,  that  of 
his  wife. 

Elder  John  Llndsey,  A.  31.,  was  born  in  Christian  Co.,  Ky.,  June 
15,  1821.  His  parents,  James  A.  and  Jean  (Scott)  Lindsey,  were 
blessed  with  twelve  children,  of  whom  John  was  the  fifth  in  order 
of  birth.  He  was  in  his  fifteenth  year  when  his  father  moved  to 
Tazewell  Co.  A  few  days  after  John  was  15  years  old  he  obeyed 
his  religious  convictions  and  was  baptized,  uniting  with  the  Little 
Mackinaw  Christian  Church,  being  the  first  north  of  Sangamon  to 
take  the  Bible  as  a  rule  of  faith,  and  break  the  loaf  every  first  day 
of  the  week.  At  the  age  of  19  he  began  to  preach  in  Tazewell, 
McLean,  Logan,  Dewitt  and  Woodford  counties.  He  was  ordained 
when  quite  young  and  began  to  administer  baptism  when  almost  a 
boy.  He  preached  much  and  baptized  many  before  going  to  college. 
He  entered  Bethany  College,  AV.  Va.,  in  the  fall  of  1844;  gradua- 
ted in  1848.  AVhile  a  student  he  often  went  out  to  preach,  and 
especialy  during  vacations,  and  gathered  many  into  the  Church,  also 
many  of  the  so-called  New  Light  congregations,  of  West  Va.  and 
Tenn.,  laid  aside  their  peculiarities  and  came  into  the  fellowship  of 
the  Disciples.  In  two  summers  more  than  1,500  souls  thus  came 
over.  At  the  close  of  his  stay  in  College  he  returned  to  Illinois, 
and  after  preaching  till  his  last  coat  left  the  elbows  exposed  to  pub- 
lic gaze,  he  commenced  teaching  a  district  school  in  Mackinaw 
township.  While  in  school  he  conceived  the  plan  of  erecting  one 
central  college  in  Illinois,  and  a  subordinate  high  school  in  each 
county  in  the  State.  On  presenting  his  plan  to  his  father.  Elds.  J. 
P.  Jones,  Wm.  Davenport  and  H.  D.  Palmer,  and  especially  Elder 
Major,  they  decided  to  locate  at  Walnut  Grove,  now  Eureka.  After 
a  few  rousing  meetings  at  Eureka,  he  went  forth,  in  company  with 
Wm.  Davenport,  among  all  the  Churches,  soliciting  means  to  found 
the  College.     He  would  first  give  a  lecture  on  education  and  then 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  557 

Elder  D.  would  join  him  in  appealing  to  their  pockets.    Where  they 
would  not  give  money,  he  would  take  a  cow,  a  horse  or  any  other 
property  worth  money.     On  one  occasion  he  procured  a  mule,  blind 
of  one  eye,  and  sold  "it  in  an  hour  for  §37.50.     He  also  solicited 
money  to  build  a  boarding  house.     The  school  was  opened  and  he 
began  to  teach  in  the  fall  of  1850,  in  company  with  Professor  A.  S. 
Fisher.     He  was  married  the  previous  April  to  Miss  Mariah  Mason, 
of  Woodstield,  Ohio.     He  taught  for  two  years  and  then  abandoned 
teaching  on  account  of  the  failing  health,  both  of  himself  and  wife. 
During  this  period  he  had  also  done  much  preaching,  and  held  suc- 
cessful meetings.      In  the  meantime  his  plan  being  openly   made 
known,  the  Church  at  Jacksonville  and  one  at  Abingdon  aimed  to 
outstrip  the   Eureka   enterprise,   and    each  desired   to  become   the 
central   school.     This   engendered   strife  and  division,  and   greatly 
retarded   the  well-begun   work.     He   returned   to  Tazewell  county 
and  located  in  Washington,  Avhere  he  built  up  from  a  handful  of  32 
members,  a  strong  Church  numbering  150  members.     He  removed 
from  Washington  to  Peoria,  where  he  built  up  a  congregation  of  65 
members  in  a  short  time,  and  a  neat  and  elegant  house  of  worship. 
His  best  estimates  of  additions  in  Tazewell  county  is  about  1,000; 
he  can  count  up  near  500  at  Mackinaw  alone,  250  at  Washington, 
125  each  at  Lilly  and  Antioch,  and  about  40  at  Pekin.     He  also 
held  a  very  successful  meeting  in  Tremont.     These  two  Churches 
were  sutfered  to  go  down  when  he  was  called  to  other  fields.     While 
in  Peoria  he  Avas  one  of  the  editors  of  a  religous  paper.     He  has  been 
married  three  times.     He  was  first  married  in  1850,  to  Miss  Maria 
K.  Mason;  second,  in  1855,  to  Miss  Sarah  F.  Eeding;  third,  in 
1858,  to  Miss  Martha  M.  Davidson.     His  children  by  the  first  two 
are  all  dead.     He  has  three  childreen   by  the  present  wife.     He 
began   in   the   temperance   work   when   a  boy,   and  has  been    very 
earnest  all  his  life  as  a  temperance  man.     He  has  been  State  Evan- 
gelist or  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  State  Missionary  Society 
for  three  different  times,  a  year  each ;  was  President  of  Princeton 
College,  Kentucky,  two  years;  has  been  pastor  at  Peoria,  at  Pekin, 
at  Washington,  at  Atlanta,  Logan  county,  and  at  Duquon,  in  Illi- 
nois ;  also  pastor  of  the  Churches  at  Palmyra  and  St.  Joseph,  Mo. 
Of  his  5,000  additions  to  the  Church,  one-fifth  have  been  in  Tazewell 
county.     Being  the  first  college  graduate  among  his  people  in  Illi- 
nois, he  has  been  often  called  upon  to  hold  public  debates,  and  in 
the  numerous  discussions  held  by  him,  he  has  always  succeeded  in 
leaving  his  people  in  a  healthy  and  prosperous  state,  and  fully  confi- 
dent that  he  had  sustained  himself  well.     At  the  present  writing  his 
residence  is  in  Eureka,  yet  he  always  calls  it  going  home  to  return  to 
Tazewell.     He  has  just  entered   his  fortieth  year  as  a  minister  of 
the  Gospel,  and  is  yet  strong  and  vigorous,  being  only  58  years  old. 
He  loves  to  recount  the  days  when  they  beat  all  their  meal  in  the  old 
homony  mortar,  or  went   thirty  miles  or  more  to  mill.     The  wolf 
chase,  and  deer  hunt  of  the  early  times,  are  percious  to  his  memory. 


558  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Samuel  K.  Linn,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Clinton  Co.,  O.,  Aug.  17, 
1819.  His  parents  Avere  Samuel  and  Jane  Linn;  He  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  State  and  was  graduated  from 
the  Eclectic  Medical  Institute  of  Cincinnati,  O.,  Feb.  21,  1848. 
Dr.  Linn  came  to  this  county  in  1840  and  owns  farm  property  on 
sec.  23,  on  which  he  lives  and  farms  in  connection  with  the  practice 
of  medicine,  in  which  he  has  been  successful ;  was  married  Oct.  22, 
1850,  to  Jane  Lindsey,  daughter  of  Elder  James  A.  Lindsey.  Dr. 
Linn  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  a  Republican  in  pol- 
itics.    P.  O.,  Lilly. 

John  McFall.  Mr.  McFall  was  born  at  Brownsville,  Fayett  Co., 
Penn.,  June  4,  1822.  He  is  the  son  of  Charles  and  Jane  McFall 
and  came  to  this  State  in  1846,  locating  in  Peoria.  He  moved  to 
this  Co.  in  the  year  1859.  By  occupation  he  is  a  blacksmith  and 
brickmaker.  Mr.  McFall  has  served  his  people  in  the  office  of 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  He  has  considerable  musical  taste  and  talent 
and  has  taught  vocal  music  for  many  years.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  April  14,  1842,  to  Miss  Mary  Wagoner.  They  have  had 
seven  children,  only  three  of  whom  are  living.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Church.     P.  O.  address,  Lilly. 

Philip  J.  F.  3Iiller,  former,  sec.  22 ;  P.  O.,  Mackinaw.  Mr.  M. 
is  the  happy  possessor  of  333  acres  of  choice  land.  He  was  born 
in  Robinson  Co.,  Tenn.,  Nov.  4,  1836.  George  and  Elenor,  his 
parents,  were  natives  of  Virginia.  Philip  came  to  this  county  in 
June,  1837.  Attended  the  common  schools  of  this  county;  and  has 
held  the  offices  of  Assessor  and  Highway  Commissioner;  was 
joined  in  wedlock  to  Martha  Adams,  June  29,  1858 ;  they  have  had 
seven  children  —  three  boys  and  four  girls;  five  are  living;  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  a  Democrat  in  politics. 

Joseph  H.  Myers  is  a  son  of  John  and  Catharine  Myers,  who  were 
natives  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  State  Joseph  H.,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  March  1,  1826.  He  came  to  this  county 
while  a  lad  nine  years  of  age.  He  is  a  farmer  on  sec.  27,  and  is  the 
owner  of  263  acres  of  land.  His  post-office  is  Mackinaw.  Mr. 
Myres  has  been  a  consistent  member  of  the  Christian  Church  for 
the  past  sixteen  years.  Mrs.  Myers  is  also  a  member  of  the  same 
Church.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mis  Susan  Perry,  who  was 
born  in  Kentucky,  April  30,  1830.  The  day  upon  which  he  led 
Miss  Perry  to  the  hymenial  alter  was  March  13,  1849.  They  have 
been  blessed  with  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  living. 

Daniel  W.  Pnterhaugh,  farmer,  lives  on  sec.  26,  and  is  the  OAvner 
of  619  acres  of  choice  farming  land;  has  succeeded  admirably  in 
his  chosen  profession.  He  was  born  in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  Oct. 
24,  1824.  His  parents  were  Jacob  and  Hannah  Puterbaugh, 
natives  of  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  respectively.  Daniel  W. 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Ohio  and  his  adopted  State. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  has  served  as  Elder 
for  about  sixteen  years;  was  married  Oct.  8,  1846,  to  Sarah  J. 


HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  559 

Smith,  who  was  born  in  this  township  Sept.  9,  1829.  She  is  the 
mother  of  seven  children  —  three  boys  and  fonr  girls  —  six  of  whom 
are  living.  Mr.  Pntorbaugh  has  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
sixteen  years,  and  has  held  the  offices  of  Supervisor  and  Highway 
Commissioner.     P.  O.,  Lilly. 

Solomon  Putcrbangh  is  an  extensive  farmer  and  one  of  the  solid  men 
of  the  county,  owning  over  1,000  acres  of  land,  well  stocked  and 
equipped.  He  is  a  native  of  Miami  Co.,  O.,  where  he  was  born  Sept. 
9,  1822  ;  his  parents  were  Jacob  and  Hannah  Puterbaugh.  Solomon 
came  to  this  county  in  1839.  He  only  enjoyed  the  priyilegeof  at- 
tending the  common  schools  of  pioneer  times,  yet  with  his  rare 
native  business  qualifications  he  has  conquered,  to  a  very  great  extent, 
the  circumstances  that  tend  to  keep  men  down,  and  has  made  of  life, 
thus  far,  a  success.  Has  been  Supervisor  and  Highway  Commissioner. 
In  politics  is  Repulican  and  Prohibitionist.  Mr.  Puterbaugh  was 
married  Feb.  27,  1844,  to  Eliza  A.  Howell,  who  was  born  in  White 
Co.,  this  State,  June  10,  1826.  They  have  had  four  children  — 
three  boys  and  one  girl  —  of  whom  two  boys  are  living.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  Church.     P.  O.,  Mackinaw. 

Warren  Percy,  deceased,  was  born  in  Rutland,  Meigs  county,  O., 
Jan.  26,  1822.  His  parents  were  natives  of  the  same  State.  He 
Avas  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Ohio,  and  came  to  this 
county  in  1858»  He  resided  on  sec.  35,  where  he  owned  160  acres 
of  fine  land,  which  he  cultivated.  In  this  he  proved  quite  success- 
ful. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Percy  accepted  the  teachings  of  the  Gospel  of 
our  Savior,  and  united  with  the  Christian  Church.  He  Avas  a  Re- 
publican, politically.  Mr.  Percy  went  to  California  in  1850,  where 
he  was  quite  successful,  financially.  He  returned  in  1854,  and  was 
married  Dec.  15,  1857,  to  Emma  E.  Williams,  a  native  of  Meigs 
county,  Ohio,  where  she  was  born  March  7,  1835.  Their  home  was 
blessed  by  the  birth  of  two  boys  and  two  girls,  only  one  of  whom, 
a  boy,  is  now  living. 

D.  G.  A.  Railshack,  farmer,  sec.  32.  Mr.  R.  has  spent  an  active 
life  of  almost  half  a  century  in  this  county,  and  has  acquired  356 
acres  of  land ;  P.  O.,  Mackinaw.  He  is  one  of  the  substantial  pil- 
lars of  the  Christian  Church  of  this  section,  having  been  a  member 
for  45  years ;  has  been  an  elder  in  the  Church  for  nearly  25  years. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Montgomery  Co.,  Tenn., 
April  lb,  1819,' and  moved  to  this  county  in  the  fall  of  1830. 
Thomas  F.  and  Louisa  V.  Railsback,  his  parents,  were  natives  of 
Virginia.  The  first  school  Mr.  Railsback  went  to  in  this  county 
was  taught  by  his  father  in  his  own  cabin,  in  1832.  Mr.  Railsback 
was  united  in  marriage  Jan.  17,  1839,  to  Ellen  E.  A.  Walles,  who 
died  in  March,  1853;  was  again  married  Aug.  5,  1854,  to  Virginia 
E.Adams;  He  is  the  parent  of  eleven  children  —  four  boys  and 
seven  girls  —  nine  of  whom  are  living.  Thomas  A.,  his  eldest  son, 
served  during  the  Rebellion  in  the  94th  111.  Inf 

Asa  S.  Smith,  Sr.     This  gentleman  is  a   native  of  Sumner  Co., 


560  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Tonn.,  where  he  was  born  Feb.  16,  1816.  His  parents  were  Joshua 
and  Eliza])eth  Smith,  the  former  a  native  of  Va.  the  hitter  of  Ky. 
Mr.  Asa  S.  Smith  came  to  tliis  county  in  1848.  He  foHows  the  oc- 
cupation of  farming  and  stock  raising.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
May  16,  1838,  to  Elizabeth  Neville,  a  native  of  Montgomery  Co., 
Teiin.  They  have  had  twelve  children  —  nine  boys  and  three  girls 
—  four  of  their  sons  were  taken  with  a  fever,  in  Jan.,  1867,  and 
died  within  forty-two  days.  Mr.  S.  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church  for  thirty-five  years.  Post-office,  Mackinaw. 
We  will  cite  an  incident  of  his  life  which  he  vividly  relates :  In 
Jan.,  1836,  while  engaged  in  the  woods  getting  out  timber,  in  the 
State  of  Louisiana,  and  having  no  weapons  of  defense  but  his  axe, 
he  was  attacked  by  a  panther.  So  sudden  was  this  nimble  and 
treacherous  animal  in  its  attack,  that  Mr.  S.  was  compelled  to  drop 
his  axe  and  use  only  his  hands  against  the  formidable  enemy. 
After  a  long  and  severe  struggle,  he  succeeded  in  killing  it  by 
choking  it  to  death.  The  scars  of  the  many  wounds  he  received 
cling  to  him  yet  and  will  through  life. 

irichnrd  Sparks,  of  the  firm  of  Sparks  &  Son,  fiirmers  and  grain 
dealers,  Mackinaw.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and 
was  born  in  Salem  Co.,  N.  J.,  Aug.  19,  1805.  Thomas  and  Abi- 
gail, his  parents,  were  natives  of  New  Jersey.  Mr.  Sparks  has 
lived  for  over  half  a  century  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony,  hav- 
ing been  united  in  marriage  March  14,  1820,  to  luicy  Devore,  of 
Brown  Co.,  O.  She  is  the  mother  of  ten  children  —  five  boys  and 
five  girls  —  eight  of  whom  are  now  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sparks 
celebrated  their  golden  wedding  March  14,  1879.  On  that  occasion 
four  of  their  children  and  ten  grandchildren  were  present.  Mr. 
Sparks  is  one  of  the  original  Republicans,  having  acted  with  the 
party  since  its  organization.  Tliomas  Sparks,  the  third  son  of 
Richard,  served  in  the  3d  111.  Cavalry  during  the  Rebellion. 

James  R.  Whisler,  proprietor  of  the  steam  flouring-mill  at  Mack- 
inaw, was  born  March  17,  1836,  in  Cumberland  Co.,  Pa.  His 
parents  were  Jacob  and  Mary  A.  Whisler,  natives  of  l*a.  James  R. 
while  a  youth,  attended  the  common  schools  of  his  native  State,  ac- 
quiring a  good  practical  education,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1855. 
Two  years  later,  Oct.  28,  1857,  he  was  married  to  Mary  C.  Smith, 
who  was  born  Sept.  14,  1840,  in  Fulton  Co.,  Ky.  She  is  the 
mother  of  three  girls.  Mrs.  Whisler  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church.  Mr.  W.  is  identified  with  the  business  interests  of  Taze- 
well Co.,  and  has  been  quite  successful. 

Georr/e  Walker,  farmer  on  sec.  22,  He  has  acquired  the  owner- 
ship of  900  acres  of  land,  and,  too,  when  he  commenced  life  with 
nothing.  He  worked  as  a  laborer  at  $12  per  month  for  his  first 
start,  "This  certainly  speaks  well  for  his  energv  and  business 
ability.  Mr.  Walker  was  born  Cecil  Co.,  Md.,  May  24,  1832.  His 
parents,  George  and  Harriet  Walker,  were  natives  of  Maryland. 
He  came  to  this  county  in   1838;   attended   common   schools  of 


WILLIAM   ALLENSWORTH 

[deceased) 
UTTLE  MJICKff^^^ 


-■■^ 


EDWARD  H.BACON 
MACKINAW 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  561 

McLean  county,  111.,  where  lie  received  his  education.  He  was 
married  March"  18,  1858,  to  Mary  Lilly.  They  have  five  children 
—  two  bovs  and  three  girls.  He  made  the  good  confession  befi^re 
men  and  ibr  sj)iritual  strength  and  support,  and  to  aid  in  the  great 
labor  of  the  Church,  united  himself  with  the  Christian  Church. 
His  P.  O.  address  is  Lilly. 

George  T.  Williams  was  born  in  this  township  June  2,  1834.  He 
is  a  son  of  Isaac  J,  and  Anna  AVilliams,  natives,  respectively,  of 
Ky.  and  Tenn.  They  are  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  county, 
having  come  here  in  the  year  1829.  George  T.  Williams,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  is  a  farmer  on  sec.  13,  and  is  the  owner  of 
over  400  acres  of  land.  Mr.  T.  was  married  May  6,  1858,  to  Miss 
Rebecca  A.  Macy,  a  native  of  Randolph  county,  Ind.  Their  home 
has  been  blessed  with  three  daughters  and  three  sons,  of  whom  two 
girls  and  one  boy  are  living.  Mr.  W.  acts  with  the  Republican 
party,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church. 
P.  O.,  Lilly. 

John  H.  Wilson  was  born  in  Augusta  Co.,  Ya.,  July  11,  1834; 
attended  the  common  schools  of  his  native  State  and  came  to  this 
county  in  1855.  P.  O.,  INIackinaw.  His  parents  were  Daniel  and 
Elzabcth  A.  Wilson,  natives  of  Virginia.  JSIr.  Wilson  was  married 
Nov.  18,  1858,  to  Charlotte  Sargent.  He  was  in  the  Quartermas- 
ter's Department  for  over  a  year  during  the  Rebellion,  and  has  held 
the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  Assessor  of  his  township. 

Below  may  be  found  a  schedule  of  the  township  officials  serving 
since  the  organization  of  the  township,  together  with  the  years  of 
serving : 

SUPERVISORS. 

Lyman  Porter. 1850  Daniel  W.  Puterbaugh 1866 

Jonas  H.  Hittle 1851-52  George  Miller 1867 

David  Judy 1853-56  Solomon  Puterbaugh 1868 

J.  W.  Brack 1857-58  George  Miller 1869-74 

George  Miller 1859-65  J.H.Porter 1875-79 

TOV,-N-CLERKS. 

M.F.Gerard 1854-55  William  M.  AVatson 1871 

M.  D.  Tenny 1856  Norman  L.  Porter 1872 

Lyman  Porter 1857-58  J.  W.  Wbite 1873-74 

J.A.Terrell 1859  William  Saxton 1875-76 

N.L.Porter 1860-64  L.  M.  Brook 1877-78 

J.L.Davis 1865  William  M.  Watson 1879 

John  A.  Richmond 1866-70 

ASSESSORS. 

Thomas  C  Wilson 1854  J.  W.  Puterbaugh. 1868 

J.L.Davis 1855-56  N.L.Porter 1869 

D.  W.  Puterbaugh 1857  Elisha  Barton. 1870 

Elisha  Barton 1858  Clark  Barton 1871 

Clark  Barton 1859  Rufus  M.  Elliott 1872-73 

J.  L.  Davi.s. 1860  C.  W.  Samuel 1874 

D.  W.  Puterbaugh 1861  Clark  Barton 1875 

J.  L.  Davis. 1863  J.  L.  Davis 1876 

Elisha  Barton 1864-65  P.  J.  F.  Miller 1877 

J.  L.  Davis 1866-67  J.  H.  Wilson 1878-79 

34 


562  •  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

COLLECTORS. 

Clark  Barton. 1854  Clark  Barton 18()0-67 

J.  Matthews 1855-56      J.  L.  Davi.s 1808-73 

J.B.Chaplin 1857  Daniel  Beckley 1874-76 

E.  B.  Hibhard 1858  Wm.  Ammerman 1877-78 

J.B.Chaplin 1859  James  F.  Quigg 1879 


PEKIN  TOWNSHIP. 


As  the  history  of  the  city  of  Pekin  will  include  that  of  the  town- 
ship, we  will  at  once  enter  upon  the  difficult  task  of  detailing  the 
history  of  that  city. 

CITY   OF   PEKIN. 

This  city  is  beautifully  situated  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Illi- 
nois river.  During  its  early  history  it  enjoyed  the  advantages  of 
being  a  river-town.  Since  the  advent  of  railroads  into  the  county, 
it  has  been  bountifully  supplied  with  the  "  steel  rail "  and  the  "  iron 
horse,"  which  has  very  largely  replaced  the  steam-boat  as  a  means  of 
traffic  and  travel.  The  earliest  pioneers,  the  very  advance  guard  of 
civilization,  as  they  wended  their  way  up  the  placid  Illinois,  and 
plunged  into  the  wilderness,  where  dwelt  the  red  man  and  wild 
beasts  of  forest  and  plain,  were  especially  attracted  by  the  beautiful 
lay  of  the  country  upon  which  Pekin  is  located.  They  looked  upon 
it  as  a  most  favorable  site  for  a  town,  and,  ere  a  lot  had  been  laid 
off  or  a  stake  driven,  it  was  christened  "  Town  Site."  It  was  thus 
known  far  and  wide  by  those  who  traversed  the  river.  We  have 
been  fortunate  enough  to  secure,  from  the  old  journals  of  the  late 
venerable  Jacob  Tharp  (whose  son  was  the  first  settler,  and  who  was, 
himself,  the  second  person  to  locate  here),  a  very  minute  and  inter- 
esting sketch  of  the  settlement  of  Pekin.  These  journals  are  in  the 
possession  of  Mr.  W.  F.  Coopes,  of  Cincinnati  township,  to  whom 
we  are  indebted  for  them.     We  quote  in  his  own  language : 

"I  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  September,  1773.  In  1792,  I 
married  Miss  Phoebe  Winans,  of  Pennsylvania.  Two  weeks  after 
we  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  After  a  streak  of 
bad  luck,  in  1825,  left  Ohio,  where  I  then  resided,  and  traveled 
through  Indiana  with  one  ox-team,  a  span  of  horses,  and  a  family 
of  twelve  persons,  reaching  the  site  of  Pekin  just  before  Christmas. 

"  Jonathan  Tharp,  my  son,  built  the  first  house  ever  erected  in 
the  city  of  Pekin,  in   1824,  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  Joshua 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  563 

Wagenseller's  residence.     Jonathan's  farm  embraced  the  land  now 
covered  by  our  heaviest  business  houses. 

"  At  the  time  of  my  arrival,  Jonathan  was  the  only  occupant. 
Their  neighbors  were  Major  Nathan  Cromwell,  living  on  the  Hawley 
farm ;  Gideon  Hawley,  living  on  the  Mackinaw  side  of  Sand  Prairie ; 
Seth  Wilson,  living  on  John  Young's  farm;  John  and  Geo.  Clines, 
between  that  place  and  Tremont ;  the  Woodrows  and  John  Sum- 
mers, living  in  the  AVoodrow  settlement ;  the  Dillon  family,  after 
whom  that  township  was  named ;  the  Hodgsons,  friends  and  rela- 
tives of  the  Dillons;  old  Benj.  Briggs,  afterwards  Sheriff;  James 
Scott,  who  with  Wilson,  acted  as  constable  in  those  days ;  and  Wm. 
Eads,  who  was  the  first  miller  in  this  section  of  the  State.  He  ran 
a  "horse-mill,"  and  ground  only  corn.  On  New  Year's  day,  1827, 
I  went  to  Fort  Clark,  now  Peoria,  where  I  found  a  few  cabins  occu- 
pied by  John  Hamlin,  James  Dixon,  and  others.  Hamlin  had  a 
little  store,  and  I  bought  groceries,  coffee  selling  at  37h  cents  per 
pound.  On  my  way  home  I  contracted  for  mast-fed  pork  at  $2.50 
per  hundred.  I  soon  built  my  cabin,  placing  it  about  half  way 
between  Joshua  Wagenseller's  house  and  the  present  landing  at  the 
river. 

"In  the  summer  of  1827,  the  first  consignment  of  goods  was  sent 
to  Pekin,  by  one  Mobley,  the  land  auctioneer.  I  received  them, 
and  so  won  the  honor  of  being  the  first  commission  merchant.  jSlost 
of  the  goods,  however,  went  on  to  Mackinaw,  which  was  the  first 
shire-town.  Pekin  at  this  early  day,  was  reported  to  be  the  best 
commercial  point  on  the  Illinois  river.  All  goods  came  up  from  St. 
Louis,  which  was  the  great  basis  of  supplies  for  the  settlers. 

"The  Government  surveys  were  made  previous  to  1828.  This 
year  we  were  cheered  by  a  close  neighbor,  a  Mr.  Hinkle,  who  came 
to  put  up  a  trading  house  for  Absalom  Dillon.  The  goods  came 
before  the  house  was  finished,  and  so  my  smoke-house  was  used  for 
the  first  store.  This  season  the  Methodists  established  a  mission, 
and  their  first  service  was  held  in  Hawley 's  house,  on  Sand  Prairie. 
In  the  fall  of  1828,  Absalom  and  Jose])h  Dillon  moved  to  Pekin, 
and  'camped  out'  for  a  while.  Major  Cromwell  came  in  1829,  and 
bought  out  Dillon's  stock  in  trade,  when  those  gentleman  returned 
to  the  country.  In  the  same  year,  Hawley  and  William  Haines 
built  cabins  in  our  town.  The  inhabitants  then  consisted  of  Crom- 
well, Hawley,  Haines,  Dr.  John  Warner,  the  two  Hiatts,  Jonathan 
Tharp  and  myself.     Mr.  Clark  made  a  raft  of  hewed  puncheons, 


564  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

and  started  the  ferry,  placing  a  stake  just  below  the  present  ferry 
landing  to  mark  his  claim. 

"  When  the  land  sales  were  held  at  Springfield,  there  were  several 
claimants  for  the  Pekin  town-site.  On  the  first  day  of  the  sale,  the 
biddino;  ran  hio-h,  and  the  land  was  knocked  down  to  Wm.  Haines 
at  $20.00  an  acre,  but  he  did  not  comply  with  the  regulations  of  the 
sale,  and  on  the  second  day  the  same  tract  was  sold  for  one  hundred 
dollars  per  acre.  The  buyer  again  failed  to  comply,  and  the  tract 
was  once  more  offered  on  the  third  day.  A  man  in  Springfield, 
named  Harrington,  had  in  the  meantime  a  deadly  quarrel  with  Ma- 
jor Perkins,  one  of  the  principal  claimants,  growing  out  of  some 
delicate  question.  Those  were  chivalrous  days  and  he  determined 
on  revenge.  So  he  placed  himself  near  the  auctioneer,  armed  to  the 
eyebrows,  and  when  the  coveted  tract  was  put  up,  he  bid  one  dollar 
and  twenty-five  cents  an  acre,  and  swore  he  would  blow  out  any 
man's  brains  who  offered  a  higher  bid.  Major  Perkins  was  stalking 
around  the  room,  armed  for  battle  and  hunting  blood.  There  was 
immense  excitement,  and  death  was  felt  in  the  atmosphere,  but  the 
tract  was  knocked  down  to  Harrington.  He  complied  with  the 
regulations,  and  walked  out  feeling  sublime,  but  the  Major  and  his 
friends  captured  the  usurper,  conveyed  him  to  a  room,  and  j)er- 
suaded  him  to  make  out  deeds  for  the  prize.  From  these  papers 
the  original  title  is  derived. 

"In  the  spring  of  1830,  the  proprietors  surveyed  and  laid  out  the 
town,  Perkins,  Hawley,  Haines  and  Cromwell  being  the  active 
agents.  Cromwell  did  the  surveying.  About  this  time  Perkins 
sold  out  to  Thomas  Snell,  from  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  The  gentlemen 
were  much  exercised  about  the  way  in  which  to  lay  off  the  celestial 
city.  The  elder  Hiatt  had  a  claim  upon  the  Lake  shore,  but  when 
the  land  sales  occurred  he  forgot  to  bid,  and  Carpenter  bought  Ids 
tract,  also  buying  eighty  acres  on  the  east  side  of  said  tract.  The 
proprietors  of  the  future  city  included  these  two  tracts  in  the  town- 
site.  Mr.  Hiatt  was  appeased  with  a  pony  purse  of  seventy-five  or 
eighty  dollars. 

"  After  some  property  sales,  the  foreign  owners  were  bought  out 
and  the  entire  city  owned,  body  and  soul,  by  five  persons,  namely : 
William  Haines,  Thomas  Snell,  Nathan  Cromwell,  William  Brown, 
and  David  Bailey.  The  surveys  were  finally  completed,  and  it  was 
found  that  the  lots  had  cost  just  twenty-eight  cents  apiece.  The 
advertisement  for  the  gale  of  lots  was  immediately  made,  to  take 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  565 

place  in  April,  1830.     The  deed  of  partition  was  drawn  up  before 
the  sale,  and  is  the  one  now  on  record." 

Jacob  Tharp  was  a  large,  robust  man,  and  lived  almost  long 
enough  to  celebrate  his  centennial  birthday.  He  was  born  in  1773 
and  survived  till  1872.  Much  of  his  life  was  spent  upon  the  front- 
ier, opening  up  and  developing  new  country  for  coming  generations. 
He  died  at  Lancaster,  Peoria  county,  111.,  and  his  remains  were 
brought  to  his  old  home  and  interred  at  Pekin.  A  daughter  of  his, 
Mrs.  Mary  D.  Taggart,  and  the  mother  of  W.  F.  Copes,  resides  in 
Cincinnati  township.  The  manuscript,  of  which  the  above  is  an 
extract,  was  put  in  shape  by  the  old  gentleman  himself,  about  1860, 
and  revised  about  1872. 

The  survey  of  the  new  town  was  mode  by  Wm.  H.  Hodge,  the 
first  County  Surveyor,  in  1827.  He  had  no  surveyor's  chain,  and, 
instead,  used  a  string.  Now  that  the  town  had  been  laid  off  it  must 
be  christened.  Mrs.  Cromwell,  wife  of  Major  Cromwell,  was  hon- 
ored by  being  called  on  to  perform  this  important  part  of  founding 
their  new  city.  Doubtless  with  a  proplietic  eye  she  could  sec  a 
brilliant  future  for  their  town  in  the  not  far  distant  time,  and,  there- 
fore, gave  to  it  the  name  of  Pekin,  we  suppose  after  the  celestial 
city  of  that  name.  We  should  think  the  streets  were  also  named  by 
this  goodly  matron,  judging  from  the  feminine  names  they  bear.  It 
is  stated  that  they  were  named  in  honor,  and  perpetuate  the  names, 
of  the  early  women  of  the  city,  and  that  the  older  streets,  with  few 
exceptions,  bear  the  given  names  of  the  mothers,  grandmothers, 
wives  and  daughters  of  the  pioneers.  For  instance,  there  is  Aman- 
da street ;  then  there  are  streets  that  bear  such  names  as  these :  Ann 
Eliza,  Caroline,  Catharine,  Charlotte,  Cynthiana,  Elizabeth,  Har- 
riet, Henrietta,  Isabella,  Jane,  Margaret,  Matilda,  Minerva,  Lucinda, 
Ruth,  Susanna,  etc. 

A  store  was  soon  opened,  as  recited  by  Mr.  Tharp,  The  settlers 
then  wisely  turned  to  look  after  the  welfare  of  their  children.  They 
erected  a  school-house  in  1831.  This  pioneer  institution  was  long 
known  as  the  Snell  school-house.  It  was  a  one-storied  building  and 
was  erected  by  Thomas  Snell,  and  stood  on  the  west  side  of  Second 
street,  between  Elizabeth  and  St.  Mary's  streets.  Its  first  occupant, 
as  a  teacher,  was  John  S.  Snell,  a  son  of  the  builder,  who  also  dis- 
tinguished himself  by  delivering  the  first  Fourth  of  July  oration  to 
the  citizens  of  Pekin. 

In  the  same  year  a  warehouse  was  erected  by  Thomas  Snell,  who 


566  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

seems  to  have  been  a  prominent  man,  and  a  promoter  of  the  com- 
mercial and  educational  interests  of  the  town. 

The  Asiatic  cholera  visited  Pekin  in  the  beginning  of  July,  1834, 
bringing  death  to  many  a  household,  and  sadness  and  sorrow  to  the 
hearts  of  those  who  were  left  behind.  Many  prominent  citizens, 
among  whom  are  mentioned  the  names  of  Mr.  Smith,  Mrs.  Cauldron, 
Thomas  Snell,  Dr.  Perry,  Mrs.  Perry,  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Morgan,  fell 
victims  to  this  fearful  malady.  Drs.  Perry,  Pillsbury  and  Griffith 
were  the  representatives  of  the  medical  profession  here  at  that  time. 

July  9,  1835,  the  first  town  election  of  which  we  have  any  au- 
thentic account  was  held  in  the  court-house  in  Pekin,  for  the  elec- 
tion of  five  resident  freeholders  of  the  town  of  Pekin  as  Trustees, 
with  the  following  result :  David  Mark  received  24  votes ;  Daniel 
Bailey,  24;  Samuel  Wilson,  17;  J.  C.Morgan,  22;  S.  Pillsbury, 
24,  and  S.  Field,  12.  The  five  first-named  candidates  were  elected 
and  qualified  before  Alden  Hull,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace.  The  Board 
of  Trustees  met  and  organized  by  electing  J.  C.  Morgan,  President, 
and  Benj.  Kellogg,  Jr.,  Clerk. 

The  Board  of  Trustees  met  at  the  court-house,  Aug.  1st,  1835, 
and  passed  an  ordinance  defining  the  limits  of  the  corporation  of 
Pekin,  which  were  as  follows :  "  Beginning  at  a  point  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Illinois  river,  opposite  the  northwest  corner  of  fractional 
section  34,  in  township  25,  north  of  range  5,  west  of  the  third  prin- 
cipal meridian ;  thence  east  on  the  north  line  of  section  35,  in  the 
township  above  named,  to  the  middle  of  last-named  section ;  thence 
south  on  a  line  with  the  middle  of  said  section  35,  to  Broadway,  in 
the  town  of  Cincinnati,  county  and  State  aforesaid ;  thence  west 
along  Broadway  to  the  west  bank  of  the  Illinois  river;  thence  north 
to  the  place  of  beginning." 

Benjamin  Kellogg,  Jr.,  was  appointed  Treasurer,  and  Richard  H. 
Snell,  Collector,  by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  at  this  meeting.  Asses- 
sors were  afterwards  appointed. 

The  following  anecdote  is  related  of  Rev.  Joseph  Mitchel,  the 
first  regular  pastor  of  the  M.  E.  Church  at  this  place :  Some  of 
the  neighbors  met  to  hold  a  religious  meeting,  when  some  of  the 
younger  members,  thinking  instrumental  music  would  add  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  occasion,  as  an  accompaniment  to  the  singing, 
brought  a  bass  viol.  When  Father  Mitchel  came  in  and  was  seated, 
they  began  to  tune  up  the  viol,  which  brought  Father  M.  to  his 
feet  at  once,  with  the  exclamation,  "  What's  that ! "  what's  that ! " 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  567 

Some  of  the  brothers  explained  that  it  was  a  bass  viol  which  they 
had  brought  for  the  purpose  above  mentioned.  The  old  man  ex- 
claimed "No  such  thing!  no  such  thing!  it's  an  ungodly  great 
fiddle.  Take  it  out !  take  it  out ! "  And  thus  the  brethren  Avere 
obliged  to  dispense  with  the  "  fiddle  "  and  thereafter  content  them- 
selves with  vocal  music. 

The  second  election  for  Trustees  was  held  at  the  school-house, 
Aug.  8th,  1836,  when  Samuel  Pillsbury,  Spencer  Field,  Jacob  Ea- 
mon,  John  King  and  David  Mark  were  elected.  John  King  was 
chosen  President  and  Benj.  Kellogg  Clerk,  and  on  the  23d  the 
Board  approved  the  bond  of  David  Mark  as  Assessor. 

At  the  third  election,  Aug.  8,  1837,  David  Mark,  Samuel  Pills- 
bury,  John  W.  Casey,  John  A.  Jones  and  Gideon  H.  Rupert  were 
chosen  Trustees.  The  Board  chose  David  Mark,  President ;  Wm. 
M.  Sandusky,  Clerk ;  Irenus  N.  Henkle,  Constable  and  Collector, 
and  Alden  Hull,  Treasurer. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  1838,  a  fourth  election  was  held  at  Lind- 
ley's  Hall,  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Second  and  Court  street. 
The  following  were  the  Trustees  elected :  Spencer  Field,  David  C. 
Alexander,  Samuel  Pillsbury,  Richard  H.  Snell,  and  John  O.  Hyde. 
The  Board  elected  Dr.  Samuel  Pillsbury,  President ;  AVm.  H.  San- 
dusky, Clerk;  and  Alden  Hull,  Treasurer.  On  Dec.  6,  1838,  the 
Board  appointed  Wm.  H.  Holmes,  Clerk,  vice  Wm.  H.  Sandusky, 
who  had  removed  from  the  State.  John  Gridley  and  David  Mark 
were  appointed  Assessors,  and  J.  Peters,  Street  Commissioner. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1839,  the  town  of  Pekin  acquired  the  title 
to  the  Ferry  across  the  Illinois  river,  by  a  release  of  all  the  right 
and  interest  of  Mrs.  Lucretia  Mount,  administratrix  of  Sexton 
Mount.  The  fifth  election  for  Trustees  was  held  Aug.  12,  1839, 
when  Harlan  Hatch,  Middlcton  Tackaberry,  James  W.  Tharp,  R. 
H.  Snell,  and  John  W.  Casey  were  elected.  Harlan  Hatch  was 
elected  President  by  the  Board;  Alden  Hull,  Treasurer;  and  John 
Gridley,  Clerk.  On  Aug.  26,  M.  Tackaberry  was  appointed  Collec- 
tor and  Street  Commissioner. 

At  the  sixth  election  for  Trustees,  held  Aug.  10,  1840,  Wm.  S. 
Maus,  M.  Tackaberry,  Benj.  Wagenseller,  Orlando  F.  Earnest  and 
Joseph  B.  Worley  were  elected.  The  Board  elected  Wm.  S.  Maus, 
President ;  Alden  Hull,  Treasurer ;  and  John  Gridley,  Clerk.  The 
Board  resolved,  Dec.  29,  1840,  that  "An  eagle  of  a  quarter  of  a 
dollar  of  the  new  coinage,  be  adopted  for  a  seal  of  the  corporation 
of  the  town  of  Pekin." 


568  HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

On  Jan.  20,  1841,  Joseph  Haines,  Sr,,  Wm.  H.  Holmes,  and  Juo. 
Gridley  were  appointed  Assessors  for  1841.  On  Feb.  24,  a  tax  of 
four  mills  on  the  dollar  was  levied,  and  Joseph  Haines  was  appointed 
Collector.  At  the  same  time  John  Gridley,  Town  Clerk,  was 
"  Authorized  to  procure  one  fire  ladder  and  two  hooks  for  the  cor- 
poration." We  find  no  evidence  to  show  that  license  was  given  to 
sell  spirituous  liquors  until  the  21st  of  April,  1841.  On  that  day 
Lawrence  Doyle  and  Henry  Schwan  were  granted  a  license  for  that 
purpose,  for  one  year,  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  $25. 

The  seventh  election  was  held  Aug.  9,  1841,  resulting  in  the  elec- 
tion of  Wm.  S.  Maus,  John  W.  Casey,  Orlando  F.  Earnest,  Benj. 
Wagenseller  and  Richard  Snell.  They  organized  by  electing  Wm. 
S.  Maus,  President;  and  John  Gridley,  Clerk.  On  Nov.  16th, 
Wm.  S.  Maus  tendered  his  resignation  as  a  member  of  the  Board, 
which  was  accepted,  and  David  Mark  elected  to  fill  his  place. 

In  December,  1743,  a  fearful  epidemic  overspread  the  town,  spread- 
ing disease  and  death  on  every  hand.  It  was  erysipelas  and  malig- 
nant scarlatina.  The  physicians  in  attendance  were  Drs.  AVilliam 
Rinehart,  Wm.  S.  Maus,  and  Wm.  Cromwell,  and  although  they 
labored  faithfully  and  earnestly  to  check  the  disease,  it  held  its  sway 
for  four  months,  but  finally  disappered,  after  having  attacked  over 
five  hundred  out  of  a  population  of  about  eight  hundred,  and  carry- 
ing fifty-two  of  its  victims  to  the  grave. 

An  ordinance  was  passed  June  4,  1847,  declaring  the  ferry  across 
the  river  to  be  free,  and  authorizing  the  Street  Commissioners  to 
receive  subscriptions  from  the  citizens  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the 
same.  The  free  ferry  did  not  prove  a  success,  however,  for  on  the 
28th  of  August  following,  the  Trustees  resolved  that  "from  and 
after  the  28th  day  of  August,  1847,  ferriage  shall  be  charged  at  the 
ferry  at  Pekin."  The  ferry  was  sold  in  December,  1847,  to  B.  S. 
Prettyman,  for  $1,575. 

In  1848,  a  Division  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance  was  organized, 
which  flourished  for  some  years,  but  finally  died  out. 

On  the  7th  of  August,  1849,  the  Board  resolved  "that  the  census 
of  the  town  should  be  taken  preparatory  to  a  city  organization," 
and  John  App  was  appointed  census  taker,  with  instructions  to 
report  at  the  next  meeting.  On  the  evening  of  the  9th  Mr.  App 
reported  the  census  completed,  which  showed  that  the  town  contain- 
ed 1,500  inhabitants,  the  minimum  number  required  by  law  for  the 
adoption  of  a  city  charter.     On  Aug.  20,  1849,  an  election  was  held, 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  569 

pursuant  to  previous  notice,  and  an  unanimous  vote  polled  in  favor 
of  city  organization.  Thus  Pekin  became  a  city,  and  the  first  city 
election  was  held  for  city  officers  on  the  24th  of  September,  1849. 

The  first  calaboose  was  built  by  John  S.  Boone,  in  1849,  and  in 
the  summer  of  1868  was  set  on  fire  by  an  inmate  and  destroyed. 

A  census  of  the  city  was  taken  in  1850,  when  it  was  ascertained 
to  contain  1,840  inhabitants. 

Early  one  Sunday  morning  in  March,  1851,  the  citizens  of  Pekin 
were  suddenly  startled  by  a  terriffic  explosion,  which  brought  them 
in  crowds  to  the  river,  where  they  beheld  one  of  the  most  sickening 
and  heart-rending  spectacles  that  could  well  be  imagined.  The 
boiler  of  the  Prairie  State  had  exploded  just  as  she  was  about  to 
land  at  the  levee,  and  being  loaded  with  passengers,  many  were  pre- 
cipitated into  the  river,  some  never  to  rise  again,  while  others  lost 
some  of  their  limbs,  and  nearly  all  were  severely  scalded,  a  number 
fatally.  The  sufferers  were  taken  into  houses  near  by,  and  every 
attention  given  to  them  that  was  possible.  Many  recovered,  but 
some  were  so  badly  injured  that  they  lived  but  a  short  time.  Some 
of  the  survivors  are  still  living  in  Pekin. 

On  April  2d,  1851,  John  Giblin  w^as  awarded  the  contract  for 
grading  the  plank  road  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  on 
Oct.  13,  1854,  it  was  completed,  having  cost  the  sum  of  $32,000. 
It  was  a  frail  affair  and  soon  abandoned,  and  in  1867  what  remained 
of  it  was  torn  down  and  replaced  by  an  embankment  of  earth,  erected 
by  J.  A.  and  T.  J.  McGrew. 

In  1853,  D.  P.  Kenyon  and  B.  Kellogg,  Jr.,  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  subscribe  $100,000  to  the  Mississippi  and  Wabash 
Railroad,  which  they  did  in  their  individual  names,  and  afterwards 
transferred  it  to  the  city;  and,  on  Oct.  23,  1856,  the  city  voted  to 
subscribe  $100,000  to  the  capital  stock  of  the  Illinois  River  Rail- 
road, 

The  first  rail  was  laid  on  the  Illinois  River  Railroad  on  July  4th, 
1859,  and  appropriately  celebrated  by  the  leading  citizens  of  Pekin 
on  the   anniversary  of  the   birthday  of  our  nation's   independence. 

About  ten  o'clock  on  the  night  of  March  22,  1860,  the  citizens  of 
Pekin  were  startled  by  an  alarm  of  fire,  which  had  been  discovered 
in  the  grocery  store  of  E.  Grondenburg.  In  a  few  minutes  a  large 
crowd  of  citizens  had  gathered  to  combat  the  fiery  monster,  but  in 
spite  of  all  their  efforts  it  continued  to  gain  headway,  and  soon  the 
buildings   adjoining,   including  the  office  of  the   Tazewell  Register, 


570  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

were  enveloped  in  flames.  All  eiforts  to  check  the  spread  of  the 
fire  were  unavailing,  and  in  a  short  time  the  buildings  on  both  sides 
of  Court  street  were  enveloped  in  flames,  and  it  was  not  got  under 
control  until  it  had  destroyed  nearly  all  the  buildings  on  both  sides 
of  the  street,  from  Third  to  Capitol  street,  including  over  thirty  of 
the  principal  business  houses.  This  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  the  city,  involving  a  loss  of  over  $150,000.  But 
the  enterprising  citizens  soon  went  to  work  to  rebuild  their  business 
houses,  and  it  was  not  long  before  Court  street,  on  both  sides,  be- 
tween Capitol  and  Third  streets,  was  rebuilt  with  substantial  brick 
buildings.  Mr.  McDonald,  of  the  Register,  issued  a  small  sheet  to 
his  subscribers  until  April  17th,  when,  having  refurnished  his  office 
with  new  material,  his  paper  was  issued  in  its  regular  form. 

Immediately  after  the  fire  above  referred  to,  the  people  became 
enthusiastic  over  the  formation  of  fire  companies.  A  company  was 
formed  and  sent  in  a  petition  to  the  council  for  the  purchase  of  an 
engine,  and  desired  it  to  be  called  "  No.  1."  Another  company  was 
formed,  consisting  of  Germans,  and  sent  to  the  council  a  similar 
petition.  Two  engines  were  ordered,  and  it  appears  the  council  was 
somewhat  partial  to  the  German  company,  for  it  recognized  it  as 
No.  1.  The  day  of  the  arrival  of  the  engines  was  a  gala  day  in 
Pekin.  They  came  on  a  boat,  and  the  two  companies  marched  down 
to  the  dock  in  fine  style  to  get  their  engines.  The  German  company 
found  their  engine  all  right,  with  "No.  1"  conspicuously  painted 
on  it.  Equally  as  prominent,  on  the  other  engine,  was  "  No.  2," 
which  was  distasteful  to  the  other  company,  and  they  marched  away, 
leaving  it,  for  they  claimed  their  engine  had  not  come.  Thus,  the 
original  fire  company  of  Pekin  had  but  a  momentary  life. 

In  June,  1860,  one  of  the  Commissioners  for  taking  the  census  of 
Tazewell  county,  reported  the  population  of  the  city  of  Pekin  at 
5,023  ;  the  number  of  dwelling  houses,  742  ;  trading  establishments, 
commonly  called  stores,  49 ;  commission  houses,  5 ;  small  establish- 
ments of  productive  industry,  with  less  capital,  21 ;  principal  ho- 
tels, 4 ;  drug  stores,  6 ;  printing  offices,  2 ;  lager  beer  saloons,  25 ; 
billiard  saloons,  5 ;  steam  flouring  mill,  1 ;  churches  of  different 
denominations,  11;  school-houses,  12;  pupils  in  attendance,  503; 
taxable  property,  $1,900,570,  paying  a  revenue  of  $29,370. 

The  call  of  President  Lincoln  for  troops,  at  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Rebellion,  elicited  a  prompt  response  from  the  citizens  of  Pekin, 
which  furnished  for  the  defense  of  our  country  as  brave  and  noble 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  571 

a  band  of  soldiers  as  any  city  of  its  size  in  the  Union.  It  is  but 
just  that  we  shouki  Jionor  and  revere  the  memories  of  these  brave 
men,  for  many  of  them  laid  down  their  lives,  while  others  suffered 
untold  miseries  in  Southern  prison  pens,  to  perpetuate  the  freedom 
and  unity  of  this  great  nation.  Col.  Frank  L.  Rhodes  was  the  first 
to  enlist  in  this  city.     He'died  at  Shawneetown,  Jan.  6,  1879. 

The  death  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas  was  announced  to  the  council 
on  the  3d  of  June,  and,  on  motion  of  Alderman  Harlow,  appropri- 
ate resolutions  of  sorrow  were  adopted. 

On  the  16th  of  April,  1865,  the  sad  news  of  the  assassination  of 
Abraham  Lincoln  cast  a  shade  of  gloom  and  sadness  over  the  city. 
All  business  was  practically  suspended,  crowds  of  citizens  gathered 
along  the  streets,  whose  hearts  were  sad  and  sorrowful,  and  soon 
flags  were  to  be  seen  floating  from  numerous  business  houses  and 
residences,  draped  in  mourning  and  displayed  at  half-mast.  Busi- 
ness houses  and  dwellings  were  also  draped  in  mourning,  and  a 
feeling  of  sorrow  and  sadness  for  the  loss  of  one  whom  they  loved, 
and  to  whose  wit,  wisdom  and  eloquence  they  had  listened  in  years 
gone  by,  pervaded  every  heart.  He  had  once  been  an  honored 
member  of  the  Pekin  Bar,  and  his  eloquence  and  large-heartedness 
had  won  for  him  a  prominent  place  in  the  hearts  of  its  citizens. 
The  city  council  passed  resolutions  expressive  of  their  regret  and 
sorrow  for  the  murdered  President. 

On  the  15th  of  March,  1869,  a  new  city  charter  was  adopted  by 
the  city  council. 

On  Feb.  28,  1870,  the  Pekin  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  Asso- 
ciation was  organized,  under  the  general  law  of  the  State,  the 
society  having  for  its  object  the  development  and  encouragement  of 
agriculture  and  the  mechanic  arts,  fixing  its  capital  stock  at  $50,- 
000,  divided  into  2,000  shares,  of  $25  each.  B.  S.  Prettyman 
was  elected  President ;  Teis  Smith,  Vice  President ;  G.  R.  Cobleigh, 
Secretary ;  Geo.  Greigg,  Treasurer ;  and  Jas.  W.  Robinson,  C.  R. 
Cummings,  J.  H.  Height,  John  Stoltz,  Peter  Weyhrich,  H."  P. 
Finigan  and  W.  W.  Sellers,  Trustees.  Eighty  acres  of  land  were 
purchased,  enclosed  with  a  fence,  and  stalls,  amphitheatres,  etc., 
were  erected.  The  first  two  or  three  years  this  enterprise  was  quite 
successful,  but  was  finally  abandoned  on  account  of  insufficient  pat- 
ronage, although  it  was  one  of  the  finest  and  best  located  fair 
grounds  in  the  State. 

On  the   7th  of  August,  1877,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Hiberuia 


572  HISTORY   OP   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Hall,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  military  company,  and  the 
following  officers  were  elected :  Captain,  K.  S.  Conklin ;  First 
Lieut.,  Geo.  G.  Geiger;  Second  Lieut.,  H.  L.  Koch.  The  company 
was  styled  the  Celestial  Guards.  On  the  20th  of  the  same  month, 
Captain  Conklin  was  elected  Major  of  the  7th  regiment,  by  accla- 
mation, and  on  Oct.  26,  following,  Lieut.  Geiger  was  elected  Cap- 
tain, vice  Conklin,  promoted,  and  Wm.  L.  Prettyman  was  elected 
First  Lieutenant,  vice  Geiger,  promoted.  On  Dec.  27,  1877,  the 
ladies  of  Pekin  presented  the  company  with  a  handsome  silk  flag. 
On  August  29,  1878,  the  company  competed  with  the  Governor's 
Guards,  of  Springfield,  and  Morgan  Cadets,  of  Jacksonville,  defeat- 
ing them  by  several  points,  and  winning  the  first  prize  of  $150. 
At  its  organization  the  company  numbered  about  forty  members. 
Its  membership  has  steadily  increased,  until  now  it  numbers  about 
eighty  members.  Captain  Geiger  has  proved  himself  an  able  and 
efficient  officer,  and  has  contributed  in  a  great  measure  to  make  the 
company  one  of  the  most  perfect  in  the  State. 

Having  thus  given  the  most  prominent  events  in  the  history  of 
Pekin,  for  the  data  of  which  we  have  largely  drawn  upon  the  His- 
tory of  Pekin,  found  in  the  City  Directory,  pulished  by  Sellers  & 
Bates,  in  1870,  we  Avill  note  some  of  the  business  interests  of  the 
city.  Before,  however,  taking  up  this  line  of  history,  we  wish  to 
copy  the  following  extract  from  that  work,  which  describes  the 
location  of  the  city  of  Pekin : 

"  Beautifully  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Illinois  river,  on  an 
elevated  jjlain,  two  miles  wide  before  reaching  the  picturesque 
scenery  of  the  east  bluff,  the  location  challenges  a  comparison  with 
any  in  the  West.  On  the  west  side  it  is  bounded  by  the  river, 
crowded,  during  the  greater  portion  of  the  year,  with  steam  packets, 
tow-boats,  steam  propellers,  canal  boats,  barges  and  other  water- 
crafts,  while  the  beautiful  lake  to  the  northward  is  made  alive  of 
summer  evenings  with  pleasure  boats  of  every  description.  Sur- 
rounding the  city  on  the  other  sides  is  a  country  teeming  with  every 
product  that  brings  wealth  and  luxury  to  the  people — the  field,  the 
orchard,  the  garden  and  the  vineyard,  vieing  with  each  other  in  the 
richness  and  abundance  of  their  yields.  The  city  is  located  about 
midway  between  Chicago  and  St.  Louis,  with  direct  communication 
by  rail  with  both,  and,  during  the  season  of  water  navigation,  by 
daily  packet  with  St.  Louis,  and  by  steam  propeller,  via  the  Illinois 
and  Michigan  Canal,  with  Chicago  and  the  lakes.     As  a  railroad 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  573 

center  it  has  no  superior,  having  now  daily  communication  by  rail 
in  every  direction." 

We  have  no  doubt  the  reader  will  regard  the  above  graphic 
description  somewhat  overdrawn,  especially  that  clause  relating 
to  the  river.  We  presume,  however,  that  Pekin's  former  historian 
was  of  a  poetic  turn  of  mind,  and,  now  and  then,  indulged  in  such 
bursts  of  phantasy. 

Pekin  has  a  population  of  about  8,000. 

MANUFACTORIES. 

Among  the  manufacturing  establishments  of  Pekin,  the  first 
claiming  our  attention  is  that  of  T.  &  H.  Smith  &  Co.,  corner  of 
Third  and  Ann  Eliza  streets.  The  business  of  this  firm,  which  has 
grown  to  such  large  proportions,  was  started  in  1849,  by  the  pur- 
chase of  a  small  shop  by  Messrs.  Teis  and  Henry  Smith,  from  Mr. 
Alright.  They  established  themselves,  and  with  but  a  small  capital, 
commenced  business.  Steam  power  was  out  of  the  question,  with 
the  means  at  their  command,  and  many  of  the  citizens  can  well  re- 
member the  horse  which  walked  around  the  ring  from  morning  till 
night,  furnishing  the  power  for  certain  mechanical  operations.  The 
business  of  the  firm  steadily  increased,  and  it  soon  became  necces- 
sary  to  erect  more  commodious  buildings.  In  1850,  Mr.  Lupper 
came  to  the  city  and  became  one  of  the  firm.  As  the  business  con- 
tinued to  increase,  other  partners  soon  came  in,  and  finally  new 
branches  were  established  in  other  parts  of  the  city.  The  following 
firms  are  the  outgrowth  of  T.  &  H.  Smith  &  Co.,  in  all  of  which 
that  firm  have  an  interest  at  the  present  time :  Smith,  Hippen  & 
Co.,  grain  dealers,  organized  in  1857;  Smith,  Velde  &  Co.,  dealers 
in  hardware  and  agricultural  implements,  organized  in  1858;  Teis, 
Smith  &  Co.,  bankers,  organized  in  1866;  the  Smith  Plow  Com- 
pany, manufacturers  of  plows  and  cultivators,  organized  in  1875. 

Just  before  the  formation  of  the  latter  company,  a  fire  broke  out 
in  the  shops  of  T.  &  H.  Smith  &  Co.,  totally  destroying  the  build- 
ing and  contents.  Phoenix-like,  it  soon  rose  from  its  ashes,  a  larger 
and  more  imposing  structure  than  before.  The  Smith  Plow  Com- 
pany was  organized,  and  the  manufacture  of  plows  and  cultivators 
transferred  to  another  building,  which  was  fitted  up  with  machin- 
ery of  the  latest  modern  improvements,  for  their  manufacture. 

The  firm  of  T.  &  H.  Smith  &  Co.,  now  confine  themselves 
exclusively   to    the   manufacture  of  wagons   and    buggies.     Their 


574  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

business  is  steadily  increasing,  and  by  employing  first-class  work- 
men and  using  only  the  best  material  they  have  won  a  reputation 
second  to  no  manufacturing  firm  of  the  kind  in  the  United  States. 

Hon.  Teis  Smith,  the  original  founder  of  the  above  works,  was 
born  in  Hamswerum,  Hanover,  Germany,  March  21,  1827.  He 
was  the  first-born  son  of  Conrad  and  Margaret  (Velde)  Smith, 
descendants  of  a  long  line  of  German  ancestors.  Conrad  Smith  had 
a  strong  love  for  his  native  country,  but  his  love  for  his  children, 
and  his  anxiety  for  their  welfare,  induced  him  to  leave  his  Father- 
land and  come  to  the  New  World,  where  better  chances  for  their 
success  and  advancement  in  the  road  to  fortune  and  honor  were 
aiforded.  His  decease  occurred  in  June,  1850,  and  his  wife  died  in 
April,  1851.  Teis  Smith  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Neef,  a 
native  of  Germany,  and  daughter  of  Deiderich  Neef,  in  the  spring 
of  1852.  They  had  six  children,  only  one  of  whom,  Maggie  C,  is 
now  living.  Mr.  Smith  became  a  member  of  the  German  M.  E. 
Church  about  the  time  of  his  marriage,  and  took  an  active  part  in 
the  erection  of  the  German  M.  E.  Church,  in  Pekin.  He  was  a 
gentiine  and  consistent  Christian  gentleman,  and  honored  and  res- 
pected by  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  His  wife  died  in  the 
spring  of  1862.  He  was  married  the  second  time  to  Miss  Dinah 
Neef,  daughter  of  Frederic  Neef,  and  a  cousin  of  his  former  wife. 
By  this  union  three  children  have  been  born  to  them,  of  whom  one 
son  and  one  daughter  are  living.  In  politics  Mr.  Smith  was  identi- 
fied with  the  Republican  party.  He  was  public  spirited,  and  was 
active  and  earnest  in  promoting  the  advancement  of  the  interests  of 
the  city  of  his  adoption,  and  the  financial  welfare  of  Tazewell  Co. 
He  was  called  away  from  the  cares  of  earth  on  the  12th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1870,  and  was  followed  to  the  grave  by  a  host  of  friends,  who 
felt  that  in  his  demise  they  had  sustained  a  loss  which  was  practi- 
cally irreparable. 

Luppe  Luppen,  manufacturer,  another  member  of  the  firm  of  T. 
&  H.  Smith  &  Co.,  is  a  first-class  mechanic  and  one  of  the  sterling 
men  of  Pekin.  He  was  born  at  Hamswerum,  Germany,  Aug.  20, 
1823,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  that  country. 
His  parents  were  Peter  and  Juste  (Lutjcns)  Luppen.  He  was  mar- 
ried to  Catharine  Smith  in  1846,  and  came  to  Pekin  June  21,  1850, 
and  in  the  same  year  united  with  the  German  M.  E.  Church.  They 
have  had  four  children  —  Margaret,  born  Sept.  18,  1849;  Conrad, 
Dec.  6,  1851;  Louisa,  Aug.  11,  1852;  and  Peter,  Nov.  24,  1855. 


D.C.S  WITH 


TEIS   SMITH 


-^CJS^K^' 


FRED    SMITH 


LUPPE    LUPPEN 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  577 

Conrad  is  the  only  one  now  living.  Mr.  L.  has  been  financially 
successful,  and  now  owns  a  fine  residence  on  the  corner  of  Fourth 
and  Catharine  streets. 

Frederick  C.  Smith,  another  member  of  the  above-named  firm, 
was  born  in  Hanover  (now  incorporated  with  Prussia),  Germany, 
June  20,  1829.  His  parents  were  Conrad  H.  and  Margaret  (Velde) 
Smith.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Germany,  and 
came  to  this  city  in  August,  1849,  and  afterwards  became  associated 
with  the  firm  of  T,  &  H.  Smith  &  Co.,  manufacturers.  On  the  6th 
of  May,  1855,  he  married  Miss  Louisa  Grondenberg.  Nine  chil- 
dren were  the  fruits  of  this  marriage,  seven  boys  and  two  girls,  as 
follows:  Conrad,  born  Oct.  2,  1856,  died  Oct.  23,  1857;  Fred.  F., 
born  Jan.  26,  1859;  Conrad  F.,  Aug.  29,  1861;  Charlotte  Louise, 
Oct.  1,  1863;  A.  Lincoln,  Sept.  12,  1866;  George  A.,  March  8, 
1869;  Louis  Teis,  Aug.  13,  1871;  Teis  H.,  Dec.  30,  1874,  and 
Maggie  Centennella,  Oct.  3,  1876.  Mr.  Smith  became  connected 
with  the  German  M.  E.  Church  in  September,  1849.  In  polities  he 
is  a  Republican.  By  untiring  industry  and  strict  attention  to  busi- 
ness he  has  been  financially  successful,  and  regards  his  coming  to 
this  country  as  a  stepping  stone  to  fortune,  and  is  enthusiastic  in 
expressing  his  gratitude  to  his  adopted  country. 

Hon.  Dietrich  C.  Smith,  banker,  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Teis 
Smith  &  Co.,  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  April  4,  1840.  His 
parents,  Conrad  and  Margaret  (Velde)  Smith,  were  also  native  Ger- 
mans. He  came  to  Pekin  with  his  parents  and  brothers  in  1849. 
His  education  was  obtained  in  Germany  and  at  the  college  in 
Quincy,  111.  During  the  Rebellion  Mr.  Smith  was  Lieutenant  of 
Co.  I,  8th  111.  Inf,  and  was  also  Captain  of  Co.  C.  139th  111.  Inf., 
and  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  April  6,  1862. 
He  has  held  the  offices  of  Alderman  of  the  city  of  Pekin,  Super- 
visor of  Pekin  township,  member  of  the  30th  General  Assembly  of 
Illinois,  etc.  He  was  married,  in  1863,  to  Miss  Carrie  Pieper,  by 
whom  he  has  had  six  children  —  Walter,  born  in  1864;  George  L., 
in  1866;  Ernest,  in  1868;  Mary  in  1870;  Dietrich,  in  1872;  and' 
Carrie,  in  1875.  George  L.  died,  the  other  five  are  still  living.  He 
has  been  financially  successful,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  a  fine  brick 
residence  on  the  corner  of  Newhall  and  Willow  streets.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  INIr. 
Smith  is  a  public  spirited  man,  and  is  largely  interested  in  the  I.,  B. 
&  W.,  and  other  railroads  in  this  county. 


578  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

Weyhrich  &  Co.  The  firm  of  P.  Weyrich  &  Co.,  manufacturers 
of  the  Weyrich  Headers,  employs  a  large  number  of  hands  in  the 
manufacture  of  that  machine.  They  run  an  80  horse  power  engine 
at  their  works,  and  turn  out  from  600  to  700  machines  annually,  at 
an  aggregate  valuation  of  at  least  $100,000.  On  the  20th  of  May, 
1879,  they  had  one  hundred  machines  in  their  yard,  some  of  which 
were  finished  and  packed  ready  for  shipment,  while  the  finishing- 
touches  were  being  put  upon  others,  every  one  of  which  were 
already  contracted  for.  The  business  of  the  firm  is  steadily  increas- 
ing, and  under  its  present  management  bids  fair  to  surpass  any 
other  establishment  of  the  kind  in  the  West  in  the  amount  and 
excellence  of  its  work. 

BANKS. 

The  banking  interest  has  for  a  long  time  been,  and  must  always 
be,  a  very  important  factor  in  all  commercial  centers,  and  the  large 
amount  of  money-transactions  carried  through  without  the  inter- 
vention of  coin  or  bank  notes,  in  a  country  like  ours,  is  inconceiva- 
ble to  those  not  engaged  in  business  pursuits.  The  manner  in 
which  these  transactions  may  be  effected  without  money  would  be 
at  once  apparent,  if  all  persons  in  the  same  locality  dealt  with  the 
same  bank,  and  all  banks  throughout  the  country  were  branches  of 
the  same  institution,  and  in  reality,  the  business  is  managed  by  the 
operations  of  the  clearing  house,  as  if  this  were  true.  The  checks, 
bills  or  other  drafts  which  come  into  the  hands  of  the  banker,  drawn 
on  (that  is,  payable  by)  other  banks,  are  set  off  and  liquidated  by 
drafts,  which  they  have  received,  drawn  on  him.  The  balance  or 
difference,  only,  is  paid  in  money. 

The  largest  banking  house  in  the  world  —  the  Bank  of  England 
—  was  started  by  William  Patterson,  a  Scotchman,  and  was  char- 
tered in  the  year  1694,  and  since  that  time  the  banking  business  has 
steadily  grown  in  volume  and  importance  until  now,  it  has  reached 
such  magnitude  that  the  collossal  business  transactions  of  our  coun- 
try could  scarcely  be  carried  through  without  the  use  of  banks. 

The  first  banking  house  in  this  county  was  opened  under  the 
name  of  the  Shawneetown  Bank,  in  1839,  and  was  a  branch  of  the 
Bank  of  Illinois,  with  Col.  C.  Oakley  as  its  President ;  Charles  C. 
Wilcox,  Cashier;  and  William  C.  Docker,  Clerk.  The  bank  was 
located  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Court  and  Second  streets.  This 
institution  had  but  a  short  run,  as  the  collapse  of  the  great  internal 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  579 

improvement  system,  inaugurated  in  1836-7,  so  efFectecl  its  ojiera- 
tions  that  in  June,  1842,  it  closed  its  doors.  The  old  safe  used  by 
the  bank  is  still  in  existauce,  and  in  possession  of  Peter  A.  Brower, 
step-son  of  Colonel  Oakley.  It  is  a  quaint  old  relic  of  antiquity 
that  the  skilled  burglar  of  to-day  would  delight  to  meet. 

For  many  years  after  the  close  of  the  Shawneetown  Bank  the 
business  men  of  Pekin  were  without  a  bank,  and  not  until  1852, 
Avhen  Rupert  &  Haines  organized  the  Platte  A^alley  Bank,  was  this 
want  supplied.  This  institution  had  a  run  of  about  nine  years, 
when  it  went  down,  causing  quite  a  flutter  in  business  circles  in 
Pekin,  depositors  and  others  losing  heavily  by  the  failure.  After 
the  collapse  of  the  Platte  Valley  Bank,  Greigg  c^'  Smith  did  a  bank- 
ing business  just  east  of  the  Bemis  House,  in  a  ])uilding  now  occu- 
pied by  George  Greigg.  On  the  15th  of  March,  1860,  the  First 
National  Bank  was  opened.  This  bank  was  organized  by  the  Leon- 
ards, and  did  business  as  a  bank  of  issue  for  about  ten  years,  when 
it  called  in  its  bills  and  surrendered  its  charter  as  a  National  bank, 
and  was  then  conducted  by  Leonard  &  Blossom  for  a  short  time, 
and  is  now  known  as  the  Banking  House  of  F.  W.  Leonard  &  Co. 
About  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  First  National  Bank  the 
Banking  House  of  Teis  Smith  &  Co.  was  inaugurated.  This  bank 
is  located  in  the  block  occupied  by  their  extensive  wagon  factory,  but 
is  conducted  as  a  distinct  and  separate  enterprise.  They  do  a  gen- 
eral banking  and  foreign  exchange  business,  with  D.  C.  Smith  as 
General  Manager,  and  H.  B.  Whitefoot  as  Cashier  and  Clerk.  The 
Farmers  National  Bank  was  organized  June  9, 1875,  with  a  jiaid  up 
capital  of  ^50,000,  Jonathan  Merriam  and  A.  C.  Hoblit  l)eing  the 
])rincipal  movers  in  the  enterprise.  The  bank  opened  with  Jonathan 
Merriam,  President,  S.  H.  Jones,  Vice  President,  and  A.  B.  Hoblit, 
Cashier.  Mr.  Merriam  still  occupies  the  position  of  President,  with 
C.  R.  Cummings,  Vice  President,  and  B,  R.  Hieronymus,  Cashier. 
A  large  number  of  the  solid  business  men  of  the  county  are  inter- 
ested in  this  institution,  which  occupies  one  of  the  finest  brick 
buildings  in  Tazewell  county,  erected  and  fitted  especially  for  it, 
and  located  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Court  and  Capitol  streets. 
Its  fire-proof  vaults  and  burglar-proof  safes  are  of  modern 
build  and  the  very  best  make.  The  present  Cashier,  INIr.  B.  R. 
Hieronymus,  is  widely  known  throughout  the  county  for  his  cour- 
tesy and  fair  dealing,  and  his  known  business  qualifications  and  in- 
tegrity of  character,  so  characteristic  of  the  man^  eminently  fit  him 
35 


580  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

for  the  most  important  office  in  one  of  the  leading'  lianking  houses 
in  Central  Illinois. 

RELIGIOUS    HISTORY. 

The  M.  E.  Church. —  Fifty-two  years  ago  a  little  band  of  movers 
might  have  been  seen  wending  their  way  from  Ohio,  with  faces  bent 
on  the  prairie  wilds  of  Illinois.  At  nightfall  the  weary  oxen  were 
loosened  from  their  yokes  and  left  to  lazily  graze  and  rest,  while 
this  little  colony,  as  it  were,  prepared  their  evening's  meal  and 
couches  for  the  night.  Nor  did  they  forget,  on  bended  knees,  to 
thank  their  maker  and  preserver  for  guiding  them  aright  in  that 
great  wilderness  of  wild  waving  grass  and  dense  woods,  by  the  Avay 
side,  where  crouched  in  ambush  lay  the  red  men  of  the  forest. 
Little  children  sleeping  in  the  calm  moonlight,  the  cattle  resting 
from  the  toilsome  march  of  the  day,  chewing  their  cud  as  they  lay, 
the  smoke  slowly  ascending  from  the  camp  fires  which  smouldered 
close  by  —  when,  hark!  what  sounds  echo  through  the  still  woods: 
"Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow,"  comes  up  in  deep  and 
earnest  tones  from  grateful  hearts,  and,  they  retire  for  the  night, 
with  the  wild  wolves  of  the  forest  howling  about  them,  and  the  red 
eyes  of  the  catamount  glaring  upon  them. 

Methodism  was  the  pioneer  Church  of  Pekin  and  of  Tazewell 
county.  In  1826,  Jacob  Tharp  and  family  pitched  their  tents  on 
the  banks  of  the  Illinois  river,  and  on  the  present  town  site  of  the 
city  of  Pekin.  In  1823-4,  Sangamon  Circuit  was  laid  out,  which 
comprised  all  territory  lying  between  Springfield  and  Lake  Michi- 
gan. Rev.  Samuel  Thompson  was  appointed  Presiding  Elder,  and 
Rev.  Jesse  Walker  was  appointed  as  a  missionary,  taking  in  Pekin 
and  Fort  Clark.  Jesse  Walker  is  therefore  booked  as  the  first 
Methodist  preacher  in  Tazewell  county.  We  quote  from  the  diary 
of  Jacob  Tharp : 

"However,  in  the  same  season,  but  I  cannot  now  remember 
whether  before  or  after  Dillon  and  Hinkle's  goods  arrived,  the 
Methodists  had  established  a  mission  or  circuit  for  this  part  and 
range  of  the  country.  Religious  services  by  that  persuasion  were 
first  held  at  my  friend's,  Gideon  Hawley,  on  Sand  Prairie,  when  I 
first  met  our  preacher,  Jesse  Walker,  and  invited  him  to  give  us  a 
discourse  at  the 'Town  Site.'  He  thought  it  unnecessary,  as  no 
body  but  myself  and  family,  and  my  son  Jonathan  and  family,  re- 
sided there,  but  I  insisted  and  he  complied.     We  had  quite  an 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  OJ^I 

aiulionre.  Pokin  then  giving  promise  of  being  something  in  the 
future.  Some  came  to  examine  tlie  site,  .'iome  to  do  some  trading, 
and  some  to  h)ok  at  the  river  and  to  Jisli,  etc.  The  meeting  was 
hchl  in  my  house." 

Thus  the  first  j)reaching  and"  meeting  was  hekl  in  the  cabin  of 
Jacob  Tharp.  During  the  same  year,  1(S26,  the  first  ckiss  was 
organized,  with  Jacob  Tharp  and  Hendricks  as  leaders.  The 
foHowing  persons  comprised  that  class:  Jacob  Tharj^  and  wife, 
Phoebe,  and  her  mother,  whose  name  was  Winans;  Jonathan  Tliarp 
and  his  wife,  Sarah ;  N.  B.  Tharp  and  Avife,  Margret ;  Wm.  Tharp 
and  wife,  Jane ;  Gideon  Hawley  and  wife,  Elizabeth ;  Geo  Hinkle 
and  wife;  Mr.  Clark  and  wife,  Mr.  Hendricks  and  wife,  and  John 
Rylander.  This  class  met  from  time  to  time,  giving  in  their  relig- 
ious experience,  singing  their  hymns  of  praise,  and  thanking  God 
for  His  great  mercy  and  goodness  vouchsafed  unto  them.  Preaching 
occurred  occasionally  in  Mr.  Tharp's  cabin  and  that  of  his  son  Jon- 
athan's. The  circuit  extended  from  Chicago  to  Springfield,  and  it 
generally  took  from  two  to  three  months  to  make  the  trip.  The 
circuit  rider's  equipmentj|i(Ras  a  horse  and  a  pair  of  saddle  bags,  to 
contain  his  Bible  and  discipline  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

The  next  minister  we  can  find  any  account  of,  is  Rev.  Lord,  and 
he,  in  turn,  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  John  Sinclair,  in  18.'j1.  He  and 
Zadock  Hall  (then  a  young  man  in  the  full  vigor  of  his  manhood) 
formed  the  first  regular  organization.  Old  Peter  Cartwright  had 
then  formed,  for  himself  and  family,  a  little  habitation  at  a  place 
called  Pleasant  Plains,  this  side  of  Springfield.  At  his  home  the 
weary  and  exhausted  circuit  rider  found  rest  and  encouragement  in 
labors.  Quarterly  Meetings,  in  those  days,  meant  a  big  time. 
Extra  cooking  and  preparing  went  on  for  some  days  in  advance  of 
the  meeting.  Men,  women  and  chikh'en  came  from  miles  about 
prepared  to  stay  the  meeting  through,  which  generally  lasted  three 
days.  The  Rev.  John  T.  Mitchell  followed  Rev.  Hall.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  power  and  eloquence,  and  eccentric  to  a  great  degree. 
His  fiights  of  )[)ratory  at  times  were  truly  sublime.  He  began  his 
labors  as  the  first  regular  installed  minister,  in  18o4,  in  a  little 
room,  about  twenty  feet  square,  in  the  old  barracks  or  stockades, 
which  stood  on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the  old  frame  residence 
of  Joshua  Wagenseller.  In  this  little  room  Judge  David  Davis,  of 
the  Supreme  Bench,  and  now  U.  S.  Senator,  made  his  maiden  speech, 
the  room  being  occupied  as  a  kind  of  court-house  during  the  week. 


582  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

We  will  give  one  or  two  illustrations  which,  in  themsolvcs,  will 
speak  for  the  plain-tongued  man  of  God,  John  T,  Mitchell.  One 
of  his  congregation,  and  a  widow,  who  had  but  recently  laid  off  her 
weeds,  sold  a  cow  and  purchased  what  in  those  days  was  termed  an 
elegant  cloak,  and  she  disposed  of  a  brass  preserving  kettle  and 
bought  a  bonnet  (we  presume  a  love  of  a  one).  This  piece  of  whole- 
sale extravagance  had  gone  the  rounds  of  the  village,  and  loud  were 
the  censures  for  this  wanton  outlay,  when  to  wear  a  bow  or  an  arti- 
ficial flower  was  ecpiivilent  to  receiving  sentence  with  the  damned. 

Well,  one  Sunday  morning  when  Father  l^.Iitchell  was  coming 
down  on  the  pomps  and  vanities  of  the  world,  and  earnestly  hoping 
that  none  of  his  congregation  would  be  guilty  of  putting  on  the 
flippery  and  flummery  as  worn  by  the  worldings,  just  as  his  eloquence 
waxed  warm  on  the  subject  of  dress,  in  walked  the  widow  M'ith  her 
new  clothes,  whereupon  the  sight  of  her  was  too  much  for  him,  and 
he  said  (pointing  his  finger  directly  at  her,)  "Yes,  and  there  comes  a 
woman  with  her  cow  upon  her  back  and  her  brass  kettle  on  her 
head."  The  rebuke  and  the  lesson  must  have  been  severe,  and  in 
ruminating  over  those  days  and  fashions  we  have  wondered  what 
Father  Mitchell  would  say  if  he  were  to  wake  up  and  open  his  eyes 
in  the  chapel  of  to-day.  We  think  he  would  find  many  cows  and 
kettles  decorating  the  devout  of  the  present  age. 

Rev.  Richard  Haney,  as  Presiding  Elder,  figured  conspicuously 
in  the  early  history  of  the  Church.  But  more  of  Father  Mitchell. 
In  those  days  all  the  excitement  the  populace  had,  by  way  of  break- 
ing the  monotony,  was  the  landing  of  the  steam-boats,  and  we  are 
told  that  more  always  came  on  Sunday  than  any  other  day.  Father 
Mitchell  was  exceedingly  annoyed,  from  time  to  time,  by  many  of  his 
congregation  jumping  up  and  running  to  the  river  every  time  a  boat 
whistled.  Once,  when  the  stampede  began.  Father  Mitchell,  with 
voice  raised  in  tones  of  thunder,  cried  after  them,  "The  wicked 
fleeth  when  no  man  pursueth."  Whcreu])on  a  waggish  fellow  turned 
in  the  doorway,  hat  in  hand,  and,  looking  calmly  at  the  divine, 
answered  back,  "and  the  righteous  are  as  bold  as  a  lion." 

In  1839  the  old  brick  church  was  founded.  It  was  commonly 
called,  in  after  years,  the  old  Foundry  Church.  For  this  Father 
Mitchell  labored  hard  and  zealously.  The  Church  was,  in  its  incep- 
tion, to  be  quite  a  grand  and  imposing  edifice,  built  of  brick,  with 
basement  for  schools,  and  an  auditorium  above.  Grandfather  Tliar2> 
went  back  to  Ohio  to  raise  money  to  finish  it,  and  raised  $100  and 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  583 

spent  $200  of  his  own  in  getting  it.  The  basement  was  compk^tecl, 
but  the  dreams  of  the  vast  auditorium,  which  was  to  hokl  the  com- 
ine;  multitudes  was  never  fullv  finished,  and  their  visions  and  dreams 
remained  as  castles  in  air.  The  old  Foundry  Church  was  situated 
immediately  west  of  Crittenden's  livery  s,table. 

We  think  Father  Mitchell  must  have  been  a  firm  believer  in  total 
depravity.  There  was  a  Universalist  minister  by  the  name  of  Carey, 
from  Cincinnati  (who  was  afterwards  sent  to  Congress),  came  to 
Pekin  and  held  a  series  of  meetings  in  the  two-story  frame  house 
directly  opposite  the  old  Foundry  Church.  This  preacher,  Carey,  was 
brilliant  and  fluent  of  tongue,  gathering  about  him,  apparently,  the 
whole  village,  to  the  disgust  of  Father  Mitchell  and  his  meml)ers. 
This  was  something  new  to  them,  it  being  the  first  time  the  broad- 
guage  religious  track  had  struck  Pekin,  and  many  there  were  who 
were  charmed  with  the  doctrine.  Still,  some  of  the  young  men  felt 
an  innate  sense  of  delicacy  in  openly  and  glaringly  cutting  old  faith- 
ful Father  Mitchell's  teachings,  and  they  would  walk  about  and 
reconnoitre  until  they  would  get  to  the  corner  of  the  building,  and 
then  stand  and  look  around  them  for  a  few  minutes,  to  see  who  was 
looking  at  them,  and  then  like  lightning  dodge  in.  Father  Mitchell, 
across  the  way,  was  of  course  taking  in  the  full  imi)ort  of  the  scene, 
and  feeling  just  a  little  bit  of  human  chagrin  at  the  boys  leaving 
him  for  that  glittering  faith,  he  would  walk  up  and  down  his  church 
aisles,  with  his  arms  crossed  behind  his  back,  and  as  another  and 
another  would  dodge  in  to  hear  Carey,  lie  would  say,  very  audibly, 
"  there 's  another  one  gone  to  hell." 

The  following  persons  composed  the  first  choir :  Samuel  Rhoads, 
John  W.  Howard,  James  White,  Daniel  Creed,  John  M.  Tinney, 
John  Rhoads,  and  Henry  Sweet,  who  acted  as  leader.  This  band  of 
"ye  singers"  met  in  Creed's  room  for  practice,  and  sometimes  "took 
a  hand,"  to  pass  the  time  until  service.  One  morning  one  of  the 
members  (still  surviving  in  Pekin)  felt  the  conviction  that  the  boys 
had  pinned  a  card  upon  his  back.  So  deep  was  the  conviction,  and 
so  annoying  was  the  sensation,  that  he  reached  his  hand  over  his 
shoulder  in  hopes  of  grasping  it,  and  then  rubbed  his  back  against 
the  wall,  but  there  was  no  card  there;  it  was  only  another  instance 
of  "  the  guilty  conscience  needeth.  no  accuser."  This  choir  did 
valiant  service  in  waiting  on  the  sick  during  the  fearful  scourge  and 
epidemic,  called  putrid  sore  throat,  or  black  tongue,  which  swept 
over  this  part  of  the  country  during  the  winter  of  1843  and  44. 


584  HISTOKY    OP    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

Tliey  paired  off,  night  about,  in  watching  the  sick.  But  one  even- 
ing Creed  did  not  put  in  his  apperance,  and  some  of  the  boys  sug- 
gested that  he  might  be  sick,  and  went  to  his  room  where  they  were 
wont  to  sing,  but  poor  Daniel  Creed  had  sung  his  last  song  on  earth, 
and  passed  to  the  anthem  choirs  in  the  courts  of  Heaven,  for  they 
found  him  dead  in  his  bed.  The  poor  fellow  had  passed  away  in  the 
loneliness  of  his  own  chamber,  all  alone,  "  to  that  bourne  from  whence 
no  traveler  returns."  This  fearful  disease  swept  off,  seemingly,  half 
the  village.  The  dead  and  the  dying  were  in  almost  every  house ; 
men  and  women  were  aroused  to  a  sudden  sense  of  their  oblijiations 
to  their  God,  and  with  death  apparently  staring  them  in  the  face, 
they  were  crying  out,  "  What  shall  we  do  to  be  saved '?"  During 
this  panic  was  started  what  was  always  afterwards  termed  the  "  sore- 
throat  revival."  Shops  were  shut,  stores  were  closed,  and  all  voca- 
tions for  the  time  suspended,  while  the  sick  were  nursed,  the  dead 
laid  away,  and  the  souls  of  the  living  presented  to  God  for  mercy. 
A  pall  hung  over  the  infant  town.  A  doom,  at  once  dark,  and  deep, 
and  solemn,  seemed  to  settle  oyer  the  citizens.  Everybody  joined 
the  Church, 

Lucus  Vanzant,  the  editor  of  the  Pekin  Gazette,  and  one  of  "  the 
b'hoys,"  took  sick  early  one  night,  and  during  the  progress  of  the 
meeting,  that  same  evening  he  sent  his  name  down  to  the  minister 
to  be  enrolled  on  the  Church  books.     Vanzant  got  well. 

Old  Father  Wolston  was  a  local  preacher  who  did  much  good  in 
his  time.  In  his  own  language  he  always  "  whittled  his  sermons 
down  to  a  pint."  In  184G,  the  first  regular  Methodist  Sunday- 
school  was  organized  with  Father  Wolston  as  Superintendent.  In 
1847,  the  old  brick  church  was  sold  to  Messrs.  Jewett  &  Baker  for 
a  foundry,  and  Rev.  James  Olliver  came  on  the  field  and  commenced 
the  work  and  plans  of  the  old  frame  church,  which  stood  north  of 
the  residence  known  as  the  Holmes  property,  and  where  now  stands 
the  Farmers  National  Bank.  This  Church  was  burned  in  1870. 
The  sleepers  and  sills  of  the  church  were  taken  from  a  little  Method- 
ist Church,  which  stood  for  a  while  near  the. farm  of  Wm.  Davis, 
and  close  beside  what  is  known  as  the  Myers  grave  yard.  This 
church  they  pulled  down,  and  with  oxen  hauled  the  timbers  into 
Pekin,  to  helj)  form  the  frame  of  the  new  church.  He  was  followed 
in  turn  by  one  Rev.  Bristol,  one  of  the  finest  built  and  most  splendid 
looking  men  who  ever  graced  a  Pekin  pulpit.  His  manner  and  style 
was  courtly  and  engaging.     His  dress  was  of  the  old  martial  day. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  585 

with  knee  breeches,  and  big  steel  buekk's  on  his  shoes.  ^Ivu  nud 
women  in  turn  raved  over  him,  and  in  ])assin<>;  turned  and  k).oked 
again. 

Timothy  Crosby  was  the  next  ])astoi'.  OKI  Father  Ledterman 
rendered  vahuible  assistance  in  the  comph'tiou  of  the  Chureh.buikl- 
ing,  and  in  1847  it  was  dedicated. 

The  bell,  which  for  years  was  mounted  in  the  tower  of  the  old 
frame  church,  and  which  rung  and  tolcd  alike  in  joy  or  sadness,  for 
marriage  or  funeral,  was  presented  to  the  Trustees  of  the  Church 
by  the  following  gentlemen :  Samuel  Rhoads,  Colonel  Frank  L. 
Rhoads,  William  Tinney,  and  John  ISI.  Gill,  and  was  captured  by 
them  Avhen  in  Mexico,  in  the  Mexican  War.  They  took  it  from  the 
tower  of  a  Roman  Catholic  Monastery,  at  Vera  Cruz,  ])afked  it  in  a 
flour  barrel  with  straw,  and  brought  it  liome  with  them  to  Pekin, 
and  presented  it  the  Methodist  Church  oi"  this  city,  where  it,  with 
its  old  cracked  chimes,  made  singular  music  for  the  masses  in  its 
rino-iuir  for  service  or  fire.  But  the  old  bell  wearied  of  in'otestant- 
ism,  and  in  the  year  18G7  was  sold,  with  its  full  consent,  to  the 
English  Roman  Catholic  Church,  of  Pekin,  where  its  peculiar  tones 
may  be  heard  at  five  in  the  morning,  calling  its  devotees  to  the 
early  mass.  And  thus  the  old  bell  has  returned  to  its  early  faith  and 
original  creed. 

Timothy  Crosby  was  followed  by  Father  Chandler,  a  man  of  great 
force  of  character  and  native  ability.  Isaac  Hawley  here  began  to 
work  valiantly  for  the  Ijord.  He  served  as  Sunday-school  Superin- 
tendent for  several  years.  Father  Chandler  was  followed  by  Rev. 
Worthington,  an  excellent  man  and  minister.  Rev.  John  Bour- 
land  now  put  in  an  appearance,  in  his  own  language,  he  felt  as  though 
"the  devil  had  the  hawk  of  his  jaw  on  most  of  the  town."  At  the 
end  of  two  years  he  departed  to  make  room  for  one  Rev.  Vance. 
He  remained  but  one  year.  Rev.  George  Erwin  came  to  Pekin  as 
a  boy  bridegroom  in  1855.  His  sermons  were  concise  and  emj)hatic. 
His  personal  appearance  was  good.  Next  came  Rev.  Gregg,  a  min- 
ister with  more  brahis  and  mind  than  physic  to  support  it.  The 
Church  raised  a  purse,  Mr.  Sam  Rhoads  collecting  in  two  hours  time 
^130,  to  help  Mr.  Gregg  go  South  for  the  benefit  of  his  heaUh. 
He  returned  ere  long  to  Pekiu,  where  he  died.  Rev.  J.  C.  Rybolt 
now  steps  into  the  j)ulpit,  a  man  of  remarkable  ability  and  gift  of 
oratory.  He  did  not  grace  the  ])ulpit  in  Pekin  long,  as  he  turned 
his  attention  to  law.     Next  comes  long  John  Windsor,  who  served 


586  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

acceptably  for  two  years.     He  was  a  good  man,  no  higher  can  be 
said  of  any. 

The  church  sustained  a  heavy  loss  about  that  time  in  the  decease 
of  the  persons  of  INIrs.  Whitefoot  and  Mrs.  John  Hammer,  who 
was  a  Shelton. 

Rev.  James  Vernon  followed  John  Windsor.  He  had  a  large 
family  wholly  dependent  upon  his  salary  for  sustenance.  His  cares 
and  anxieties  were  so  many,  and  the  struggle  for  bread  and  butter 
so  hard,  that  it  is  a  wonder  how  he  could  forget  his  embarrassments 
sufficient,  to  prepare  his  sermons,  which  were  always  polished  and 
methodical. 

Zadock  Hall,  known  better  of  late  years  as  "  old  Father  Hall," 
now  turns  up  again.  He  served  full  three  years.  He  was  here  when 
the  times  were  stirring,  and  the  war  was  upon  us  with  all  its  terri- 
bleness ;  when  women  and  children  were  weeping  for  their  husbands 
and  fathers ;  when  maidens  wer^  sad  in  the  absence  of  their  lovers, 
and  when  brother  was  arrayed  against  brother,  and  when  the  South 
had  said  "  extend  to  us  the  Mason  and  Dixon  line,"  and  when  the 
North  was  saying  back,  in  smoke  and  thunder,  "  unshackle  those 
bent  forms  from  bondage  and  toil,  and  consent  to  our  flag  waving 
over  you, —  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  which  was  bought  amid  peril 
and  blood  in  the  Revolution." 

What  changes  Father  Hall  must  have  beheld  in  his  coming  back 
to  the  Church  he  left  in  its  infancy.  His  life  was  so  humble  and 
exemplary  that  the  whole  town  loved  him  for  his  gentle  ways,  and 
when  there  was  low  whisperings  that  perhaps  a  younger  man  might 
prove  more  efficient,  the  populace  arose  in  a  mass  and  petitioned 
Conference  to  send  the  gentle  old  man  back  the  last  and  third  year, 
which  its  session  cheerfully  granted. 

During  Father  Hall's  time  the  Church  invested  (amid  many  mis- 
givings as  to  the  righteousness  of  the  act)  in  a  melodeon,  at  a  cost 
of  forty  dollars.  There  had  been  a  feeble  attempt  once  before  to 
introduce  some  instrumental  music,  in  the  form  of  a  flute  in  the 
hands  and  mouth  of  Richard  Shaw,  which  was  to  be  accompanied 
by  a  bass  viol,  but  somehow  the  thing  wouldn't  work  as  pure 
orthodox,  and  the  instruments  were  banished. 

Rev.  Robert  Pearcc,  a  nephew  of  Rev.  Robert  McChaiu,  the  emi- 
nent Scotch  divine,  of  Edinburgh,  came  next.  Robert  G.  Pearce  is 
an  Edinburgh  Scotchman,  born  and  educated  in  that  city,  the  mod- 
ern Athens  of  the  world.     Rev.   Pearce  in  stature  is  below  the 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY.  587 

medium,  with  coal  black  hair,  as  straight  as  a  shoo  string,  and  a  pair 
of  eyes  dark  and  piercing  and  a  large  and  well  defined  mouth  and 
nose.  But  wait,  he  has  stepped  into  the  pulpit  or  rostrum.  He  has 
opened  his  mouth,  and  now  all  eyes  are  upon  him,  and  every  ear 
strained  to  catch  each  syllable  as  it  falls  from  his  lips,  and  he  holds 
his  audience  in  breathless  silence.  The  coming  of  Robert  Pearce 
was  the  dawning  of  a  new  era  in  Methodism  in  this  city.  He 
opened  a  series  of  meetings  with  the  new  year  of  18GG.  The  old 
church  would  not  begin  to  hold  the  people  who  thronged  to  hear 
the  little  Scotch  preacher.  His  work  was  full  and  complete  and 
men  and  women  bowed  before  the  old  altar  rail,  who  had  been 
called  proud  and  haughty.  Two  names  we  have  handed  down  on 
the  wings  of  the  memory  of  that  winter,  who  came  out  gloriously 
on  the  Lord's  side,  arc  Mrs.  Henry  P.  Westerman  and  Emma 
AVagoner.     The  Morks  of  these  ladies  speak  for  themselves. 

Rev.  Pearce  raised  the  subscription  and  built  the  present  edifice. 
The  little  frame  church  was  sold  to  David  Lowery,  who  prostituted 
its  old  sanctified  walls  into  those  of  a  billiard  hall  and  drinking 
saloon.  Afterwards  it  was  leased  to  Hight  &  INIiller  as  a  livery 
stable,  and  in  1870  it  was  burned  down.  What  early  associations 
cluster  around  its  old-time  memories ;  what  scenes  of  joy  have  been 
witnessed  within  its  four  old  walls,  when,  in  solemn  vow  and  prom- 
ise, men  and  women,  with  right  hands  clasped,  vowed  to  love  one 
another  till  death  did  them  part;  and  then  what  shouts  of  gladness 
were  borne  out  on  the  midnight  air  when  some  darkened  soul  was 
born  again  of  God;  and  then  what  hush  would  fall  as  some  mother 
with  pale  hands  clasped  in  the  cold  embrace  of  death,  was  carried  up 
the  aisles  in  her  last  earthly  tenement,  or  some  infant  sweet  with 
white  roses  scattered  on  its  silent  breast.  Ah,  what  tales'of  joy  and 
sadness  the  ashes  of  the  past  could  tell,  if  tongues  to  ashes  were 
given. 

Teis  Smith  subscribed  $500  towards  the  new  church,  it  being  the 
first  subscrii)tion  given.  Reuben  Bergstresser  followed  with  .^100, 
and  Isaac  Hawley,  Mary  L.  Westerman,  Stephen  Roney  and  Geo. 
Greigg  giving  the  same,  and  thus  the  first  $1,000  was  raised.  The 
new  church  edifice  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $12,000.  It  was  finished 
and  dedicated  in  April,  1867,  the  dedicatory  sermon  being  preached 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Chicago,  and  the  sermon  in  the  evening 
by  Rev.  J.  G.  Evans,  late  President  of  Hedding  College. 

Joseph  C.  Hartezell  was  appointed  in  1808.    He  was  a  young  man 


588  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 

of  fine  mind  and  capabilities,  and  a  graduate  of  the  Xorthwestern 
University.  He  served  until  removed  South  by  Bishop  Janes,  to 
fill  the  unexpu'ed  year  of  Dr.  Newman,  of  Ames  Chapel,  New  Or- 
leans, who  had  been  elected  as  Chaplain  of  the  U.  S.  Senate. 

After  the  removal  of  Hartezell,  the  pulpit  was  filled  from  Sunday 
to  Sunday,  by  Professors  from  the  Wesleyan  University,  or  until 
Rev.  Joseph  Millsap,  Presiding  Elder,  could  secure  a  minister  to 
fill  the  vacancy,  which  he  did  in  May,  in  the  person  of  Rev.  James 
B.  Blakency  who  acted  as  a  supply  until  Conference,  which  con- 
vened in  Pckin  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  (1870),  The  session 
was  presided  over  by  Bishop  Janes,  who,  with  a  niunber  of  his  cab- 
inet, were  entertained  by  Mr.  and  Mrs,  Reuben  Bergstresser,  Mr. 
B.,  although  not  a  member  of  the  Church  until  the  year  1869,  still 
he  saiight  to  labor  in  the  Lords  vineyard  somewhere  and  for  years 
cast  his  influence  in  behalf  of  the  Methodist  Church  and  for  nine 
years  he  served  as  Sunday-school  Superintendent.  The  Church 
sustained  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of  Martha  Burnett,  wife  of  Sam 
Rhoads,  This  good  woman  was  a  power  and  might  in  her  day  and 
many  missed  her  cheering  voice  by  the  weary  wayside.  While  it  is 
not  a  written  law  of  the  Church  politic,  yet  it  is  conceded  as  a  mat- 
ter of  courtesy  to  permit  the  Church  entertaining  the  Conference  to 
pick  their  man  at  the  time  of  the  session,  therefore  a  conmiittee 
waited  upon  Bishop  Janes  and  requested  him  to  send  Rev,  James 
W,  Haney  to  preside  over  them  as  a  Church,  and  in  accordance  M'ith 
their  request,  he  was  appointed.  He  is  the  eldest  son  of  Rev, 
Richard  Haney,  one  of  the  old  pioneers  of  Western  Methodism, 
His  address  and  manners  are  pleasing  and  engaging.  His  dignity 
and  pose  in  the  pulpit  could  not  be  surpassed.  As  a  preacher  he 
was  immensly  popular;  his  sermons  always  abounding  in  fine  logic 
and  diction,  and  with  all  a  splendid  delivery  and  powerful  voice, 
which,  at  will,  could  be  hushed  to  the  most  tragic  whisper.  During 
the  three  years  which  he  served  he  was  for  two  thirds  of  the  time 
the  only  English  speaking  minister  in  the  town.  This  was  during 
the  ravages  of  the  spinal  menengitis  in  Pekin,  and  Mr.  Haney's  la- 
bors and  visits  among  the  sick,  were  early  and  late.  He  made  more 
visits  on  the  sick,  buried  more  dead  and  married  more  than  any 
other  minister  ever  did  in  the  same  time  in  Pekin.  Durino;  his  ad- 
ministration  much  was  done  to  improve  the  church  property.  The 
pews  were  cushioned,  the  church  building  was  given  two  coats  of 
paint,  the  Smith's  American  organ  placed  in  the  infant  room,  and 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEAVELL   COUNTY.  589 

the  hand.some  pipe  organ  placed  in  the  audience  room  and  many  mi- 
nor improvements  were  added  to  the  church  and  Sunday-school  in  a 
general  way. 

Rev.  Haney  was  followed  by  Rev.  Dr.  Hugh  M.  Laney,  a  Chris- 
tian gentleman,  full  of  analysis  and  philosophy  as  well  as  the  Gospel. 
His  sermons  were  concise  and  well  put.     His  reign   in  Pekin  was 
two    years.     His   last   was   marked   by   great   im])rovement   to   the 
church  building.     The  two  stairs  were  changed,  the  auditorium  re- 
freshed, the  windows  put  into  frames  and  hung  with  weights  so  as 
to  come  down  from  the  top,  gas  chandeliers  put  in,  new  carpets  put 
down,  pews  all   repainted,  and   new  chairs   [)laced  in   the   Sunday- 
school    room.      This   was   done  under  the   Doctor's  direction   and 
supervision,  at  a  cost  of  thirteen  hundred  dollars.     Mrs.  Westermau 
])resented  the  mountings  to  the  ])ulpit  which  she  had  put  on  fresh 
for  the  funeral  of  W.  W.  Sellers,  which  took  place  from  this  church. 
In  the  fall   of  1875,  Rev.  Edward  Wasmuth  was  sent  to  Pekin, 
where  he  remained  two  years.     During  the  fall  of  his  first  year,  the 
^Central    Illinois  Conference  met  in  session  in  this  city  in  the  M.  E. 
•Church,  Bishop  Wiley  presiding.     The  Bishoj)  and  Cabinet,  with 
•the  agents,  book  and  newspaper  men,  numbering  twenty-five,  were 
entertained  at   Rose  Villa,  by  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Westerman.     At  this 
'session  E.  Wasmuth  was  returned  to  Pekin.     Through  letters  of 
solicitation  to  Aberdeen,  Scotland,  and  to  India,  Mrs.  Westerman 
received   from    Lord  Wm.  Leslie,  of  Aberdeen,  and   from   Major 
Francis  Gillie,  of  her  Majesty's  service  in  India,  the  money  wdiich 
placed  the  fence  and  pavement  around  the  church,  as  also  the  walks 
to  the  doors  and  the  out-houses.     Thus  Auld  Caledonia  and  India 
have  contributed  to  Pekin  Methodism. 

Rev.  Marion  F.  Havermale  now  pnts  in  an  appearance  on  the 
scene,  and  his  bright  and  sparkling  sermons  still  live  in  the  com- 
munity, as  they  always  abounded  in  happy  hits  and  well-made 
points,  which  he  hurled  at  his  hearers  like  sledge  hammers. 

Rev.  R.  D.  Russell,  the  present  minister,  was  appointed  to  fill 
his  place.  Rev.  Russell  is  a  gentleman  of  fine  intellectual  ability, 
pleasing  address,  and  scholarly  attainments.  He  graduated  with 
the  first  honors  of  his  class  from  the  Northwestern  University  at 
Evanston.  He  is  serving  his  people  and  the  city  in  a  very  accept- 
able manner.  During  his  brief  stay,  he  has  already  lifted  some  six 
hundred  dollars  indebtedness  from  the  Church. 

And  now  the  pen-picture  is  done ;  the  history,  in  much  weakness, 


590  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

is  given.  In  all  these  years  that  have  come  and  gone,  the  Church 
has  had  its  seasons  of  sadness  and  rejoicing.  The  record  is  made, 
and  the  Recording  Angel  hath  it.  The  Pekin  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  will  continue  to  stand.  Blows  which  were  meant  to  be 
death,  have  been  struck  at  her  vitals,  but  they  fell  harmless  and 
powerless  on  the  breast-plate  which  confronted  them,  and  those  who 
gave  with  the  sword,  were,  in  turn,  met  with  the  scabbard. 

German  M.  E.  Church. — This  is  the  finest  and  costliest  church  edi- 
fice in  Tazewell  Co.  It  was  erected  in  1873,  at  a  cost  of  -f  27,000.  It 
is  a  large  brick,  55  by  85  feet,  with  basement  story.  The  congrega- 
tion was  organized  in  1842,  and  a  building,  which  at  present  stands 
on  Fourth  street,  near  the  L,  B.  &  W.  Raildroad  track,  was  erected. 
Among  the  first  pastors  were  Revs.  Plcuel,  Zimmerman,  Holl, 
Fiegenbaum,  and  Holtcamp.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  John 
Schlagenhauf,  came  in  1878.  The  present  membership  is  200.  The 
congregation  raise  $2,000  per  year.  The  Trustees  are  Luppe 
liuppen,  H.  Feltman,  John  Velde,  Fred  Schaefer.  The  Stewards 
are  Luppen,  H.  Velde,  Unland,  Schaefer,  D.  C.  Smith,  Fred  Smith, 
and  IT.  Albertson.  There  is  a  large  Sunday-school  in  connection 
with  the  Church,  which  is  presided  over  by  Supt.  E.  F.  Unland. 
The  average  attendance  is  360.  The  annual  contribution  amounts 
to  from  1350  to  $400.  The  school  has  a  well  selected  library  of 
450  volumes. 

First  Dutch  Reformed  Church. — The  sketch  of  this  Church  is 
gleaned  from  an  historical  sermon  preached  by  Rev.  E.  P.  Livings- 
ton, Jan.  18,  1874,  being  the  last  discourse  preached  in  the  old 
church  edifice.  When  Pekin  was  a  small  village,  there  was  felt  the 
pressing  need  of  a  Church.  The  desire  for  a  Church  assumed  deffi- 
iiite  shape  in  the  organization  of  a  Sabbath-school.  As  early  as 
Feb.  21,  1836,  we  find  J.  R.  Crandell  as  Superintendent  of  the 
school.  There  were  at  that  time  four  teachers  and  twenty-nine 
scholars.  This  school  was  short  lived,  however.  Another  school  was 
organized  Nov.  22,  1837.  On  the  26th  of  the  same  month  a  con- 
stitution was  adopted,  which,  in  the  main,  is  the  one  under  which 
the  school  now  works,  which  makes  this  the  oldest  school  in  the 
city.     Until  1844  or  '45  it  was  the  only  one. 

As  it  often  happens  in  new  countries  and  mission  fields,  the  Sun- 
day-school became  the  parent  of  the  Church.  There  was  piety  here, 
and  as  that  was  called  out  and  developed  by  work  in  the  school,  it 
would   not  be  satisfied  until  all  the  means  of  grace  were  enjoyed. 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  591 

Hence  we  find  the  Presbyterians  making  early  efforts  to  establisli  a 
cliurch.  Indeed,  Rev.  jNIr.  Bascom  was  aetuallv  settled  here  for  a 
short  time.  Through  his  efforts  a  church  was  organized  under  the 
title  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Pekin  and  Sand  Prairie.  For 
some  reason  this  church  was  soon  disbanded,  and  the  field  atrain  left 
open. 

The  next  effort  toward  a  church  was  made  by  Rev.  A.  D.  Wilson, 
the  energetic  and  ])ersevering  pioneer  of  the  Reformed  Ciiurch  in 
the  West.  During  1842-3,  this  father  in  Israel  pressed  his  wav  to 
this  place  to  prepare  the  way  for  a  churcli.  In  the  spring  of  1843, 
Father  Wilson  fell  in  company  with  IMr.  Daniel  Bailey,  on  a  trip  to 
St.  Louis,  and  at  once  engaged  in  conversation  with  him  in  refer- 
ence to  the  prospect  of  a  church  at  Pekin.  At  that  time  the  propo- 
sition was  made  that  if  the  citizens  would  raise  $1,000,  he  (Father 
Wilson)  would  secure  a  like  amount.  This  the  people  accepted,  and 
accordingly,  April  9,  1843,  Rev.  A.  D.  Wilson  and  George  Sill 
came  to  organize  the  Church,  which  consisted  of  ten  members.  The 
Elders  chosen  were  Charles  M.  Grimwood,  David  Bailey,  and  Henry 
Lew.  Of  the  original  members,  Mrs.  Olive  S.  Tackaberry  is  the 
only  one  living  here.  The  first  Trustees  chosen  were  John  W. 
Casey,  Daniel  M.  Bailey,  David  Mark,  Harlen  Hatch,  I*.  G. 
Thompson,  and  T.  J.  S.  Fluel.  A  church  building  was  begun  and 
the  corner  stone  laid  July  24,  1843.  The  subscription  in  the  village 
amounted  to  %\  ,500  instead  of  |1,000.  The  day  of  laying  the  corner 
stone  was  a  gala  day  in  Pekin.  Business  seems  to  have  been  sus- 
jx'nded  and  they  paraded  the  streets.  Nov.  11,  1843,  Rev.  N.  D. 
Williamson  arrived  and  took  charge  as  pastor.  As  soon  as  the 
building  was  enclosed  and  floor  laid,  services  were  held  in  this  new 
church,  the  pastor  using  a  dry  goods  box  for  a  j)ulpit.  The  build- 
ing was  not  fully  completed  till  1847.     It  cost  $G,000. 

It  was  occupied  for  thirty  years,  an  honor  and  ornanuMit  to  the 
town.  January  1,  1849,  Rev.  S.  V.  E.  Westfall  was  called  to  take 
charge  of  the  Church.  He  was  an  earnest  worker,  and  remained 
with  the  Church  until  April  1,  1856.  Over  a  year  elapsed  without 
a  pastor  when.  May  24,  1857,  Rev.  A.  Lloyd  was  called  and  re- 
mained until  No.  1,  i860,  when  another  period  was  passed  without 
a  pastor.  July  1,  1861,  Rev.  N.  D.  Williamson  was  recalled  as 
stated  supjily.  Rev.^U.  D.  Gulick  took  charge  of  the  Church  in 
Sept.,  1862.  The  Church  had  experienced  many  seasons  of  pros- 
perity, but  it  was  not  jDermitted  to  enjoy  an  uni;iterrupted  tide  of 


592  HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

prosperity.  The  deepest  gloom  often  settled  over  it,  but  it  became 
recognized  on  every  hand  as  one  of  the  strongest  Reformed  Churches 
in  the  West.  In  1866  was  the  season  of  the  greatest  revival.  As 
many  as  forty  in  one  day  were  admitted.  May  1,  1870,  Rev.  Gulick 
resigned  and  Dec.  1,  1871,  Rev.  A.  Thompson  assumed  charge.  In 
the  meantime  many  of  the  wealthier  members  withdrew  and  were 
organized  into  a  Congregational  Church.  Rev.  Thompson's  pastor- 
ate was  short,  when  (Dec,  1872)  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  E.  P. 
Livingston,  was  called,  and  has  remained  with  the  Church  since. 
The  fine  church  edifice  was  erected  under  his  pastorate.  In  the  fall 
of  1872  the  building  of  a  new  house  of  worship  was  agitated.  The 
following  spring  it  was  begun,  and  just  thirty  years  from  the  laying 
of  the  corner  stone  of  the  old  church  the  corner  stone  of  their  new 
Ijuilding  was  laid.  It  is  a  handsome  edifice,  and  in  every  way  in 
keeping  with  this  age  of  culture  and  refinement. 

Rev.  Edward  P.  Livingston,  the  present  pastor  of  this  congrega- 
tion, is  the  son  of  Rennselacr  and  Rachel  Livingston,  and  was  born 
Dec.  5,  1831.  He  attended  the  common  schools  and  then  entered 
Rutirers  Collco-e,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  He  was  united  in  mar- 
riage,  Feb.  5,  1856,  with  Minnie  A.  Kipp,  at  Newark,  N.  J.  Two 
children  have  been  born  to  them,  to  gladden  and  cheer  their  home. 
Minnie  A.  was  born  in  Sept.,  1857,  and  Mary  C,  born  in  Feb., 
1864.  Mr.  Livingston  came  to  Pekin  in  Dec.  of  1872,  and  took 
charge  of  the  Reformed  Church.  As  a  speaker  he  is  clear,  forcible, 
and  effective  ;  as  a  pastor  exemplary  in  his  daily  walks,  pleasant  and 
genial,  and  watches  with  care  and  tenderness  over  those  under  his 
charge ;  as  a  husband  and  father  he  is  kind  and  devoted,  and  as  a 
citizen  has  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all. 

Second  Dutch  Rcfonned  Church  was  organized  July  26,  1876,  by 
Revs.  K.  B.  Wieland,"  John  Miller,  and  E.  P.  Livingston,  with 
fifteen  members.  The  building  was  erected  the  same  year.  It  is  a 
good  frame,  35  by  55  feet  in  size,  and  cost  $2,500.  It  was  dedicated 
the  first  Sunday  in  October,  1876,  and  since  has  made  great  ad- 
vances, and  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  P.  F.  Schuolke,  the  present  pastor, 
has  been  especially  blessed,  and  the  meml)ership  increased  to  80. 
Rev.  K.  B.  Wieland  preceeded  Rev.  Sehuelke,  who  came  in  May, 
1876,  and  was  the  first  pastor.  The  Elders  are  U.  B.  Johnson,  and 
W.  Dickman.  Deacons;  D.  Greon,  and  D.dvlok.  The  Sunday- 
school  was  organized  with  two  teachers  and  twelve  scholars.  It  now 
numbers    125   to    150    scholars   in    attendance,       Henry    Ploepot, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  593 

Sui^erintcnclent.      Contribution,   !$75   }>er  year.     Salary   of  jiastor, 
$700. 

Pekin  Baptist  Church  was  organize!  in  LS50,  by  Rev.  G.  8.  Bailey, 
with  four  members.  These  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lemuel  Allen,  Mr. 
Hall  anti  Mrs.  Haas.  The  congregation  grew  and  prospered  and  in 
ISoo,  built  a  house  of  worship.  A  fine  large  brick,  40  by  70  feet, 
with  basement,  was  erected.  The  audience  room  is  reached  by  a 
short  flight  of  stairs  from  an  ante-room  into  a  vestibule  under  the 
gallery  of  the  main  room. 

St.  Paur.s  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  the  Spring  of  1850, 
bv  Rev.  J.  S.  Chamberlaine.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Lloyd 
Johnson.  Rev.  G.  Sayres  took  charge  of  the  Parish  during  the 
foil  of  1854,  and  remained  pastor  until  1859.  In  Feb.  1861,  Rev. 
C.  F.  Loop  was  called  and  remained  till  18G3,  when  Rev.  S.  M. 
Steele  succeeded  him  and  he  in  turn  was  superceded  by  Rev.  A.  B. 
Russell,  then  by  Rev.  Hyde  and  he  by  Rev.  T.  N.  Morrison. 

A  new  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1874,  on  Buena  Vista  Ave. 
and  Washington  St.  The  foundation  was  laid  in  the  fall  of  1870, 
but  as  the  society  was  unable  to  complete  the  church  it  was  left  thus 
until  the  spring  of  1874.  The  structure  consists  of  two  stories 
proper,  a  brick  basement  and  main  auditorium.  The  building  is  of 
Gothic  style  of  architecture  and  about  35  by  85  feet  in  si/o.  Lt  is 
neat  and  tasty  and  elegantly  furnished. 

Umver'salist  ChurcJi  was  organized  April  20,  1851,  by  Rev.  (J.  C. 
Lemon,  with  fifteen  members.  A  church  edifice  was  erected  in 
1857,  and  was  dedicated  on  the  second  Sunday  in  February  1858. 
The  Universalist  society  no  longer  hold  regrdar  services.  Their 
church  building  is  occupied  by  the  Christian  Church. 

<S7.  Paiirs  German  Ecauf/clical  Church  is  located  on  tlie  corner  of 
Seventh  and  Ann  Eliza  streets;  was  organized  with  thirty  mem- 
bers, in  1857.  The  present  edifice  is  a  brick  structure  45  by  82  feet, 
Gothic  style  of  architecture,  and  cost  about  t?12,000;  have  a  parson- 
age and  school  building  costing  about  $3,000.  The  first  pastor  was 
Rev.  Wm.  Lipj),  wiio  was  succeed  by  Rev.  Wni.  Kisel,  whose  suc- 
cessor was  Rev.  Wm.  Kampmeier,  the  present  pastor.  The  Elders 
of  the  Church  are  Pleniy  Voth  and  Gustav  Vohlow.  The  pastor's 
salary  is  $750,  and  the  Church  raises  for  all  purposes  $1,600  annu- 
ally.    The  Sunday-school  has  an  attendance  of  250. 

Christian  Church. —  On  Friday,  Sept.  29,  1876,  a  meeting  was 
commenced   in  Pekin,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Tazewell  County 


594  HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

Christian  Co-operation,  Elder  W.  F.  Richardson  acting  as  their 
missionary.  This  meeting  was  continued  until  October  29th,  and 
resulted  in  the  organization  of  a  congregation  of  thirty-four  mem- 
bers. Officers  were  not  elected,  but  T.  J.  Collins,  Joseph  Hiett, 
Rival  Jones,  and  Job  Hodges  were  chosen  a  business  committee. 
The  Universalist  Church  edifice  was  rented,  which  is  retained  to  the 
present  time.  The  congregation  has  had  its  trials,  and  they  were 
severe  tests,  and  shook  the  faith  of  some  of  its  members  in  the 
ultimate  success  of  the  work,  but  it  is  at  present  in  a  prosperous 
condition.  President  Everest,  of  Eureka  College,  Eureka,  111.,  is 
the  present  pastor.  He  devotes  half  of  his  time  to  the  work  here. 
They  have  a  good  Sunday-school,  which  is  presided  over  by  B.  R. 
Hieronymus,  Superintendent. 

In  connection  with  the  history  of  the  city  we  wish  to  speak  per- 
sonally of  some  who  have  been  and  arc  making  its  history,  and  who 
are  not  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

Lemuel  Allen  was  born  in  the  State  of  Virginia,  March  23,  1818. 
His  parents,  James  and  Elizabeth  (Lee)  Allen,  were  also  natives  of 
that  State.  He  came  to  Tazewell  Co.  in  1846.  Previously  he  re- 
ceived a  good  education  in  Virginia  and  in  Morgan  Co.,  111.,  and 
adopted  school  teaching  as  his  chosen  profession.  When  lie  first 
came  to  Pekin,  opened  a  school  in  the  old  Lindley  Hall,  corner 
of  Court  and  Second  streets.  This  was  quite  an  historic  old  house 
in  the  early  days  of  Pekin.  This  was  a  subscription  school,  as  all 
schools  here  were  at  that  time.  About  1849,  a  brick  building-,  yet 
standing  in  the  rear  of  Smith's  wagon  factory,  was  erected  as  a 
school-house  and  Masonic  hall ;  the  Masons  occupying  the  upper 
story  ;  soon  the  entire  building  was  used  for  school  ])urposes.  Dur- 
ing the  years  from  1855  to  '58,  inclusive,  he  was  Superintendent  of 
Public  Schools  at  Pekin,  and  for  ten  or  twelve  years  served  as 
County  Commissionor  of  Schools.  He  was  married  Sept.  14,  1843, 
to  Mrs.  Margaret  Pratt.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church  since  1841,  and  has  been  a  Trustee  and  Deacon  since  the 
organization  of  that  Church  here.  In  politics  Mr.  Allen  is  a 
Republican. 

William  II.  Bates  is  the  son  of  Alva  T.  Bates,  who  was  born 
among  the  Green  Mountains  of  Vermont,  and  Elizabeth  (Bowman) 
Bates,  of  New  York.  William  was  born  in  New  London,  Huron 
Co.,  O.,  April  28,  1841,  and  received  his  education  at  La  Fayette 
Seminary,  La  Fayette,  Ind.  He  learned  the  printer's  trade,  and  at 
the  first  call  for  three  year  troops,  enlisted  in  Co.  H,  8th  Mo.  Inf., 
where  he  served  with  honor  for  over  three  years.  At  the  close  of 
his  army-life,  he  came  to  Pekin,  where  he  engaged  in  the  printing 
and  publishing  business,  and  for  many  years  edited  the  Tazewell 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  595 

Bepublican,  where  he  showed  himself  to  be  a  stroncr,  forcible  writer, 
advocating  in  a  fearless  and  masterly  manner,  all  the  great  political 
questions  endorsed  by  the  Republican  party.  Emulating  the  ex- 
ample of  the  best  men  of  all  ages,  Mr.  Bates  loved  and  married. 
He  dates  his  matrimonial  bliss  from  Sept.  18,  1875,  at  which  time 
he  was  united  in  the  holy  bonds  with  INliss  Filmer  Sluth,  and  four 
nierrv,  romping  children  fill  his  household  with  the  sweetest  of  all 
blessings. 

Thomas  K.  Bemis,  proprietor  of  the  Bemis  House,  Pekin,  is  as 
well  known,  perhaps,  as  any  man  in  the  county,  and  as  a  landlord, 
throughout  the  State.  He  is  a  native  of  the  grand  old  State  of 
Massachusetts,  and  was  born  at  the  town  of  Spencer,  Dec.  5,  1826. 
His  parents  were  natives  of  the  same  State,  where  too,  Thomas 
spent  the  early  years  of  his  life  and  received  his  education.  At  the 
age  of  24,  in  1850,  Mr.  Bemis  was,  united  in  marriage  to  ISIiss 
Amanda  Fay,  who  lived  only  a  few  years  thereafter.  He  came 
AVest  and  engaged  with  the  Illinois  Central  Railway,  as  a  passenger 
conductor,  in  which  capacity  he  proved  very  efficient,  taking  rank 
with  the  best  men  on  the  road.  In  1860,  Mr.  Bemis  was  married  to 
Mrs.  Dr.  Ackley,  and  seven  years  later  came  to  Pekin,  where  he 
purchased  the  Tazewell  House  of  Wm.  A.  Tinney.  The  business 
of  the  house  having  run  down,  Mr.  Bemis  thought  best  to  change 
its  name,  and,  accordingly,  christened  it  the  Bemis  House.  The 
buildino;  was  ori<:;inallv  erected  bv  Mr.  Richard  Snell,  in  1849,  be- 
fore  the  days  of  railroads  in  Pekin,  and  when  the  Illinois  river  was 
the  great  highway  for  travel.  The  hotel  was  therefore  built  on  the 
banks  of  that  great  artery  of  commerce  and  travel.  The  Tazewell 
House,  when  built  was  the  most  imposing  hotel  structure  on  the 
Illinois  river,  and  was  intended  for  a  first-class  hotel,  and  since  it 
came  into  possession  of  its  present  proprietor,  thirteen  years  ago,  it 
has  taken  rank,  under  the  skillful  management  of  a  thorough-going 
hotel  man,  as  a  popular  house,  and  is  to-day,  by  far,  the  best  hotel 
in  the  county,  to  which  fact  hundreds  of  traveling  men  and  local 
patrons  will  cheerfully  testify.  The  old-time  friends  and  others, 
both  in  and  out  of  this  county,  will  be  gratified  to  find  in  this  vol- 
ume, a  full-page  portrait  of  j\Ir.  Bemis,  a  man  who  has  done  so 
much  to  furnish  the  public  with  a  hotel  worthy  of  Tazewell  county. 
In  politics  Mr.  Bemis  is  a  Republican,  always  voting  with  that  party 
on  all  national  questions. 

Avon  Boeninc/,  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  Dec.  20,  '51 ;  is  son 
of  Simon  and  Elizabeth  (Dicken)  Boening ;  came  to  Pekin  May  14, 
'67;  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  country.  He  is 
agent  of  the  steamer  Isabell,  on  the  111.  river.  Mr.  Boening  is  a  man 
of  good  business  qualifications  and  has  accumulated  a  fine  property 
in  Pekin.  He  was  married  Sept.  9,  1875,  to  Mary  Heyl,  and  Prov- 
idence has  brightened  their  lives  with  one  cherub  son,  Oscar,  born 
Aug.  21,  '77.  They  ^vorship  with  the  Evangelical  Christian  Asso- 
ciation. 

36 


596  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Robert  D.  Bradley,  31.  D.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  came  to 
Ta/xnvel]  Co.  in  the  spring  of  '73.  He  is  a  native  of  Green  Co., 
Ills.  His  parents,  Robert  and  Virginia  Bradley,  placed  him 
in  school  at  Jacksonville  and  afterwards  sent  him  to  Jefferson 
Medical  College  at  Philadelphia,  where  he  graduated  in  1867, 
and  in  1873  he  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Pekin, 
where  he  now  enjoys  a  fine  practice.  He  served  as  captain, 
in  the  6th  111.  Cav.,  in  the  war  for  the  Union,  leaving  the  service  in 
'65,  and  five  years  later  he  wooed  and  Avon  the  accomplished  Miss 
Lizzie  Karr,  and  was  united  to  her  in  the  bonds  of  matrimony  in 
Oct,  1870.  Their  only  child,  Robert  C,  a  bright  young  lad  was 
born  July  12,  '72.  Doctor  Bradley  has  filled,  acceptably,  the  office 
of  County  Physician  for  Tazewell  Co.  for  three  years. 

Peter  A.  Brower  was  born  in  New  York  city  Dec.  3,  1818.  He 
came  to  this  county  in  1835  with  the  Tremont  Colony,  of  which  his 
step-father,  Col.  Charles  Oakley,  was  a  prominent  member.  He  has 
resided  in  the  county  since.  In  1840,  in  company  with  a  Mr.  Coth- 
real,  under  the  firm  name  of  Brower  &  Cothreal,  he  embarked  in  the 
mercantile  business  at  Pekin.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  very 
largely  identified  with  the  business  interests  of  this  city.  He  dealt 
largely  in  grain,  and  packed  pork  extensively.  He  also  engaged  in 
steam-boating,  owning  and  running  a  boat.  He  has  been  captain  or 
clerk  of  seveml  boats"  For  the  past  thirteen  years,  until  last  year, 
he  was  agent  here  for  the  St.  Louis  &  Illinois  River  Packet  Co. 
He  has  been  three  times  married.  The  first  time  to  a  daughter  of 
Capt.  Wybray,  of  Tremont.  The  second  time  to  Susan  Buck.  She 
was  considerable  of  an  authoress  and  poetess,  and  Avrote  much  for 
the  press.     His  present  wife  was  Sarah  Myers,  of  this  city. 

Levi  W.  Carter,  physician,  who  came  to  this  county  in  the  fall  of 
1871.  He  is  the  son  of  Wm.  and  Susan  (Wyatt)  Carter,  natives  of 
Delaware,  in  which  State  the  Doctor  Avas  born  on  the  9th  of  May, 
1835.  He  graduated  at  the  Hahnemann  Medical  College  and  Hos- 
pital, Chicago,  and  was  married,  Nov.  2,  1858,  to  Miss  Mary  S. 
Giles,  of  Wyanet,  111. 

Thomas  R.  Cooper  was  born  in  Morton  toAvnship  Feb.  21,  '53. 
His  parents,  Thomas  and  T^Iargaret  Cooper,  Avere  early  settlers  in 
Tazewell  Co.  James  was  sent  to  school  in  his  native  township,  and 
also  attended  Eureka  College  in  Woodford  Co.  He  resides  in  the 
city  of  Pekin,  Avhere  he  fills,  acceptably,  the  position  of  Deputy 
County  Treasurer.  Is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  is  a  Sergeant  in 
Co.  G;  7th  Regt.  I.  N.  G. 

Cornelius  B.  Cmmnings,  Avhose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  one  of 
the  largest  dry  goods  firms  in  Central  Illinois,  was  born  in  St.  Law- 
rence Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1832,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1859,  twenty 
years  ago,  and  during  all  these  years  has  been  engaged  in  his  pres- 
ent business,  Avhich  has  steadily  increased  in  volume,  and  is  now  the 
largest  in  the  county.  His  father,  James  P.  Cummings,  is  a  native 
of  Vermont,  and  his  mother,  Clarissa  (Wilson)  Cummings,  was  born 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  597 

in  New  York.  He  was  married  to  Harriett  A.  Cumings,  in  1859. 
The  union  has  been  blessed  with  two  children,  Emma  L.  and 
Hattic  Eugenia.  His  official  duties  consist  in  having  served  as  Su- 
pervisor four  years.     He  votes  with  the  Democrats. 

Willicua  IJamm,  a  grocer  of  Pekin,  came  here  in  the  spring  of 
1866,  and  one  year  before  came  to  America  from  Kerhesson,  Ger- 
many, where  he  was  born  on  the  11th  day  of  May,  1847,  and  where 
his  parents,  Henry  and  Elizabeth  Damm,  gave  him  an  education, 
and  instilled  into  his  young  mind  the  living  principles  of  truth  and 
sobriety,  that  have  done  so  much  in  forming  his  character  in  mature 
years.  He  is  an  active  member  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church ; 
was  married  to  Augusta  Bertha  Johannes,  the  union  being  blessed 
with  two  children,  John  H.,  born  Sept.  4,  '75,  and  Katharine  M., 
Sept.  1,  77. 

Geerd  S.  De  Vries,  a  native  of  Germany,  was  born  at  Ostfriesland 
Dec.  2,  '44.  His  parents,  John  and  Margaret  DeA^ries,  gave  Geerd 
a  good  education,  which  was  completed  at  Peoria,  where,  at  the  Com- 
mercial College,  he  graduated.  He  came  to  Pekin  in  1872,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  at  which  he  is  now  engaged  on 
South  Fourth  street.  He  was  united  in  marriage,  April  22,  '73,  to 
Miss  Tena  Roelfs,  of  Pekin,  and  their  hearts  and  homes  have  been 
brightened  bv  the  advent  of  three  children :  Stephen  G.  born 
May  17,  '75;' Stewart  G.,   Feb.  8,  '76,  and  Louis  C,  Feb.  4,  '79. 

Henri/  Howard  Fitch,  a  dental  surgeon  of  Pekin,  is  a  son  of  H. 
C.  Fitch  and  Clara  B.  (Howard)  Fitch,  and  a  native  of  Mooers, 
Clinton  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  born  April  10,  '46.  He  received 
an  academic  education  in  Vermont,  and  afterwards  took  a  partial 
course  at  Dartmouth  College ;  was  united  in  marriage,  July  8,  '71, 
to  the  widow  of  H.  L.  Beach,  whose  maiden  name  was  Mary  L.  Foot. 
Their  two  children,  Agnes  and  Alice,  are  bright  little  gems,  born, 
respectively,  July  23,  '73,  and  July  2,  '75. 

Abraham  Fuld,  a  clothing  merchant  at  421  Court  street,  and  an 
American  by  adoption,  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1828,  of  Jewish 
parents,  Meyers  and  Gertrude  Fuld,  who  gave  him  a  good  education 
in  the  schools  of  Germany.  He  came  to  Pekin  in  '66,  where,  six 
years  later,  he  married  Miss  Bertha  Glazowsky.  Augusta,  Ida  and 
Max  are  their  three  children.  Mr.  F.  was  formerly  associated  in 
business  with  ISIr.  Schradzki,  but  dissolving  this  partnership  in  '78 
he  established  his  present  house. 

Otto  S.  Gaither,  son  of  William  and  Eliza  (Garrett)  Gaither,  who 
were  among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  this  county.  Mr.  Wm.  Gaither 
is  a  man  well  and  favorably  known,  and  has  served  two  terms  as 
Treasurer  of  this  county.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  at 
Tremont,  this  county,  March  1,  '47.  He  has  since  lived  in  the  Co., 
and  received  his  education  here.  While  yet  only  twenty-one  years 
of  age  he  assumed  the  responsible  duties  of  Cashier  of  the  P.,  P.  & 
J.  Railway,  which  position  he  held  until  '73,  when,  owing  to  the 
declining  health  of  his  father^  he  resigned  his  position  and  took  pos- 


598  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

session  of  his  business  affiiirs.  Mr.  G.  has  been  actively  engaged  in 
the  insurance  business  in  Pekin  for  about  five  years.  His  religious 
views  accord  with  those  of  the  Baptist  faith^  and  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Baptist  Church. 

George  G.  Geiger,  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  was  born  at 
Marion,  (3hio,  Oct.  3,  1850,  where,  in  the  high  school  of  his  native 
town,  he  received  a  liberal  education.  His  parents,  Marion  and 
Margaret  (Holverstoll)  Geiger,  early  instilled  into  the  mind  of  young 
George  the  necessity  of  obtaining  an  education,  such  as  would  ena- 
ble him  to  successfully  meet  the  adversities  and  buifetings  of  a  busi- 
ness life.  Mr.  Geiger  was  formerly  engaged  in  merchandising  in 
Peoria,  and  is  now  pursuing  the  same  business  in  Pekin.  He  has 
shown  his  devotion  to  his  country  by  standing  ready,  at  the  first 
signal  of  danger,  to  strike  a  blow  for  her  defense,  he  being  Captain 
of  Co.  G,  7th  Regt.  I.  N.  G.  He  was  married,  Oct.  2,  '78,  to  Miss 
Ida  J.  Bootz. 

J.  W.  Glassgow  is  the  oldest  of  six  children  of  William  and  Mary 
(Clark)  Glassgow.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Blair 
Co.,  Penn.,  April  10,  1805.  He  moved  with  his  parents  to  Ohio 
when  he  was  quite  young.  That  portion  of  Ohio  was  at  that  time 
filled  with  roving  bands  of  Indians.  Mr.  G.  learned  to  talk  the 
Indian  language  quite  fluently,  as  his  playmates  were  mostly  Indi- 
ans. His  mother  died  a  few  years  after  they  arrived  in  Ohio.  At 
the  earlv  ajje  of  eleven  John  W.  was  thrown  on  his  own  resources. 
He  has  always  kept  the  good  advice  his  father  gave  him  on  leaving 
home  :  "  That  he  should  never  get  into  bad  company."  At  the  age 
of  eighteen  he  went  to  Center  Co.,  Penn.,  and  there  became  an  ap- 
prentice to  learn  stone-cutting,  which,  in  various  places,  he  followed 
for  some  five  years.  Mr.  G.  was  united  in  marriage,  Sept.  28,  '26, 
to  Miss  Sarah  W.  Randolph,  a  native  of  Ohio.  Their  union  was 
blessed  with  four  children,  only  one  of  whom  is  now  living,  Isa- 
bella, who  is  the  wife  of  D.  T.  Thompson,  of  Pekin.  Mr.  G.  came 
to  this  county  in  April,  1849.  In  1858  Mr.  G.  was  elected  to  the 
responsible  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  in  which  position  he  has 
served  for  some  nineteen  years;  in  1862  was  appointed  Deputy  Col- 
lector of  Internal  Revenue ;  has  been  Notary  Public  for  some  seven 
years;  in  1866  Mr.  G.  was  appointed  U.  S.  Commissioner.  Mr.  G. 
was  a  Whig  until  the  formation  of  the  Republican  party,  Avhen  he 
became  identified  with  its  principles,  to  which  he  has  since  given  his 
unwavering  support.  He  voted  twice  for  the  martyred  Lincoln, 
and  twice  for  Gen.  Grant.  We  find  much  that  is  worthy  of  com- 
mendation in  the  career  of  this  venerable  gentleman. 

George  Greigg,  a  prominent  business  man  and  banker  of  Pekin, 
came  to  Tazewell  Co.  in  the  fall  of  1841.  He  is  the  son  of  David 
and  Agnes  (Hackney)  Greigg,  of  Scottish  birth,  and  was  himself 
born  in  Forfarshire,  Scotland,  in  the  year  1818,  where,  surrounded 
by  the  best  influences  of  his  mountain  home,  he  formed  his  habits 
and  established  a  character  that  has  done  much,  in  mature  years,  to 


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HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  601 

mark  him  as  one  of  the  solid  business  men  of  Pekin.  He,  like  the 
most  of  his  eountrymen,  lives  in  the  Presbyterian  faith.  On  the 
16th  dav  of  Oetober,  1849,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Susan 
Smith;  their  daughter,  Annie,  being  their  only  ehild.  Mr.  Greigg 
has  been  connected  with  the  C,  P.  &  S.  W.  Railway  as  its  Treas- 
urer, and  for  many  years  one  of  the  Directors  of  that  road.  He  was 
also  at  one  time  engaged  in  a  very  extensive  lumber  business  in 
Pekin. 

James  H.  Goad.  The  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  now  resides  in 
Pekin,  has  been  closely  identified  with  the  development  of  the  com- 
mercial and  mining  interests  of  this  county  for  more  than  a  score  of 
years,  having  settled  here  in  1857.  Pie  was  born  in  Cornwall,  Eng- 
land, April  'I'l,  1844.  His  parents,  Henry  and  Eleanor  Goad,  were 
also  natives  of  England,  where  James  received  his  education.  Mr. 
Goad  is  associated  with  Mr.  Rundle  in  the  operation  of  the  Victo- 
ria Coal  Mine,  located  soutiicast  of  Pekin.  He  married,  Sept.,  '76, 
Margaret  Jane  Bell.  They  have  one  child,  Mary  Eleanor,  born 
April  10,  1878.  He  endorses  the  Christian  religion  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  ^I.  E.  Church. 

Hon.  William  A.  Hall,  the  Democratic  llepresentative  to  the  31st 
General  Assembly,  from  Pekin,  is  a  natjve  of  this  county,  was  born 
in  1851.  His  literary  education  was  obtained  in  his  native  county. 
He  inherited  a  taste  for  the  law,  and  after  a  thorough  preparation, 
was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  the  State  in  1871,  while  yet  but  twenty 
years  of  age.  Has  been  chosen  by  the  voters  of  Pekin  to  represent 
them  as  City  Attorney,  discharging  the  duties  of  his  office  with 
filial  trust.  Mr.  Hall  is  one  of  the  youngest  members  of  the  Pekin 
Bar,  and  gives  promise  of  taking  rank  among  the  leading  men  of 
his  profession  in  Illinois. 

Martin  Herget,  a  native  of  Germany,  was  born  21st  of  Nov., 
1849,  and  came  to  America  when  a  boy,  settling  in  Tazewell  county 
thirteen  years  ago,  arriving  here  Oct.  9,  1866.  He  was  married  on 
the  19th  of  August,  1875.  Five  years  ago  Mr.  Herget  established 
himself  in  the  mercantile  business,  the  (Nothing  trade,  in  which  he 
has  continued  to  the  present  time,  being  now  located  in  the  same 
store  in  which  he  began.  Mr.  H.  can  look  back  over  the  five  years 
of  his  prosperity  here  with  much  satisfaction  and  pardonable  pride. 
He  is  an  active  member  of  St.  Paul's  Evangelical  Ciiurch  of  Pekin. 

John  Herget,  of  the  firm  of  J.  &  G.  Herget,  wholesale  grocers,  is 
one  of  the  leading  and  representative  men  of  Tazewell  Co.  He  has 
accumulated  a  large  property  and  built  up  one  of  the  largest  busi- 
ness houses  in  this  part  of  the  State.  The  citizens  have  honored 
him  with  the  office  of  Mayor  of  Pekin.  He  is  a  shrewd  business 
man,  enterprising  citizen,  and  an  upright  gentleman. 

Martin  F.  Hcisel,  dry-goods  merchant,  Pekin,  is  the  son  of  Leon- 
ard and  Mary  (Sauer)  Heisel,  both  natives  of  Germany.  Martin 
was  born  in  Pekin,  Dec.  20,  1857,  and  here  he  spent  his  school- 
days, and  where  now,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  he  is  the  successor 


602  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

of  his  father  in  a  lucrative  mercantile  business.  The  senior  Mr. 
Heisel  has  been  twenty-seven  years  engaged  in  trade  in  the  same 
street,  and  now,  after  a  successful  business  career,  retires  in  favor  of 
his  son,  whose  ability  and  business  experience  so  well  fits  him  for 
the  position. 

B.  R.  Hieronymus,  cashier  of  the  Farmer's  National  Bank,  Pekin, 
and  one  of  Tazewell  county's  best  known  citizens,  was  born  in  the 
southeastern  portion  of  this  county  in  the  month  of  June,  1841,  and 
is  therefore  just  thirty  years  of  age.  His  parental  ancestors  came 
here  away  back  among  the  early  days,  when  Tazewell  county  was  in 
its  childhood,  and  when  it  gave  promise  of  what  it  has  since 
become,  an  important  factor  in  shaping  the  commercial  destiny  of 
the  great  commonwealth  of  the  State  of  Illinois.  His  father, 
James,  Hieronymus,  was  born  in  Kentucky,  while  his  mother, 
Malinda  (Thompson)  Hieronymus,  was  a  native  of  Tennessee.  In 
Sept.,  1861,  he  was  wedded  to  Miss  S.  M.  Mountjoy,  and  three 
children  were  the  issue  of  this  union.  In  Aug.,  '62,  Mr.  Hierony- 
mus enlisted  in  Co.  A.  117th  111.  Inf.,  and  at  the  close  of  his  term 
of  enlistment,  he  was  mustered  out  as  1st  Lieut.  In  politics  he  is 
a  Republican,  and  his  religious  views  accord  with  the  faith  of  the 
Christian  Church,  in  which  he  has,  for  many  years,  been  an  earnest 
Christian  worker.  After  the  death  of  his  wife,  he  spent  five  years 
in  the  Internal  Revenue  office  at  Springfield,  and  while  living  at 
Springfield,  he  met  and  won  the  heart  of  Miss  N.  P.  Clark,  of  that 
city,  and  Providence  has  sent  them  one  bright  little  gem,  Lora,  to 
shed  a  sunbeam  and  scatter  joy  through  the  hearts  and  home  of  two 
souls,  who  can  bless  as  they  should,  the  Giver  of  all  good,  for  this 
fountain  of  life's  purest,  truest  bliss. 

Herman  W.  Hippen,  the  present  Mayor  of  Pekin,  was  born  in 
Germany,  July  18,  1836,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1855.  His 
parents,  Ulrich  and  Anna  Hippen,  were  also  natives  of  Germany. 
Mr.  Hippen  received  a  collegiate  education  at  Aurich,  Prussia.  He 
was  united  in  marriage,  in  1866,  and  they  have  four  children,  Ella 
E.,  Alma  H.,  Herman  W.,  and  an  infant  child.  In  addition  to  the 
mayoralty  he  has  held  the  offices  of  Supervisor,  School  Director, 
and  Alderman  of  the  City  of  Pekin.  Mr.  Hippen  has  been  very 
successful  in  his  business  enterprises  in  this  county,  having  accumu- 
lated a  competency.  He  represents  the  Republican  school  of  politics, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  A  portrait  of  Mr.  Hip- 
pen may  be  found  in  this  work. 

John  J.  Johns,  a  resident  of  Pekin  and  member  of  the  firm  of  N. 
Reuling  &  Co.,  dry-goods  merchants,  was  born  at  Tremont,  this 
county,  Dec.  21,  1846,  and  came  to  Pekin  in  1871.  His  parents, 
Andrew  and  Mary  (Kennedy)  Johns,  were  both  also  natives  of  Illi- 
nois. Mr.  Johns  received  his  education  at  Tremont,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  German  M.  E.  Church.  Pie  was  married,  March  8,  '70, 
to  Elizabeth  Webber.  They  are  now  the  parents  of  four  children : 
Tena,  born  Dec.  14,  '70;  Laura,  April  5,  '72;  Lena,  Jan.  21,  '75; 
Adda,  July  5,  '77. 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  603 

Charles  M.  Kinsei/y  a  farmer  of  this  county,  is  tlic  present  Deputy 
Sheriif,  and  a  resident  of  Pekin.  His  nativity  is  Little  Mackinaw, 
this  county,  where  he  was  born  June  14,  '55.  His  parents  were 
both  natives  of  A^irginia,  but  came  to  Tazewell  Co.  when  the  coun- 
try was  little  improved.  Charles  was  given  a  good  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  this  county.  On  the  25th  of  Dec,  '78,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss   Martha  Mount. 

John  Kracycr  came  to  Tazewell  Co.  as  early  as  1853,  from  Ger- 
many, where  he  was  born  Nov.  28,  '32.  He  loves  the  land  of  his 
adoption,  and  his  long  residence  in  Pekin  has  gained  him  many 
warm  friends.  He  is  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade  on  Court  street. 
Mr.  Kraeger  was  united  in  the  bonds  of  matrimony  to  Mary  Huget, 
in  April,  1867,  and  their  six  children,  Phillip  A.,  Anna  K.,  Edwin, 
George,  Carrie,  and  Amelia,  are  all  living. 

George  Albert  Kuhl  was  born  of  German  parentage,  on  the  17th 
day  of  June,  1858,  at  Beardstown,  Illinois,  and  settled  in  Pekin  in 
the  fall  of  '73,  when  he  en«;ay;ed  as  a  salesman  in  the  grocery  house 
of  Geo.  J.  Webber,  which  pt)sition  he  filled  with  ability  until  the 
spring  of  '79,  when,  with  Mr.  DeVries,  he  became  successor  to  Geo. 
W.  Weber.  INIr.  Kuhl  is  a  young  man  of  fine  ability,  which,  with 
his  accustomed  close  attention  to  business,  must  insure  him  success. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  German  Methodist  Church. 

John  Lowery,  wholesale  ice  dealer.  One  of  the  large  business  in- 
terests of  Pekin  is  represented  by  this  gentleman. 

August  Lucas,  one  of  the  firm  of  I^ucas  Brothers,  Court  street, 
Pekin,  was  born  in  Germany,  March  3,  '44,  and  settled  in  Tazewell 
Co.,  in  the  spring  of  '66.  After  six  years  residence  in  Pekin  as  a 
bachelor  Mr.  Lucas  found  it  was  not  good  for  man  to  live  alone,  and, 
on  Feb.  15,  '72,  he  plighted  his  troth  and  united  his  destiny  with 
the  idol  of  his  heart.  Miss  Louisa  Weyhrich,  of  Pekin,  and  one 
bright  promising  boy,  now  nearly  seven  years  of  age,  was  sent  to 
cheer  and  comfort  these  fond  parents. 

Geo.  Lucas,  son  of  George  and  Helena  (Metzger)  Lucas,  natives 
of  Germany,  was  born  at  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Jan.  13,  1821,  and  came 
to  this  county  in  April,  1848.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  Germany.  He  first  came  to  this  county  in  the 
spring  of  1848,  from  Gasconade  Ferry,  ISIo.,  where  he  held  the  office 
of  postmaster  for  twelve  years.  He  has  been  twice  married,  first  to 
Amelia  Proseh,  in  1855;  again,  Paulina  Umrath,  in  18G2,  and  of 
the  eight  children  that  have  blessed  these  unions,  four  only  are  liv- 
ing—  Ernest,  born  Feb.  2,  '60;  Carl,  Nov.  10,  '63;  Oscar,  June  9, 
'68;  and  Robert,  Sept.  11,  '72.  Mr.  L.  is  successor  to  his  brother, 
John,  in  the  grocery  business,  at  Pekin,  in  which  business  he  has 
labored  and  prospered  for  about  ten  years. 

Conrad  Luppen,  born  at  Pekin,  111.,  Dec,  6,  1851.  His  parents 
were  Luppe  and  Catharine  Luppen,  natives  of  Germany.  Conrad 
acquired  the  rudiments  of  his  education  at  Warrentown,  Missouri, 
and  finished   in  the  Illinois  Wesleyan  University,  at  Bloomiugton. 


604  HISTOEY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

He  is  at  present  engaged  in  the  banking  business  in  his  native  city 
of  Pekin ;  is  a  member  of  the  German  M.  E.  Church ;  a  Republi- 
can in  politics,  and  is  an  honorary  member  of  Co.  G,  7th  regiment, 

I.  N.  G. 

William  Don  Maus,  attorney,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Sept. 
23,  1836,  His  parents  were  Samuel  G.  and  Ann  E.  Maus.  He 
was  brought  to  this  county  as  early  as  1838,  but  not  permanently 
until  1845.  Since  he  has  attained  his  majority,  he  has  been  closely 
identified  Avith  the  interests  of  Tazewell  county.  He  is  a  thorough- 
going public  man,  and  one  eminently  suited  for  public  life.  He 
attended  the  common  schools  of  Jackson  Co.,  111.,  and  at  Oswego, 
N.  Y.,  and  at  private  school  under  the  tutorship  of  J.  K.  Kellogg, 
Tremont,  and  at  an  academy  at  Mt.  Palatine.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  Bar  in  1857.  He  served  for  many  years  as  Master  in  Chancery, 
and  filled  the  office  of  County  Judge.  Sept.  11,  1856,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Chancey.  Their  home  has  been 
blessed  with  three  children — Adriannne,  born  Aug.  20,  1857  ;  Kate, 
Dec.  14,  1859;  Fred.  Philip,  Dec.  20,  1862.  Politically,  the  Judge 
is  a  Democrat. 

John  McDougal  has  lived  in  Tazewell  county  about  eleven  years, 
having  came  here  Jan.  5,  1868.  He  eminates  from  a  country  that 
produced  a  Burns,  and  has  reason  to  refer  to  his  nativity  with  feel- 
ings of  pride.  Mr.  McD.  was  born  Sept.  26,  1840,  at  Dundee, 
Scotland,  where  his  parents,  also  of  Scotch  birth,  sent  him  to  the 
common  schools,  and  gave  him  a  good  education.  Naturally  enough 
Mr.  McDougal  worships  in  the  Presbyterian  faith. 

Jeremiah  M.  Moloney,  native  of  the  county  of  Clare,  Ireland,  and 
son  of  Michael  and  Ellen  Moloney,  was  born  Jan.  6,  1848,  and 
came  to  Tazewell  county  in  the  fall  of  1865.  He  was  educated  in 
Limerick.  Mr.  M.  is  a  young  man  of  fine  business  qualifications, 
and  high  moral  character,  and  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
He  entertains  Democratic  views ;  was  elected  City  Clerk  in  1875, 
and  filled  the  office  with  ability  and  entire  satisfaction  for  three 
successive  terms.  Mr.  M.  stands  ready  to  defend  the  country  of  his 
adoption,  as  shown  by  his  joining  the  7th  regiment,  I.  N.  G.,  in 
which  organization  he  fills  the  office  of  Hospital  Steward. 

Charles  H.  Oltmanns,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Pekin  since  '71.  He  was  born  in  North  Germany,  in  1839, 
and  is  a  son  of  Eilte  and  Sarah  Oltmanns,  who  lived  upright  Chris- 
tian lives,  and  who  imparted  to  their  son  a  desire  to  do  right. 
Charles  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church  of  Pekin,  and  a 
useful  member  of  society.  Was  married  in  1863  to  Kate  Peters; 
they  have  had  five  children,  and  but  two  are  living.  Mr.  O.  is  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  boots  and  shoes,  in  which  he 
is  eminently  successful. 

Adolph  Pautz,  a  merchant  of  Pekin,  came  here  at  the  early  day 
of  '48,  at  the  age  of  27.     His  nativity  is  Germany ;  was  born  June 

II,  '21,  and  was  placed,  by  his  parents,  in  the  schools  of  his  native 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  605 

place,  where  he  received  a  good  education.  He  was  chosen  School 
Inspector  of  Pekin,  which  position  he  filled  with  ability  from  '68  to 
'71.  \V'as  united  in  marriage  to  Elvira  H.  Flovey,  who  bore  him 
five  children,  whose  names  and  births  are  as  below :  Ella,  Aug.  3, 
'53;  Ida,  March  20,  '55;  James  H.,  Jan.  6,  '57;  Edward,  Jan.  20, 
'58  ;  and  Gertie,  Jan.  29,  '68.  They  worship  with  the  Universalists. 
Mr.  P.  is  one  of  Pekin's  oldest  grocers,  having  been  engaged  in  that 
business  since  1851. 

Hon.  Benj.  S.  Prettyman  is  the  son  of  Lewis  and  Harriet  (Mason) 
Prettyman.  He  was  born  in  Kent  Co.,  Del.,  Nov.  21,  1819,  and 
came  to  Pekin  with  his  parents  in  1831,  and  since  has  been  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  interests  of  the  county.  He  is  an  able, 
shrewd,  and  well-known  lawyer  of  the  Pekin  Bar,  and  practiced  in 
an  early  day,  along  with  some  of  the  best  legal  talent  our  State 
ever  boasted  of.  He  was  married  in  April,  1845,  to  Miss  Sarah  A., 
daughter  of  Wm.  Haines,  an  early  settler  of  this  county.  He 
reared  a  large  family,  the  members  of  which  are  well  esteemed. 
His  son,  Wm.  L.,  is  States  Attorney  for  this  county  at  the  present 
time. 

Ahan  Bryant  Redlon,  printer,  was  born  in  Buxton,  York  Co., 
Maine,  Jan.  25,  1830,  obtaining  the  rudiments  of  an  education  in 
common  schools  of  his  native  county.  His  parents  were  Jonathan 
and  Mary  (Bryant)  Redlon,  both  natives  of  Maine.  His  mother 
died  when  he  was  ten  years  old.  In  the  15th  year  of  his  age  he 
left  his  father's  house  to  make  his  own  living,  and  the  following 
year  he  entered  the  office  of  Zion's  Advocate,  published  at  Portland, 
Maine,  as  an  apprentice.  Afterwards  he  was  employed  at  Boston 
and  Cambridge,  Mass.,  and  in  Phode  Island  and  Connecticut,  and 
came  to  Detroit,  Mich.,  in  July,  1857.  The  following  year  he  went 
to  Wisconsin,  and  in  Nov.,  1859,  he  came  to  Pekin  and  obtained 
employment  in  the  office  of  the  Tazewell  Register,  on  which  paper, 
and  the  Times,  its  successor,  he  worked  the  greater  part  of  the  time 
for  nineteen  years.  On  July  11,  1861,  he  was  married  to  Mrs. 
JSmelinc  Bridgewater.  He  was  a  member  of  Division,  No.  74, 
Sons  of  Temperance,  which  flourished  here  some  years  ago,  and 
served  one  term  as  R.  S.,  and  one  term  as  W.  P.,  of  that  Division. 
For  about  two  years  he  was  proof-reader  in  the  Times  office. 

Nicholas  ReuUng.  Adam  and  Elizabeth  Reiding,  the  parents  of 
Nicholas,  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  he  was  also  born  in  the 
Fatherland.  Coming  to  this  county  in  the  year  1854,  he  engaged, 
not  many  years  after,  in  the  dry-goods  trade,  in  which  business  he 
has  been  eminently  successful,  having,  by  his  ability  and  integrity 
of  character,  rose  to  be  one  of  the  leading  men  in  the  trade  in  Taze- 
well county.  In  Dec,  1858,  Mr.  Reuling  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Mary  Herget,  the  fruits  of  the  marriage  being  four  children,  all 
now  living.  Perhaps  no  man  in  the  county  has  a  larger  personal 
acquaintance,  and  certainly  none  who  stand  higher  in  the  estimation 
of  the  people.     He  is  a  member  of  St.  Paul's  Evangelical  Church. 


606  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

George  C.  Rider,  City  Attorney  of  Pekin,  is  one  of  Tazewell 
county's  promising  young  lawyers.  He  has  filled  the  office  of  City 
Attorney  for  three  terms  with  satisfaction  to  the  people  and  credit 
to  himself  He  is  the  son  of  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Kirk)  Rider,  of 
New  York,  and  was  born  at  Rider's  Mills,  Columbia  Co.,  N.  Y., 
May  29,  1850.  He  received  a  collegiate  education  at  Schenectady, 
N.  Y.,  and  settled  in  Pekin  in  1870,  ariving  here  in  Dec.  11.  He 
won  the  heart  and  hand  of  one  of  Pekin's  most  accomplished  young 
ladies,  Miss  Elizabeth  Prettyman,  to  whom  he  was  wedded  Oct.  7, 
'74,  and  two  bright  little  girls,  Sarah  Grace  and  Mary  Kirk,  cheer 
their  home. 

Coesar  A.  Roberts,  son  of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Forquer)  Rob- 
erts, was  born  in  Jeiferson  Co.,  Mo.,  June  24,  1825,  and  came  to 
this  county  in  the  summer  of  1850.  His  school  days  and  early 
manhood  was  spent  at  Patosi,  Mo.;  was  married  in  June,  1850,  to 
Sarah  G.  Clark,  and  five  children  have  blessed  the  union,  four  of 
whom  are  now  living.  Mr.  Roberts  chose  the  law  for  a  profession 
and  time  has  proven  .that  he  chose  well,  success  having  attended  his 
efforts ;  his  politics  is  radically  Democratic ;  was  chosen  a  member 
of  the  Constitutional  Convention  at  Denver,  Colorado,  in  1859,  and 
held  the  office  of  States  Attorney  from  1864  to  '68,  also  served  in 
the  General  Assembly  at  Springfield  as  member  from  Tazewell  Co. 
1871  and  '72. 

John  Rods,  one  of  the  pioneer  merchants,  came  to  Tazewell  Co. 
in  May  1853.  He  came  here  from  Rockenhausen,  Germany,  April 
20,  1838.  Philip  and  Elizabeth  (Hoffinan)  Roos,  his  parents,  were 
frugal  industrious  people,  and  following  their  example,  he  has  met 
that  success  in  life,  which  always  results  from  a  life  of  honest  effi)rt 
and  strict  business  integrity.  He  lives  in  the  Episcopal  faith,  and 
was  married  to  Elizabeth  Harmus,  March  13,  1863 ;  their  three  chil- 
dren, Julia,  Louisa  and  Annie,  are  the  living  spring  of  their  joy. 
Mr.  R.  has  held  the  office  of  Alderman  of  Pekin,  and  is  now  en- 
gaged in  a  lucrative  boot  and  shoe  business. 

Ccesar  A.  Roberts  was  born  in  Pekin  111.  April  9,  1855,  and  has. 
since  lived  in  the  city  of  his  nativity,  where,  in  the  common  schools 
and  by  private  tuition  he  has  obtained  his  education.  He  is  now 
just  beginning  what  promises  to  be  a  very  successful  law  practice, 
for,  though  young  in  years,  his  studious  habits  and  fine  mental  poise 
insure  success,  and  the  future  will  doubtless  find  him  occupying  a 
high  place  in  the  Bar  of  Illinois.  Mr.  Roberts  has  been  connected 
with  the  Pekin  Times  about  two  years,  also  the  Daily  Bulletin  dur- 
ing, 75  and  '76.  Is  a  Democrat  in  politics.  We  wish  to  take  this 
opportunity  of  publicly  thanking  Mr.  R.  (as  we  are  sure  all  our 
readers  will  feel  grateful  to  him,)  for  the  very  full  and  interesting 
chapter  on  "The  Bar  of  Tazewell  Co.,"  to  be  found  in  this  volume. 
William  Rundle  was  born  at  Cornwall,  England,  19th  of  May, 
1832,  and  came  to  America  in  Feb.,  1858.  William's^  parents, 
Joseph  and  Mary  (Wyatt)  Rundle,  were  of  the  same  nativity.      He 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  607 

was  educated  in  England.  Was  married  to  Elizabeth  Ann  Hocken, 
May  10,  '54,  and  their  two  children,  both  of  whom  are  living,  were 
born,  Joseph,  Feb.  18,  '56,  and  Mary  Ann,  May  10,  1868.  Mr. 
Rundle  has  held  the  office  of  Mine  Inspector,  and  is,  at  present, 
Alderman  from  the  4th  Ward.  He  has  long  been  at  the  head  of 
the  coal-mining  interests  of  this  county,  having,  for  twenty  years, 
been  actively  engaged  in  that  enterprise,  during  which  time  he  has 
done  as  much,  perhaps,  as  any  individual,  toward  the  development 
of  the  coal-mining  interests  of  Tazewell  county,  and  from  his  re- 
search in  the  science  of  mining,  many  others  have  gained  valuable 
knowledge  and  realized  large  profits,  Mr.  Rundle  is  now  opera- 
ting, with  good  success,  the  Victoria  mine,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Rundle  &  Goad.  This  shaft  was  sunk  to  the  depth  of  132  feet, 
about  six  years  since.  Its  location  is  one  and  a  quarter  mile  south- 
east of  Pekin  court-house,  on  the  north  side  of  Tremont  road.  Mr. 
Rundle  has  ever  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  advancement  of  the  edu- 
cational and  religious  interests  of  the  county,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Church  at  Pekin.  In  one  of  our  Pekin  groups  will 
be  found  a  })ortrait  of  Mr.  Rundle,  and  we  feel  sure  that  hundreds 
of  admiring  friends,  especially  those  who  have  worked  shoulder  to 
shoulder  with  him,  in  the  cause  of  temperance,  will  retain  it  as  a 
souvenir  of  his  noble  devotion  to  this  sacred  cause. 

Frank  E.  Rupert  is  the  son  of  Gideon  and  Eliza  (Kownslor) 
Rupert,  who  were  among  the  first  to  settle  in  Pekin,  and  Gideon 
Rupert  will  be  remembered  by  the  pioneers  of  this  county  as  being 
one  of  the  first  to  engage  in  the  mercantile  business,  far  away  back 
in  1835.  Forty-four  years  ago  he  kept  store  on  Court  street,  on  the 
spot  where  now  stands  Rupert's  block.  Frank  E.  Rupert  was  born 
at  Pekin  on  Feb.  9,  1840,  and  having  lived  here  for  thirty-nine 
years,  is  closely  identified  with  its  development  and  prosperity.  On 
Dec.  1,  1864,  obeying  the  scriptural  injunction,  he  took  unto  him- 
self a  wife,  and  was  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  wedlock,  to  Miss 
Ellen  Hornish,  and  the  union  has  been  blessed  with  three  children. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Pekin. 

James  J.  Sake  was  born  in  Indiana,  July  7th,  1831,  and  is  the 
son  of  James  and  Mary  (Hornback)  Salee,  the  former  of  Va.,  the 
latter  of  Pa.  Mr.  Salee,  as  he  often  remarks,  was  blown  into 
Pekin.  He  was  a  passenger  on  the  ill-fated  Prairie  Stare  steamer, 
which  blew  up  a  the  levee  at  foot  of  Court  street,  April  16,  1853. 
He  was  badly  scalded  and  lay  for  weeks  between  life  and  death,  and 
to  this  day  wears  terrible  scars  from  the  injuries  received.  He  was 
on  his  way  from  Bureau  county  to  Texas,  but  being  cast  ashore 
here  in  a  helpless  condition,  gave  up  his  Southern  trip,  and  has  re- 
mained in  Pekin  since.  He  is  engaged  at  his  trade,  that  of  plas- 
tering. He  enlisted  in  Co.  B,  108th  111.  Inf.,  and  served  under 
Capt.  Henry  during  the  Rebellion.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Catherine  E.  Sipes,  April  16,  1857.  This  union  has  been 
blessed  with   five  children,  three  of  whom  are  living  —  James  W., 


608  HISTORY   OP   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

born  July  27, '58 ;  Charles  L.,  Dec.  10,  '60;  Foster  S.,  Oct.  18, 
'62;  Lewis  F.,  Dec.  6,  '64;  Ida  Bell,  Feb.  10,  '67;  Charles  and 
Foster  are  dead.  Mr.  S.  united  with  the  Christian  Church,  Oct. 
16,  1876. 

James  Sanford,  a  native  of  Albany  Co.,  New  York ;  was  born 
May  16,  1849,  and  settled  in  Tazewell  county  in  1878.^  His  pa- 
rents, James  and  Amanda  (Bush)  Sanford,  were  both  natives  of  the 
Empire  State.  James,  Jr.,  was  sent  to  the  district  school ;  one  year 
after  which,  was  placed  in  the  Episcopal  school  at  Rennsalearsville, 
N,  Y.,  where  he  finished  his  education.  Dec.  24,  1878,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Sarah  Stillman.  In  politics  Mr.  Sanford  pins  his  faith  on 
the  Greenback  party,  believing  that  the  only  road  to  national  wealth 
and  individual  happiness  lies  along  the  verdant  banks  of  our  dear 
old  currency  inspired  by  the  immortal  Chase. 

Abial  B.  Sawyer.  Ex-Mayor  of  the  city  of  Pekin  and  leading 
real  estate  Lawyer  of  Tazewell  Co.,  is  perhaps  as  closely  identified 
with  the  development  of  the  various  interests  of  this  county,  as  any 
man  within  its  borders.  Far  back,  in  the  primitive  days  of  the 
Prairie  State,  Josiah  and  Harriett  (Bates)  Sawyer,  his  parents,  who 
were  both  natives  of  New  Hampshire,  guided  by  the  "Star  of  Em- 
pire" Westward,  settled  in  Tremont  this  Co.,  where,  with  the  pro- 
verbial thrift  of  native  New  Englanders,  they  set  about  carving  for 
themselves,  and  posterity  a  home,  and  where  on  the  3rd  day  of 
May,  1838,  Abial  was  born.  At  the  proper  age  he  was  placed  in 
Lombard  University,  in  Knox  Co.,  111.,  where  he  received  a  liberal 
education.  His  political  views  are  Democratic,  and  his  party  have 
honored  him  with  the  positions  of  City  Attorney  and  Alderman  in 
addition  to  that  of  Mayor.  His  marriage  with  Miss  Rebecca  A. 
Baily,  occurred  on  the  26th  of  March,  1863.  Their  four  children, 
Myro,  Gussie,  Josiah  and  Abial  B.  Jr.  have  been  protected  by  a 
kind  Providence  and  all  give  promise  of  lives  of  usefulness. 

Henry  Hayr  was  born  in  Lewis  county  N.  Y.,  March  22,  1819, 
and  coming  West  settled  in  Whiteside  county,  111.,  1844,  and  five 
years  later,  fall  of  '49,  came  to  Pekin,  where  he  has  since  lived.  A 
carpenter  and  builder  by  trade ;  he  has  done  much  to  develop  the 
county  in  the  erection  of  its  business  buildings  and  dwellings.  He 
was  married  Jan.  27,  '53,  to  Miss  Angeline  D.  Upson.  One  child,  a 
daughter,  born  in  Aug.,  '54,  being  the  issue  of  the  union.  He  has 
for  many  years  been  an  active  Christian  worker  and  is  one  of  the 
charter  members  of  the  Universalist  Church  of  Pekin. 

Fredrick  Schaefer,  hook  dealer, and  stationer.  Court  St. ;  came  to 
Tazewell  county'  from  Germany  in  1854.  He  was  born  Sept.  27, 
1831.  His  father,  F.  W.  Schaefer  and  his  mother,  Mina  (Dreier) 
Schaefer,  were  of  the  same  nativity.  Two  years  after  his  arrival 
here  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Zimmerman,  seven  children  being  the 
fruits  of  the  union.  Mr.  S.  established  his  present  business  in  '75, 
which  has  steadily  grown  and  now  is  the  largest  of  the  kind  in  the 
county.     He  grew  up  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  the 


HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL  COUNTY.  609 

old  country  and  now  worships  with  the  German  M.  E.  Church  of 
Pekin. 

Gottshalt  Schradzki,  native  of  Koenig  Province,  Posen,  Germany, 
and  came  to  Tazewell  county  in  1866.  He  is  a  son  of  Harris  and 
Hannah  Schradzki,  who  gave  him  a  good  education  in  the  schools  of 
his  native  place.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Jewish  Church ;  was 
married  in  1859  to  Miss  Lena  Stone,  who  has  borne  liim  seven  chil- 
dren, all  but  one  of  whom  have  been  calkxl  to  tlieir  home  above. 
Joseph,  born  May  3,  '63,  died  April  21,  '78;  Jacob,  born  July  1, 
'68,  died  May,  '76  ;  Aaron,  born  June  15,  '71,  died  May  '76  ;  Annie, 
born  '65,  died  July,  '67 ;  and  Jennie,  born  Aug.  27,  '64.  Mr. 
Schradzki  is  one  of  the  representative  clothing  merchants  of  Pekin, 
and  came  here  by  solicitation  of  his  brother  then  living  in  Peoria. 

Ernest  Schurman. —  Conrad  and  Emely  Schurman,  the  parents  of 
Ernest,  were  of  German  birth,  where  he,  too,  was  born,  at  Buer, 
Hanover,  June  25,  1843,  where  he  received  a  fine  German  educa- 
tion, at  Norden,  Ostfriestland.  In  1864,  while  just  ready  to  sail  for 
America,  he  met  at  Norden,  Mr.  Teis  Smith,  who  was  then  in  Europe 
on  a  visit,  and  who  oifered  him  a  situation  as  book-keeper,  which 
he  excepted,  and  sailed  at  once  for  xVmerica,  arriving  at  Pekin,  Aug. 
25,  1864.  He  was  married  to  Onnoline  Looschen,  by  Rev.  Julius 
Seidel,  Sept.  29,  1867,  this  being  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the 
wedding  of  his  parents,  who  were  then  celebrating  their  silver 
wedding  in  the  fatherland.  Mr.  S.  has  been  called  by  his  fellow 
townsmen  to  fill  many  offices  of  trust,  among  which  was  Alderman 
of  Pekin,  during  which  time  he  was  made  chairman  of  the  Finance 
Committee ;  Supervisor  of  Pekin  township,  also  Supervisor  of  city 
of  Pekin,  etc.  The  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S,  consist  of  five 
children. 

C.  H.  L.  Schnrman,  a  son  of  C.  H.  and  Emily  (Voigt)  Schur- 
man, was  born  in  Buer,  near  Osnabruck  Province,  Hanover,  Ger- 
many, Feb.  20,  1848,  where  he  grew  to  manhood  and  received  a 
good  education,  and  graduated  at  the  Gymnasium  in  Norden,  Ost- 
friesland.  Coming  to  Pekin  in  1864,  he  engaged  as  book-keeper 
with  Smith,  Hippen  &  Co.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Hermine 
Hippen,  a  native  of  Aurich,  Ostfricsland,  Germany,  from  which 
union  were  born  four  children  —  Carl,  May  27,  '71 ;  William,  July 
28,  '73;  Minnie,  Nov.  20,  '75;  Henry,  Aug.  14, '78.  He  was 
elected  by  his  fellow^  citizens  to  fill  the  office  of  City  Treasurer, 
serving  with  satisfaction. 

Louis  Stapper,  piano  tuner  and  music  teacher. 

Peter  Steinrnetz  was  born  at  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  Septem- 
ber, 1839.  His  parents  were  Adam  and  Barbara  (Schantz)  Stein- 
metz,  natives  of  Germany.  He  came  to  this  country  in  1S57, 
entirely  penniless,  and  by  frugality  of  habit,  personal  integrity,  and 
business  ability,  has  accumulated  a  fine  property,  and  established 
himself  in  a  large  and  growing  dry  goods  and  clothing  trade.  He 
was  married  in  the  fall  of  1 862,  to  Fredrica  Ross,  and  they  have 


610  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

seven  children,  born  as  follows:  Peter,  March  23,  '63;  George, 
Sept.  30, '64;  Lena,  May  23,  '66;  Henry,  June  12, '69;  Louisa, 
Sept.  30,  '71 ;  and  Emma,  April  6,  '78.  Mr.  Stein metz  has  held 
the  offices  of  Supervisor,  School  Director,  and  Inspector  of  Pekin, 
the  latter  office  he  now  holds,  and  has  filled  it  acceptably  for  many 
terms.     He  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  of  Pekin. 

WilUam  T.  Thompson,  whose  parents,  John  C.  and  Celia  J.  (Col- 
lins) Thompson,  were  natives,  the  former  of  New  York  and  the 
latter  of  Kentucky,  was  himself  born  in  Peoria  111.,  where  he  spent 
his  early  life  and  received  his  education.  Mr.  T.  spent  many  years 
in  frontier  life  engaged  in  the  live  stock  trade  throughout  the  wilds 
of  the  far  West,  which  at  times  was  full  of  thrilling  adventures  so 
often  met  with  in  a  life  beyond  the  borders  of  civilization.  Desir- 
ing a  more  quiet  occupation  Mr.  Thompson  returned  to  Peoria 
and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  and  has  since  settled  in 
Pekin,  where  he  now  is  engaged  in  like  pursuits.  He  has  been 
a  member,  since  its  organization,  of  Co.  G,  I.  N.  G.,  of  Pekin. 

William  A.  Tinney  was  born  in  Petersburg,  Va.,  March  31,  1806. 
His  parents  were  Nathaniel  and  Caroline  (Marshall)  Tinney. 
Nathaniel  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war  and  participated  in 
many  hard  fought  battles.  William  A.  learned  the  saddler's  trade, 
which  trade  he  followed  for  some  fifteen  years.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  April  6,  1830,  to  Miss  Sarah  Jane  Yager,  a  native  of  Ky. 
Mr.  T.  arrived  in  Tazewell  Co.  in  Nov.,  1832.  He  was  Second 
Lieutenant  of  Co.  G,  4th  Regt.  111.  Vol.  during  the  Mexican  war, 
and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Vera  Cruz  and  Cero  Gordo.  He 
was  by  the  side  of  Gen.  Shields  when  he  was  wounded  at  the  latter 
battle.  He  caught  the  falling  Gen.  in  his  arms  and  bore  him  out 
of  danger.  In  1848,  he  settled  permanently  in  Pekin,  where  he 
still  resides,  respected  by  all.  Mr.  T.  has  been  honored  by  his  fel- 
low citizens  with  various  elective  offices,  which  he  has  always  filled 
with  honor.  He  was  appointed  to  take  the  United  States  cencus  in 
1840  and  1860.  He  is  at  present  Police  Magistrate  for  the  dty  of 
Pekin.  In  politics  is  Democratic  to  the  core,  having  cast  his  first 
vote  for  Jackson. 

Oen.  Charles  Turner,  the  son  of  Rev.  Charles  A.  and  Mary 
(Bailey)  Turner,  who  lived  in  Connecticut,  where  the  General  was 
born  in  the  county  of  New  London,  March  15,  1825.  He  inherited 
a  determination  to  make  a  mark  in  the  world  and  chose  the  law  for 
his  field  of  conflict  with  the  great  problem  of  life,  in  which  he  has 
shown  himself  the  equal  of  any  in  the  Bar  of  Tazewell  county,  and 
where  he  attained  the  eminence  of  Judge.  He  was  married  on  the 
20th  of  Oct.,  1853,  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Henry,  the  cultured  and 
accomplished  daughter  of  R.  I.  Henry,  of  Ohio.  In  the  war  for 
the  Union  Gen.  Turner  took  rank  among  the  bravest  and  ablest, 
whose  names  have  been  written  on  the  scroll  of  imperishable  fame, 
from  the  great  State  of  Illinois. 

Joshua  Wagenseller  is  in  the  truest  sense,  one  of  Tazewell  county's 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEAYELL   COUNTY.  611 

pioneers,  having  arrived  here  as  far  back  as  Jan.  3,  1837.  He 
points  with  pride  to  the  Key-stone  State  as  the  hind  of  his  birth. 
He  first  saw  the  light  July  5,  1813,  in  Norris  county.  Pa.  Peter 
and  Susanna  (Longacre)  Wagenseller,  his  parents,  were  honest  in- 
dustrious people.  Three  years  after  he  came  here  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  Rupert,  five  children  being  the  issue  of  the  union. 
Mr.  W.  is  now  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  which  is  far  the 
oldest  established  house  in  Central  Illinois,  having  been  opened  42 
years  ago  and  continued  without  intermission  during  all  these  years. 
Although  not  a  politician,  Mr.  Wagenseller  has  numbered  among 
his  personal  friends  some  of  the  greatest  statesmen  of  our  time,  and 
among  the  number  was  Abraham  Lincoln,  who,  previous  to  his 
election  to  the  Presidency,  frequently  visited  him  at  his  home  here. 
Lincoln  was,  in  former  years,  Mr.  Wagenseller's  attorney  and  after 
his  elevation  to  the  high  position  of  President,  he  did  not  forget  his 
friend  of  former  years,  but  offered  him  an  appointment  to  a  Federal 
office,  which  Mr.  Wagenseller  chose  to  decline  and  time  has  proven 
that  he  chose  wisely,  for  no  country  has  a  greater  honor  to  bestow 
on  any  man  than  that  of  a  successful,  honest  private  citizen. 

William  Weisfi,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  has  been  a  resident 
of  Pekin  since  1855,  where,  by  his  native  ability  and  personal  in- 
tegrity, he  has  built  up  one  of  the  largest  trades  in  the  sale  of  lum- 
ber and  manufacture  of  sash  and  blinds,  in  the  central  part  of 
Illinois.  His  jnirents,  Daniel  and  Christiana  (Henkel)  Weiss,  were 
natives  of  Germany,  where  William  was  born  Sept.  9,  1829.  Per- 
haps no  man  in  Tazewell  county  is  better  or  more  favorably  known 
in  business  circles  than  Mr.  Weiss,  He  has  been  elected  Alderman 
of  his  ward,  and  filled  the  office  of  Chief  of  Fire  Department  at  the 
age  of  twenty-eight.  When  he  had  been  two  years  in  Pekin  he 
wedded  Miss  Eva  Lahnes.  Providence  has  dealt  kindly  with  them, 
for  their  eight  children,  Elizabeth,born  Sept.  5,  '57;  John,  Jan.  10, 
'59 ;  William,  Sept.  25,  'G3 ;  Gretchen,  Aug.  27,  '08 ;  Emma,  Sept. 
5,  '68;  Anna,  May  19,  '71  ;  Louisa,  May  19,  '71 ;  and  Ida,  March 
23,  '75,  have  all  been  spared,  and  all  give  promise  of  living  lives  of 
usefulness. 

H.  P.  Wcsterman  was  born,  Aug.  25,  1836,  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and 
is  the  son  of  Conrad  and  Margaretha  (Lang)  Westerman.  His 
father  and  his  family  came  to  Pekin  in  1 846,  and  old  Father  West- 
erman died  here  in  1873.  H.  P.  attended  the  common  schools  of 
Pekin,  and  then  entered  Bell's  Commercial  College,  from  where  he 
graduated.  In  1848  he  embarked  in  the  dry  goods  business  as 
clerk,  and  from  that  time  his  active  business  career  began.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Mary  L.  Gregg,  Oct.  13,  1856.  Three 
children  were  born  to  them,  two  of  whom  are  living. 

3Iary  L.  WeMennan,  daughter  of  John  Gregg  and  Susan  Leslie, 
was  born  in  Wayne  Co.,  Mich.,  but  at  an  early  age  removed  to  111. 
Her  father  is  a  direct  descendant  of  the  McGregor  clan.  Her 
mother  was  a  woman  of  fine  natural  abilities,  to  which  were  added 


612  HISTORY   f'F   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 

the  gifts  of  a  forcible  and  observing  writer.  Mrs.  W.  received  a 
thorough  English  education.  Her  natural  abilities  are  superior  and 
are  carefully  cultured  by  study  and  extensive  travel.  She  is  a 
woman  of  great  energy  and  a  firmness  of  purpose  that  has  assured 
success  in  all  undertakings.  On  the  13th  of  October,  1856,  she  was 
married  to  Henry  P.  Westerman,  Esq.,  at  the  old  Reformed  Church, 
being  the'  first  marriage  ever  solemnized  there.  Their  union  was 
blest  with  three  children,  the  eldest  of  whom  died  some  years  since. 
At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war,  although  young  in  years,  Mrs. 
W.  proved  a  woman  of  great  foresight  and  executive  ability,  being 
a  leader  of  what  may  well  be  denominated  the  "home  guards,"  that 
noble  army  of  women  of  whom  history  is  silent,  but  from  whose 
courage  and  generous  aid  the  soldiers  drew  much  of  the  inspiration 
which  brought  success  to  their  arms.  She  was  connected  with  the 
Soldier's  Aid  Society  four  years,  two  as  president  and  two  as  secre- 
tary. The  Sanitary  Fair  was  held  in  this  city  in  the  fall  of  1863. 
Mrs.  W.  was  appointed  to  solicit  subscriptions  from  Eastern  mer- 
chants, and  to  visit  hospitals  to  learn  the  most  urgent  needs  of  the 
soldiers.  Her  cflForts  were  unusually  successful,  receiving,  among 
other  things,  six  autographic  photographs  from  President  Lincoln. 
The  Fair  netted  the  Aid  Society  $3,163.  A  dispute  arose  as  to  the 
proper  disposition  of  the  funds,  Mrs.  W.  and  several  of  the  Demo- 
cratic ladies  of  the  committee  desiring  that  it  might  go  for  clothing, 
medicine,  and  the  comforts  so  necessary  to  the  sick  room.  An 
equaF  strong  faction  voted  the  entire  sum,  by  a  majority  of  one,  to 
Tyng  &  Reynolds,  of  Peoria,  to  be  used  to  buy  tracts  and  Testa- 
mf  .s,  thinking,  in  their  way,  that  the  presentation  of  a  tract  defin- 
ing the  status  of  the  doctrine  of  eternal  punisment  would  be  more 
consoling  to  the  dying  soldiers  than  a  soft  bed  and  healing  medicine. 
Mrs.  W.,  having  a  practical  experience  as  to  the  needs  of  our  boys, 
feeling  their  woes  with  a  woman's  tenderness  and  sympathy,  plead 
as  only  a  woman  can  that  it  might  not  be  devoted  from  its  proper 
object",  but  backed  by  feelings  as  barren  of  practical  results  as  the 
doctrines  that  bred  them,  the  money  was  voted  away.  The  meet- 
ing took  place  late  Saturday  night.  Before  breakfast  Monday  Mrs. 
W.  and  Mrs.  James  Wilson  sought  legal  advice  of  Hon.  B.  S.  Pret- 
ty man,  and  got  out  an  injunction  restraining  the  payment  to  Tyng 
&  Reynolds,  and  the  latter,  hearing  of  the  dispute,  came  to  Pekin 
and  insisted  on  the  money  being  spent  for  hospital  comforts  and 
necessaries.  The  papers  denounced  Mrs.  W.  "ibr  striking  hands 
with  the  Copperheads."  But  knowing  the  righteousness  of  her 
cause  she  persevered  with  that  true  courage  which  rises  superior  to 
taunts  and  scoffs,  and  the  end  was  her  complete  vindication,  and  the 
following  letter  exhibits  the  feeling  engendered  by  work  of  the  Aid 
Society : 

Bird's  Point,  Missouri,  January  1st,  1862. 
To  Mrs.  H.  P.  Westerman  and  Mrs.  F.  L.  Bhoads  : 

Your  kind  note  of  December  21st,  informing  us  that  to  the  ladies  of 
Pekin  we  are  indebted  for  the  splendid  Christmas  gift,  in  the  shape  of  "bed 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  613 

comforts,"  as  also  the  comforts  themselves,  were  duly  receivetl.  You  ma}'  be 
assured  tliat  we  are  all  deeply  touched  bj'  this  evidence  of  your  kin<hiess  and 
good  will  towards  us,  and  that  we  are  grateful  to  and  proud  of  the  fair  donors. 
Accept  from  us  all  our  heartfelt  th:inks  and  best  wishes  for  your  future  peace 
and  prosperity;  and  may  the  land  of  the  free  long  be  the  home  of  such  gen- 
erous sympathy.     We  have  the  honor  to  l)e  yours,  most  respectfully, 

Co.  F,  8th  Regt.  Illinois  Volunteers. 

And  so  strongly  did  the  tide  turn  in  the  lady's  favor,  that  on  all 
occasions  she  was  sought  as  the  one  jiiost  worthy  to  do  honor  to  the 
soldiers  on  their  return,  and  one  time  the  following  toast  was  paid 
her :  "  Our  Lady  Speaker.  May  she  live  to  address  our  soldiers 
when  they  return  from  the  war ;  when  our  spears  have  been  beaten 
into  pruuing-hooks  and  our  swords  into  plow-shares."  Responded 
to  by  D.  C  Smith. 

In  1866  she  united  with  the  English  M.  E.  Church,  A  little 
later  she  commenced  as  a  teacher  in  the  Sabbath-sc'iool,  with  a  class 
of  11  little  ones.  Being  a  conscientious  and  interesting  teacher,  and 
a  woman  of  peculiar  sympatliy  and  knowledge  of  the  child-heart,  her 
class  grew  with  ra]>idity  and  soon  demanded  a  larger  room,  number- 
ing, at  one  time,  400  active  pupils,  and  it  is  said  that  in  13  years 
half  the  children  in  this  city  have  passed  through  her  hands  as  Sun- 
day-school children,  aiul  the  incidents  of  her  teacher-work  alone 
would  fill  a  volume.  In  this  limited  record  of  facts  we  have  no 
s})ace  to  speak  of  those  qualities  which  have  ever  won  for  her  honor 
and  respect.  Pier  daughters.  Misses  Alice  and  Susie,  have  enjoyed 
unusual  educational  advantages ;  have  also  made  two  trips  t^  Europe 
in  company  with  their  mother.  Mrs.  W.  is  a  ready,  pleasin,g'  Sjieaker, 
a  vigorous,  forcible  writer,  and  has  filled  with  al)ility  every  po^'^ion 
to  which  she  has  been  called.  Like  all  persons  of  progrtssiv^'  ind 
liberal  ideas  and  fixedness  of  purpose,  she  has  been  the  subject  of 
many  bitter  animadversions,  but  through  all  trials  she  has  borne 
herself  with  characteristic  dignity,  and,  as  time  has  developed,  her 
opponents  have  acknowledged  that  she  was  right.  No  one,  whether 
mendicant  or  business  man,  in  distress  (and  many  have  gone  to  her), 
has  appealed  to  her  charity  in  vain,  and  were  the  little  "heart  histo- 
ries," the  teai;s  that  she  has  dried,  the  wants  that  she  has  relieved, 
made  known,  it  would  add  a  lustre  to  her  name  tliat  time  could  not 
dim.  It  in  the  penalty  of  such  lives  to  meet  untold  op})osition,  and 
it  is  only  when  the  tenderness  is  of  no  avail,  and  the  kind  words 
can  no  longer  be  heard,  that  such  lives  are  truly  estimated.  But 
they  are  a  legacy  that  make  the  inheritors  richer  than  seas  with 
sands  of  gold. 

Charh'8  Young,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  at  Pekin,  was  born  at 
Athol,  Mass.,  Dec.  4, 1818.  His  ancestors  were  natives  of  the  same 
State,  and,  like  most  of  the  loyal  sons  of  that  grand  old  common- 
wealth, fought  in  the  Revolution.  Both  of  his  grandfathers,  elec- 
trified by  the  burning  words  and  matchless  eloquence  of  the 
immortal  Patrick  Henry,  sprang  to  arms  at  the  first  call  for  troops, 
and  fought  tell  the  close  of  the  war.  Charles  was  sent  to  Brattle- 
37 


614  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

boro,  Vt.,  where  he  received  an  academic  education.  We  next  find 
him  in  New  York,  where,  in  1841,  he  united  his  destiny  with  the 
accomplished  Miss  Read,  who,  however,  lived  but  a  few  years. 
About  1840,  Mr.  Young  joined  the  New  York  Malitia,  where,  for 
his  commanding  presence  and  military  bearing,  he  was  commis- 
sioned, by  Wm.  H.  Seward,  a  Lieutenant  in  the  Light  Artillery. 
Leaving  New  York,  he  went  South,  where  he  traveled  extensively, 
and  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  in  1860,  he  left  New  Orleans  and 
came  to  Pekin.  He  was  married  in  1852  to  Henrietta  Hanaghan, 
who  died  in  1872,  and  who  was  the  mother  of  his  six  children. 

Louis  Zinger,  whose  portrait  appears  in  our  Pekin  group,  was 
born  at  Alsace,  France,  June  7,  1846.  His  parents,  Barnabas  and 
Stephania  .Zinger,  were  also  natives  of  Alsace,  where  Louis  passed 
his  childhood  and  received  his  early  education,  which  he  completed 
at  Peoria,  where  he  came  at  an  early  age.  He  came  to  Pekin  Feb. 
27,  1874,  where  he  engaged  in  the  monumental  business,  in  which 
he  has  had  good  success,  having,  in  the  short  space  of  five  years,  es- 
tablished a  fine  trade.  Mr.  Zinger  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine 
Stalter,  and  three  children  gladden  their  household,  who  are  all  liv- 
ing, and  promise  lives  of  usefulness.  Mr.  Zinger  has  held  the  office 
of  Supervisor  and  is  at  present  Treasurer  of  the  City  of  Pekin.  In 
})olitics  he  acts  and  votes  with  the  Democratic  party,  having  been 
elected  to  his  present  office  by  that  party. 


OFFICIALS  OF  PEKIN  CITY. 

1849.  Mayor— Bernard  Bailev.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  John  Atkinson;  2nd, 
David  P.  Kenyon  ;  Srd,  Wm.  S.  Maus;  4th,  Jacob  Riblet.  Clerk— Benj. 
Kellogg.  Treasurer— John  Gridley.  City  Attorney— Benjamin  S.  Pret- 
tyman.     City  Marshal— Thomas  Cloudas. 

1850.  Mayor— Bernard  Bailey*;  A.  Woolstein.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  Peter 
Weyhrich:  2nd,  David  P.  Kenyon;  ord,  Wm.  S.  Maus;  4th,  Jacob  Rib- 
let;"  5th,  John  Turner.  Treasurer— John  Gridley.  City  Attorney— B. 
S.  Prettyman.     City  Marshal— Wm.  Snider. 

1851.  Mayor— Jas.  Harriott.  Aldermen— 2nd  Ward,  William  AVilkey;  Srd, 
Stephen  Robinson;  5th,  Jacob  Clauser.  City  Attorney— John  S.  Mc- 
Intire.     City  Marshal— T.  M.  Cloudas. 

1852.  Mayor— James  Harriott.  Alderman— 1st  Ward,  Thomas  N.  Gill,  2nd, 
David  P.  Kenyon;  Srd,  James  A.  McGrew.     Clerk— T.  D.  Vincent. 

1853.  Mayor— Middleton  Tackaberrv.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  Thos.  N.  Gill; 
2nil,  David  P.  Kenyon;  Srd,  R.  "Buck;  4th,  Peter  Weyhrich;  5th,  Jacob 
Clauser.     City  Marshal— Wm.  A.  Tinney.     Clerk— W.  B.  Parker. 

1854.  Mayor— M.  C.  Young.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  Thos.  N.  Gill;  2nd,  Jno. 
W.  Glass;  Srd,  R.  Buck,"  A.  Brown;  4th,  Peter  Weyhrich;  5th,  Jacob 
Clauser.     Attorney— C.  H.  Goodrich;  Marshal  — S.  P.  Higginson. 

1855.  Mayor— M.  C.  Young.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  Thos.  N.  Gill ;  2nd,  Jno. 
W.  Glass;  Srd,  A.  Brown,*  G.  L.  Thomas;  4th,  Robert  Gibson.  City 
Attorney— Wm.  B.  Parker.     Clerk— Wm.  B.  Parker. 

1856.  Mayor— L.  H.Wilkey.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  Joshua  Wagenseller  and 
James  S.  Mclntire ;  2nd,  Peter  Devore  and  Conrad  Westerman  ;  Srd, 
Reuben  Bergstresser ;  4th,  Benj.  S.  Prettyman.  Clerk— Wm.  B.  Parker  ; 
Treasurer— John  Gridley.     City  Attorney— James  Roberts. 

"  Resigned. 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  615 

1857.  Mavor — M.  Tackaberrv.  Aldermen — 1st  Ward,  J.  Wagenseller ;  2nd, 
S.  D.  Pnterbaugh ;  3rd,  A.  Haas;  4tl),  David  Mark;  Clerk— William  B. 
Parker.     City  Attorney — James  Roberts.     Treasurer — John  Gridley. 

1858.  Mayor— Peter  Weyhriob.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  S.  P.  Higginson;  2d, 
Peter  Devore  and  Wm.  Devinnj^;  Srd,  N.  Davis  and  T.  J.  Pickett;  4th, 

B.  S.  Pretty  man.     Clerk — Wm.  B.  Parker.     Attorney — James  Roberts. 
Treasurer — John  Gridley. 

1859.  Mavor — Peter  Wevhrich.  Aldermen,  1st  Ward,  Joshua  Wagenseller; 
2nd,  John  Sandusky;  3rd,  Teis  Smith;  4th,  Thos.  C.  Reeves.  Clerk— 
Wm.  B.  Parker.     City  Attorney — Jas.  Roberts.     Treasurer — J.  Gridley. 

1860.  Mavor — I.  E.  Leonard.  Aldermen — 1st  Ward — Daniel  S.  Reisinger; 
2nd,  John  Lucas;  3rd,  W.  T.  Edds;  4th,  Samuel  Rhoads;  Clerk— A.  P. 
Griswold.     Attorney — James  Roberts.     Treasurer — John  Gridley. 

1861.  Mayor — L  E.  Leonard.  Aldermen — 1st  Ward,  Henry  P.  Westerman; 
2nd.  Henry  Zuckweiler;  3rd,  Teis  Smith;  -Jth,  Geo.  H.  Harlow.  Clerk — 
A.  P.  Griswold.     Attorney— J.  M.  Hanna  and  C.  A.  Roberts. 

1862.  Mayor — B.  S.  Prettyman.  Aldermen — 1st  Ward,  Stephen  Roney  and 
Daniel  Reisinger;  2nd,  John  Lucas;  3rd,  Reuben  Bergstresser ;  4th,  I. 

E.  Leonard.     Clerk — A.  P.  Griswold.     Attorney — Jno.  B.  Cohrs.     Treas- 
urer— John  Gridley. 

1863.  Mavor — Samuel  E.  Barber.  Aldermen — 1st  Ward,  Jacob  Clauser;  2d, 
George  Kennedy;  3rd  Teis  Smith;  4th,  Thos.  N.  Gill.  Clerk— A.  P. 
Griswold.     Attorney — A.  Bergen.     Treasurer — John  W.  Glassgow. 

1864.  Mayor — Thomas  C.  Reeves.  Aldermen — 1st  Ward,  Stephen  Roney ; 
2nd,  John  Lucas;  3rd,  John  Herget;  4th,  John  D.  Mclntire.  Clerk — H. 
Yandervoort.     Attorney — A.  Bergen.     Treasurer — J.  W.  Glassgow. 

1865.  Mavor— Wm.  W.  Sellers.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  Peter  Schaumleffel; 
2nd,  J.  F.  Tucker;  3rd,  Teis  Smith ;  4th,  W.  Don  Maus.  Clerk— Wm.  M. 
Olmstead.  Attornej- — N.  W.  Green,  Wm.  E.  Parker.  Treasurer — B.  F. 
Blossom. 

1866.  Mayor— Wm.  W.  Sellers.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  John  Cohenour;  2nd, 
John  Berrv ;  Srd,  John  Herget;  4th,  James  F.  Pevton.  Clerk — Wm. 
Olmstead.  '  Attorney— C.  J.  Elliott.     Treasurer— J.  M.  Gill. 

1867.  Mavor— C.  J.  D.  Rupert.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  Peter  Schaumleffel ; 
2nd,  Wm.  Schlagg;  3rd,  Teis  Smith;  4th,  Chas.  Turner.     Clerk— Wilbur 

F.  Henry.     Attornay — Richard  Williams.     Treasurer — John  M.  Gill. 

1868.  Mayor— C.  J.  D.  Rupert.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  Stephen  Roney ;  2nd, 
August  Winkle;  2rd  Benjamin  Michael;  4th,  George  S.  Smith.  Clerk — 
Felix  G.  Knott.  Attorney — Richard  Williams.  Treasurer — George  R. 
Babcock. 

1869.  Mayor — William  T.  Edds.  Aldermen — 1st  Wanl,  Herman  Kickler; 
2nd,  Jacob  Klein;  3rd,  Teis  Smith;  4th,  Reuben  Bergstresser;  .^th,  Lott 
Bergstresser,  James  Haines;  6th,  Jonathan  H.  Mvers,  John  G.  Eyrse. 
Clerk— William  H.  AVallingford.  Attorney— Collins  J.  Elliott.  Treas- 
urer— Charles  Young. 

1870.  jNIayor— David  T.  Thompson.  Aldermen — 1st  Ward — Joshua  Wagen- 
seller; 2nd,  W.  Weiss;  3rd,  D.  W.  Umdenstock;  4th,  I.  E.  Leonard;  5th, 
James  F.  Peyton;  6th,  Charles  Young.  Clerk — William  Docker.  At- 
torney— A.  B.  Sawyer.     Treasurer — Thomas  J.  Roney. 

1871.  Mavor— David  T.  Thompson.  Aldermen  — 1st  Ward,  John  M.  Gill; 
2nd,  E.  vSchurman;  Srd,  D.  C.  Smith;  4th,  H.  P.  Westerman;  5th,  Wm. 
Blenkiron;  0th,  Fred  Christopher.     Clerk — Wm.  Docker.     Attorney — E. 

C.  Brearley.    Treasurer — Thomas  J.  Roney. 

1872.  Mayor— John  Stoltz.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  Chas.  J.  Hulbig;  2nd,  D. 
W.  Umdenstock;  Srd,  George  J.  Webber;  4th,  W.  T.  Patterson;  5th,  C. 
R.  Johnson ;  6th,  Phillip  Weber.  Clerk— Wm.  Docker.  Attorney— T. 
N.  Mehan.     Treasurer — J.  G.  Rupert. 

1873.  Mavor— John  Herget.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  John  Hallinan;  2nd,  Ja- 
cob Klein;  3rd,  Habbe  Velde;  4tb,  G.  F.  Saltonstall;  5th,  W.  Blenkiron; 


616  HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

6th,  W.  L.  Prettyman.     Clerk— Wm.   Docker.     Attorney— Geo.  Rider. 

Treasurer — J.  G.  Rupert. 
1874.       Mavor— John  Hcrget.     Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  E.  A.  Hall ;  2nd,  I.  C. 

Frederick;  3rd,  John  Bonk;  4th,  W.  F.  Henry;  5th,  A.  B.  Sawyer;  6th, 

C.  K.  Myers.     Clerk — Wm.  Docker.     Attorney — W.  R.  Hall.     Treasurer 

— Jay  G.  Rupert. 
1875        Mavor— C  R.  Cummings.     Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  John  M.  Gill,  E.  A. 

Hall,T.  R.  Skelly;  2nd,  E.  Schurraann,  H.  A.  Bruns,  Habbe  Velde;  3d, 

U.  G.  Albertson,  W.  D.  Oswald,  John  Scheidel;  4th,  G.  R.  Cobleigh,  Jas. 

Haines,   John  Roos.     Clerk— J.  M.  Moloney.     Attorney— W.   R.  Hall. 

Treasurer — Oscar  Hofer. 

1876.  Mayor— C.  R.  Cummings.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  H.  W.  Hippen,  T. 
R.  Skelly,  Henry  Lautz;  3rd,  W.  J.  Albertson,  J.  P.  Scheidel,  Thomas 
Schneider.  Clerk— J.  M.  Moloney.  Attorney— Geo  C.  Rider.  Treas- 
urer— Oscar  Hofer. 

1877.  Mayor — A.  B.  Sawyer.  Aldermen— 2nd  Ward,  H.  A.  Burns,  Geo.  S. 
DeVries,  John  Velde;  4th,  J.  F.  Peyton,  G.  R.  Cobleigh,  J.  G.  Ledter- 
man.  Clerk,  J.  M.  Moloney.  Attorney— G.  C.  Rider.  Treasurer— Louis 
Schurman. 

1878.  Mayor— A.  B.  Sawver.  Aldermen— 1st  Ward,  E.  M.  Mulvey,  John 
Kelch,  I.  F.  Schipper';  3rd,  H.  Vork,  O.  Wieburg,  Adam  Saae.  Clerk— 
J.  M.  Moloney.     Attorney— G.  C.  Rider.     Treasurer — Louis  Schureman. 

1879.  Mayor— H.  W.  Hippen.  Aldermen — 2nd  Ward,  Aug.  Winkel,  Ahrend 
Behrens,  E.  Schurman;  4th,  G.  R.  Cobleigh,  Erastus  Rhoads,  William 
Rundle.  Clerk— John  W.  Hoffman.  Attorney— G.  C.  Rider.  Treas- 
urer— Louis  Zinger. 

SUPERVISORS. 

William  S.  Maus 1850  H.  Naylor 1874 

James  Haines 1851-52  Peter  Steinmetz 1875 

Williams.  Maus 1854-61  Henry  Lautz 1865 

William  S.  Maus,  asst 1863-65  Ernest  Schurman 1876 

Joshua  Wagenseller 1860  Wm.  Don  Maus 1876-77 

Peter  Wevhrich,  asst 1861-65  C.  B.  Cummings 1876 

Martin  Stover,  asst 1860  Fred  Smith 1876 

Wm.  Don  Maus 1866  J.G.Weber 1876 

George  Greigg 1867-68  Henrv  Didcock 1877 

Teis  Smith,  asst 1867-70  John'C.  Avdelott 1878 

Joshua  Wagenseller 1870  Thomas  R.  Skelly 1878-79 

John  Stoltz 1871-72  C.  B.  Cummings 1878-79 

John  Herget,  asst 1871-72  E.  Schurman 1878-79 

GeorgeGreigg 1873-74  H.  W.  Hippen 1878 

W.  Don  Maus,  asst 1873-74  J.  M.  Gill 1879 

John  Herget 1874  J.  Lederer 1879 

D.  C.  Smith 1874 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

JohnGridley 1854-55  AVm.  H.  Teibert. 1806 

Charles  Turner 1857-59  Julius  Maverhoff. 1867 

A  P  Griswold 1860-61  Charles  F."  Vatterline 1868 

Geo.  R.  Babcock 1863  Mvron  Cory 1870-76 

David  W.  Umdenstock 1864  Erastus  Rhoads 1877-78 

Harmon  Kickler 1865  Charles  Young 1879 

ASSESSORS. 

M.  Tackaberry 1854  Henry  Riblet 1867 

S  P.  Higginson 1855  Jacob  Lucas 1868-70 

Thomas  C.  Reeves 1857  Fred  Schaefer 1871-72 

Charles  Turner 1858-59  H.  Lautz 1873 

Robert  W.  Briggs I860  John  Wildhack 1874 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  617 

Richard  Shaw 1861  Jacob  Stout 1875-76 

James  Haines 1863  Michael  Gallow 1877 

Thomas  C.  Reeves 1864  Jacob  Lucas 1878 

Jacob  Stout 1865-66      David  Wandschneider 1879 

COLLECTORS. 

Henry  Riblet 1854-58      Ibe  Look 1873 

Joseph  Stewart 1S59  John  G.  Kuhl 1874 

David  T.  Thompson 1S60  John  Cohenour 1875 

John  B.  Wliitefoot 1861  Phillip  Webber 1876 

Hugh  K.Alexander 1863-66      Thomas  B.  Dorsey 1877 

Hezekiah  Naylor  1867-()S      Hezekiah  Naylor 1878 

August  Riese 187U-72      U.  J.  Albertson 1879 


SAND   PRAIRIE  TOAVNSHIP. 

The  Mackinaw  river  courses  eastwarclly  through  this  township, 
dividing  it  near  its  center.  The  groves  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river  were  settled  at  a  very  early  day.  Elisha  and  Major  Isaac 
Perkins  .settled  on  sec.  1,  about  1824.  J^oth  of  the.se  gentlemen  were 
active,  enterprising  pioneers,  and  were  prominent  in  the  early  history 
of  the  county.  Major  Perkins  was  killed  in  the  famous  battle  of 
Stillman's  Run,  during  the  Black  Hawk  war.  Isaac  moved  to 
Iowa  about  twenty-five  years  ago.  They  came  here  from  near 
Shawneetown,  111.  Gideon  Hawley  came  from  the  East  and  settled 
on  the  section  with  the  Perkins'.  He  died  on  the  farm  where  Jas. 
Hamson  now  lives.  Thomas  Lander  located  on  section  7 ;  he  was 
from  Virginia.  Jno.  Sommers  was  from  North  Carolina;  he  erected 
his  cabin  on  section  1.  Daniel  Rankin  came  from  Pennsylvanin  in 
1828,  and  located  on  7.  Jolni  Shelton  came  the  following  year  from 
Virginia,  and  made  himself  a  home  on  8.  James  Reese  came  the 
same  year,  and  located  on  section  9.  John  Vancil  was  among  the 
first  to  come ;  he  settled  on  section  9,  and  is  the  only  one  of  the 
earliest  pioneers  of  this  township  now  living.  He  resides  in  the 
town  of  Circleville.  He  was  born  in  Penn.sylvania  in  1798.  When 
he  was  but  two  years  of  age,  his  parents  moved  to  Kentucky.  Here 
he  remained  until  he  was  nineteen  years  old,  when  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Nancy  Tuley,  who  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  Jan.  20, 
1800.  Her  parents  al.so  moved  to  Kentucky  when  she  was  a  child. 
Shortly  after  their  marriage  they  came  to  Illinois,  and  to  Tazewell 
county. 

Mr.  Shipraan  came  from  Kentucky  in  1826,  but  did  not  live  in 
this  township  a  great  while.  He  moved  from  this  into  Elm  Grove 
township,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.     He  brought 


618  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

with  him  to  this  township  a  negro  man,  his  wife  and  children.  He 
treated  them  kindly,  and  they  in  turned  loved  him.  They  all  lived 
here  in  peace  and  freedom,  carving  new  homes  in  the  wilderness,  and 
preparing  for  future  prosperity  and  pleasure.  The  quietude  of  the 
little  settlement  was  disturbed  one  dark  night,  by  the  appearance 
of  some  slave  hunters.  There  were  some  men  from  Kentucky 
came  up  the  river,  left  their  boats  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mackinaw, 
quietly  came  over  and  carried  oif  the  negro  family.  They  were  all 
tied  and  hastily  run  to  the  river.  It  appears  that  Mose,  the  name 
of  the  negro  man,  was  a  singularly  constructed  negro,  and  it  would 
almost  seem,  as  an  old  settler  said,  that  "  he  was  part  aligator."  He 
had  a  double  row  of  large  sharp  teeth.  His  hands  were  tied,  and 
with  a  rope  he  was  led  along.  He  pulled  back  considerable,  and 
lagged  behind  as  much  as  he  dare  do,  all  the  while  chawing  on  the 
rope  by  which  he  was  led.  Finally  he  succeeded  in  severing  it, 
when  with  all  his  might  he  ran  back  to  the  settlement,  and  informed 
his  neighbors  of  the  theft  of  his  family.  This  aroused  the  ire  of 
those  sturdy  pioneers,  and,  being  equal  to  any  emergency,  three  of 
them  saddled  up  their  horses,  that  gloomy  night  and  set  out  for  St. 
Louis,  anticipating  the  destination  of  the  thieves.  These  resolute 
men  were  Johnson  Sommers,  Wm.  Woodrow,  and  Absalom  Dillon. 
They  pushed  on  toward  that  city,  and  fortunately  rode  off  the  ferry 
boat  just  as  the  Kentucky  would-be  slave-traders  landed  with  the 
family  of  Mose.  This  was  a  singular  coincidence,  but  true,  and  with 
determination  that  plainly  showed  he  ment  what  he  said,  Sommers 
jumped  from  his  horse,  gathered  up  a  stone  and  swore  he  would 
crush  the  first  one  who  attempted  to  leave  the  boat,  and  the  men, 
who  could  steal  the  liberty  of  their  fellow  men,  were  passive  before 
the  stalwart  pioneers.  One  of  the  pioneers  hurried  up  to  the  city, 
and  procured  the  arrest  of  the  men.  We  do  not  know  the  penalty 
inflicted,  but  most  likely  it  was  nothing,  or,  at  least,  light,  for  in 
those  days  it  was  regarded  as  a  legitimate  business  to  traffic  in 
human  beings.  The  family  was  secured,  however,  and  carried  back 
to  this  county,  where  most  of  them  lived  and  died.  All  honor  to 
the  daring  humane  pioneers. 

Joseph  Haines  built  the  first  frame  house  and  barn  ever  erected 
in  the  county,  in  this  township.  The  house  was  built  in  1829,  and 
the  barn  in  1831.  Both  of  them  are  still  standing,  and  are  yet 
good  substantial  buildings. 

It  was  some  years  before  the  portion  of  the  township  lying  south 


HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  619 

of  the  Mackinaw  was  settled.  It  was  a  sandy  prairie,  and  was 
thought  to  be  almost  worthless,  but  we  now  see  some  of  the  best 
farms  in  the  county  on  this  prairie.  The  first  school-house  erected 
south  of  the  Mackinaw  was  in  1854.  The  first  school  in  this  house, 
which  was  in  district  No.  5,  was  commenced  Oct.  1st,  of  the  same 
year.  The  first  church  edifice  in  this  portion  of  the  township  was 
erected  in  1865.  There  are  now  several  fine  church  edifices  in  the 
township. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Green  Valley  was  called  at  first  the 
Sand  Prairie  Church.  It  was  organized  June  10,  1832,  at  Circle- 
ville,  and  it  was  united  with  the  Green  Valley  Church,  or  re-organ- 
ized, April  15,  1863.  At  first  the  meetings  were  held  in  private 
residences,  and  at  school-houses.  We  copy  the  following  from  the 
"  Record  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Tazewell  Co.,"  which  was 
made  at  the  time  of  its  first  organization.  "On  the  10th  of  June, 
1832,  the  following  persons :  Samuel  Woodrow,  Catharine  (Monta- 
gue) Woodrow,  George  Rausbarger,  Stephen  Holton,  Emily  Som- 
ers,  and  Mary  Babbitt,  agreeable  to  previous  appointment,  for  the 
purpose  of  mutual  benefit  in  Holy  living,  voluntarily  associated 
themselves  into  a  Christian  Church,  under  the  rules  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the  United  States  of 
America."  Samuel  Woodrow  was  elected  Ruling  Elder,  and  C.  W. 
Babbitt,  their  stated  supply,  was  chosen  Clerk. 

"  A  congregational  meeting  was  held  at  Green  Valley,  for  the 
purpose  of  electing  Trustees :  S.  S.  Darling,  C.  F.  Buckman,  and 
Samuel  Schureman  were  chosen.  A  motion  was  then  made  and 
carried,  that  the  Presbyterians  of  Green  Valley  proceed  to  take 
necessary  steps  to  build  a  house  of  worship.  Also  that  the  Trustees 
act  as  a  committee  to  suggest  a  site  and  exhibit  a  plan  for  a  place  of 
worship."  The  above  is  the  record  of  the  first  meeting  held  for  the 
purpose  of  building  a  new  church  edifice.  Other  meetings  were 
held,  site  and  plans  were  adopted,  and  the  work  vigorously  prose- 
cuted. Work  was  commenced  September  1,  1876,  and  the  house 
dedicated,  free  of  debt,  Sunday,  Dec.  31st,  of  the  same  year,  being 
the  last  Sunday,  the  last  of  the  last  month  of  the  Centennial  year. 
It  was  supplied  by  Rev.  Charles  A.  Holmes.  On  the  15th  of  Oct., 
1878,  Rev.  W.  R.  Smith,  of  Albion,  Iowa,  received  a  call. 

The  Methodist  Church,  Green  Valley. — The  present  church  edifice 
of  this  denomination  was  erected  in  18(i5,  at  a  cost  of  $5,000. 
This  society  at  that  time,  was  connected  with  the  San  Jose  Circuit. 


620  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 

It  continued  in  that  relation  until  the  autumn  of  1870,  when,  at  the 
request  of  the  official  board  of  the  Church,  Green  Valley  was  set 
oif  to  itself.  Its  present  pastor  is  Rev.  H.  S.  Tryon.  The  first 
sermon  by  a  Methodist  preacher,  Mr.  Totten  has  any  knowledge  of, 
was  preached  in  the  school-house,  and  the  first  Methodist  discourse 
delivered  in  the  neighborhood.  It  was  delivered  by  Rev.  Craig,  of 
Delavan,  who  continued  to  preach  here  while  he  was  pastor  of  the 
Delavan  Church.     The  next  preacher  was  Rev.  H.  B.  M.  Colt. 

There  are  two  towns  in  the  township.  One  of  them,  Circleville, 
is  located  upon  section  1.  It  was  laid  oflF  Aug.  7,  1837,  by  Spencer 
Field  and  E.  M.  Perkins.  It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  Circle- 
ville is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  in  the  county.  The  other  town  is 
Green  Valley,  upon  section  35,  and  is  upon  the  line  of  the  P.,  L. 
&  D.  Ry.  Mr.  Samuel  Schureman  was  the  original  proprietor  of 
the  land  upon  which  Green  Valley  is  located.  He  entered  it  in 
1852.  The  town  was  laid  off  by  Mr.  Schureman,  Oct.  19,  1872. 
The  village  received  its  name  in  this  wise.  There  was  a  Union 
Sunday-school  organized  in  1853,  and  the  question  came  up  as  to 
what  the  school  should  be  called.  There  were  several  names  pro- 
posed, and  among  the  number  was  Green  Valley  by  Samuel  Schure- 
man. The  names  were  voted  upon,  and  Green  Valley  received  the 
majority,  and  the  name  was  adopted  for  the  school,  and  when  the 
town  was  laid  off  it  was  christened  with  the  same  name. 

There  are  five  store  buildings  in  the  east  end  of  the  town,  owned 
by  Samuel  Schureman,  and  occupied  as  follows :  Israel  Schureman, 
dry  goods,  boots  and  shoes ;  Samuel  Bradfield,  drugs ;  A.  Helmbolt, 
post-office,  books,  and  stationery ;  S.  Schureman,  office ;  James  Mc- 
Cord,  carpenter;  Rachel  Greenleaf,  millinery;  and  Thos.  Champion, 
butcher. 

The  improvements  throughout  the  township  are  of  a  substantial 
character.  Comfortable  and  even  elegant  houses  dot  the  prairies, 
with  good  out-houses,  and  well  built  fences,  bespeak  the  fact  that 
the  people  are  permanently  located,  and  take  a  pride  in  their 
surroundings.  AVith  the  elements  of  a  prosperous  future  in  her 
grasp,  with  every  resource  of  this  temperal  clime,  it  will  be  strange, 
indeed,  if  the  township  and  the  county  does  not  rapidly  grow  in 
wealth.  We  cannot,  in  justice,  close  this  historical  sketch,  without 
speaking  personally  of  some  of  its  citizens.  We  therefore  would 
call  attention  to  the  following : 

W.  C.  Auld,  farmer,  sec.  24 ;  P.  O.,  Green  Valley.     Mr.  A.  was 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  621 

born  in  Guernsey  Co.,  O.,  in  1848.  He  is  a  son  of  Alexander  and 
Rose  (Cunningham)  Auld.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  a 
common  school  education.  He  came  to  this  county  Nov.  20,  1873; 
was  married  Oct.  9,  1873,  to  Kate  Woodrow,  a  daughter  of  William 
and  Ellen  (Kellogg)  Woodrow,  of  this  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Auld  have  two  daughters  —  Alice,  born  May  3,  1875;  and  an  in- 
fant, born  March  28,  1879;  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 

Jesse  Black,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  27 ;  Post-office,  Green 
Valley.  Mr.  B.  is  a  son  of  Jacob  Black  and  Sarah  Wikirk,  natives, 
respectively,  of  Penn.  and  Maryland ;  Jesse  Black  was  born  in 
Huntingdon  Co.,  Penn.,  Feb  .7,  1825;  Mr.  B.  came  to  this  county 
March  13,  1854;  is  now  the  owner  of  440  acres  of  valuable  land 
which  he  has  made  since  he  came  to  this  county.  Mr.  B.  has  repre- 
sented this  township  in  the  Board  of  Supervisors.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  Oct.  20,  1846,  to  Mary  J.  Johns;  their  childrens'  names 
and  births  are  as  follows  —  John  W.,  born  Oct.  28,  1847,  de- 
ceased;  William,  Sept.  11,  1849,  married  Calesta  Miller,  a  native  of 
Mich  ;  Sarah  J.,  Feb.  20,  1852,  married  George  Cockefair  ,who  lives 
in  Deer  Creek  townshi]>  this  county  ;  Henry  T.,  July  10,  '54,  de- 
ceased; Almon  J.,  July  20,  '56;  Francis  M.,  Dec.  11,  '58;  Arthur 
N.,  Aug.  31,  '61 ;  George,  Feb.  20,  '64,  deceased  ;  Charles,  June  28, 
'65;  Edgar,  May  20,  '68;  Jesse  May,  Nov.  5,  '73.  Mr.  B.  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church  since  he  was  twenty  years 
old,  and  Mrs.  B.  ever  since  she  was  fifteen.  The  Blacks  are  of 
German  descent,  they  were  Protestant-Lutheran,  and  left  their 
homes  in  Germany  on  account  of  religious  persecutions  by  the  Cath- 
olics, about  the  year  1679.  The  first  of  the  family  that  came  to 
this  country,  was  named  Jacob.  On  the  voyage  his  wife  and  two 
children  died  and  were  buried  in  the  sea.  Mr.  B.  settled  where 
Philadelpliia  now  stands,  it  was  then  a  small  village.  Mr.  B.  was 
again  married.  Jessie  B.  is  a  lenial  descendent  of  the  Jacob  above 
referred  to.  The  family  were  great  hunters,  they  kept  going  west- 
ward where  game  was  plenty.  Mr.  B.  is  honored  and  respected 
by  all  who  know  him, 

Lewis  II.  Burns  was  born  in  Carroll  county,  Maryland,  March  17, 
1827;  John  Burns,  his  father,  and  his  mother,  Mary  Liester,  were 
natives  of  Maryland  but  of  (Tcrman  descent.  LcAvis  H.  Burns,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  learned  the  miller's  trade  but  follows  farming. 
He  is  the  owner  of  651|  acres  of  land,  that  he  has  accumulated  by 
industry;  when  Mr.  B.  came  to  this  county  in  1854,  he  obtained 
work  at  five  bits  a  day  for  some  five  months,  afterwards  worked  l)y 
the  month  at  §18.00  per  month,  but  before  three  months  rolled 
around  he  bought  60  acres  of  prairie  land  at  $20  per  acre;  in  the 
fall  of  this  year  he  sowed  the  whole  60  acres  in  wheat,  which 
yielded  1600  bushels,  and  for  wdiich  Mr.  B.  received  §1.00  per  bu. 
After  realizing  on  this  crop  Mr.  B.  returned  to  Maryland,  to  get 
him  a  wife,  and  was  married  Feb.   12,  1857,  to  Julia  Hilderbrand, 


622  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

they  are  the  parents  of  Thomas  Jeiferson,  who  was  born  Dec,  17, 
1857,  deceased;  John  J.,  born  Feb.  13,  1860;  Sally  Ann  Elizabeth, 
born  May  13,  '62 ;  Louis  N.,  born  Jan.  16,  '66 ;  George  Z.,  born 
May  18,  '68,  deceased;  William  H.,  born  Oct.  29,  '72;  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Burns  are  members  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church.  P. 
O.,  Green  Valley. 

Abraham  Champion,  deceased,  was  born  in  Huntingdon  county, 
Penn.,  in  1812.  His  parents  were  Thomas  and  Sarah  (Nikirk) 
Champion,  of  Penn.  Abraham  C.  was  married  in  1834  to  Leah 
Barto.  She  died  in  1855.  She  was  the  mother  of  six  children  — 
Alfred  G.,  Wm.,  F.  Marion,  Thos.,  Henry,  Mary  Ellen.  Mr.  C.  was 
married  again  in  1856,  to  Catherine  Hawkins,  of  Virginia,  by 
whom  he  had  three  children  —  Belle,  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  John 
M.  William  and  INIary  (Orr)  Hawkins,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  C, 
came  to  this  county  from  Virginia  with  a  family  of  eight  children, 
four  of  whom  now  reside  in  the  county,  they  are  —  Elizabeth, 
(Hawkins)  Claton,  James  S.,  John  C,  Catherine  (Hawkins)  Cham- 
pion, Margaret  (Hawkins)  Coleman,  who  now  resides  in  Fulton  Co., 
111.,  Mary  (Hawkins)  Wilsev,  who  now^  lives  at  Jackson,  Mo.,  Sarah 
(Hawkins)  Vroom,  who  died  in  1864 ;  William  died  in  1868.  They 
all  raised  families,  and  many  of  their  descendants  reside  in  this 
county.  Mrs.  Abram  Champion,  the  widow,  now  lives  on  section 
34,  Sand  Prairie  township,  and  Belle,  A.  Lincoln,  and  John  M.  are 
living  with  her. 

Russell  W.  Crosby  was  born  in  Summit  county,  Ohio,  in  the  year 
1834.  His  parents  were  Simeon  R.  and  Roxana  (Pitts)  Crosby. 
Russell  W.  Crosby,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  came  to  this  county 
in  1852.  He  received  a  common  school  education;  by  occupation 
is  a  farmef ;  in  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 
Mr.  Crosby  was  united  in  marriage  in  1868,  to  Miss  Emma  C.  Hart, 
a  native  of  Wadsworth,  Medina  county.  She  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church. 

Solomon  Simeon  Darling,  farmer,  sec.  34.  Post-office,  Green 
Valley.  His  parents  were  Solomon  and  Mary  (Hatter)  Darling, 
natives  of  N.  Y.  The  subject  of  this  sketch,  S.  S.  Darling,  is  a 
native  of  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  born  in  1830.  He  was  educated  at 
Lockport  Seminary,  N.  Y.  Mr.  D.  has  always  taken  a  great  inter- 
est in  educational  matters.  Pie  has  been  a  faithful  School  Director 
for  18  years  in  succession,  and  has  done  much  to  advance  educational 
facilities.  Mr.  D.  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sarah  Amanda  Wood- 
row.  He  is  the  father  of  Samuel  W.,  Clarence  S.,  Susan  Adelaide, 
Solomon  Byron,  George  W.,  and  Catharine.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Darling 
united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  1866. 

John  Z.  Evans  was  born  in  Licking  Co.,  Ohio,  in  1837.  His 
parents  were  Thomas  and  Susannah  (Sturman)  Evans.  Mr.  Evans, 
whose  name  is  at  the  head  of  this  sketch,  came  to  this  county  Nov. 
13,  1868.  He  received  a  common  school  education  in  his  native 
State ;  is  a  farmer  by  occupation ;  was  united  in  marriage  to  Chloe 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  623 

E.  Shanholtzer  in  I860.     They  are  the  parents  of  E.  T.,  John  S., 
William  E.,  and  Frank  X.     P.  ().,  Green  Valley. 

Anthony  Fisher  was  born  in  Hohoeus,  Bergen  Co.,  N.  J.,  Jan.  23, 
1830.  His  parents  were  David  and  Kate  (May)  Fisher.  The  ances- 
tors of  the  Fishers  came  to  N.  J.  before  the  Revolutionary  war. 
Anthony  Fisher  first  visited  this  county  in  1850,  but  did  not  locate 
here  permanently  until  18-34.  He  was  united  in  marriage  Nov.  20, 
I806,  to  Miss  Araann  Melinda  Oswald.  Mrs.  F.  was  born  Oct.  13, 
1836.  They  have  been  blessed  with  thirteen  children,  born  as  fol- 
lows :  David  Scott,  born  May,  1857  ;  John  Walter,  July  30,  1858 ; 
Laura  ]Margaret,  born  April  14,  18()0,  died  Sept.  10,  1861  ;  Emma 
Kate,  Oct.  12,  1861;  Ella  Frances,  April  29,  1863,  died  Oct.  8, 
1864;  Anna  Belle,  Jan.  13,  1865;  Malinda  Rachel,  Jan.  30,  1867; 
Charles  Mav,  Nov.  22,  1868;  Sarah  Elizabeth,  Jan.  9,  1871 ;  Lewis 
Elmer,  Nov.  7,  1872;  Frank  F.,  Sept.  17,  1874;  Minnie  Maud, 
Feb.  17,  1876 ;  Mary  Alice,  July  31,  1878.  Besides  Mr.  F.'s  farm- 
ing interest,  he  has  one-half  interest  in  the  Valley  Mill,  situated  on 
the  Mackinaw,  sec.  15.  It  runs  by  water-power,  has  two  run  of 
stones,  one  for  wheat,  the  other  for  corn.     P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

Jonathan  Frazee,  son  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  (Ogden)  Frazee,  was 
born  in  Summersett  Co.,  New  Jersey,  in  1812.  He  learned  the 
blacksmith's  trade,  but  follows  farming  on  sec.  35.  He  came  to  this 
county  28  years  ago.  Hr.  F.  was  united  in  marriage  May  3,  1834, 
to  Miss  Caroline  Bilyieu,  a  dauo;hter  of  William  Bilvieu,  who  was 
a  native  of  N.  J.  Mr.  B.  is  of  French  extraction,  and  a  descend- 
ant of  the  French  Huguenots.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frazee  have  four 
children — Mary;  Thomas  J.,  born  June  2,  1840;  Almeda;  Cor- 
nelius, born  April  21,  1840.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Church.     P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

John  Heiselwa.^  born  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  His  parents 
were  John  and  Elizabeth  (Karg)  Heisel,  both  of  whom  died  in  Ger- 
many. John  Heisel,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  came  to  iWner- 
ica  in  1841,  and  located  in  this  county,  where  he  has  accumulated  a 
large  property.  He  owns  500  acres  of  choice  land,  which  he  rents, 
he  having  retired  from  active  business.  Mr.  H.  united  in  marriage 
in  1842,  to  Margaret  Schwrim,  daughter  of  George  and  Eva  (Mar- 
quardt)  Schwrim.  ]Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heisel  are  the  parents  of  John, 
boru  Aug.  4,  1847,  married  Catharine  Woner,  in  1871  ;  Leonard, 
born  July  29,  1854  ;  Mary,  July  27,  1845,  the  wife  of  Michael  Horn, 
married  in  1871 ;  Eva,  Nov.  13,  1849,  married  Jacob  Shmetle,  in 
1872,  and  resides  in  Greene  Co.,  Iowa;  Catharine,  March  4,  1852, 
the  wife  of  Michael  Hilt,  married  in  1871 ;  Louisa,  Feb.  22,  1857, 
married  to  Henry  Urich  in  1878.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heisel  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Lutheran  Church.     P.  O.,  Pekiu. 

John  Heisel,  Jr.,  son  of  John  Heisel,  Sr.,  and  Margaret  Schwrim, 
his  wife,  natives  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  who  came  to  this 
county  about  the  year  1843.  John  Heisel,  Jr.,  was  born  in  this 
township  in  1847.     He  received  a  common  school  education.     He 


624  HISTORY    OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

follows  the  pursuit  of  farming,  and  resides  on  sec.  26.  Post-office, 
Green  Valley.  Mr.  H.  was  united  in  marriage  March  10,  1870,  to 
Catharine  Woner.  They  have  been  blessed  with  three  children — 
Emma,  born  Feb.  22,  1872;  Clara,  born  Oct.  18,  1876;  Leonard 
Louis,  born  Dec.  22,  1870.  Mr.  H.  and  his  wife  are  members  of 
the  Lutheran  Church. 

Frederick  Lutz,  was  born  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  in  1850. 
His  parents  were  Frederick  and  Margaret  (Bigler)  Lutz.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  was  brought  to  this  county  while  an  infant  but 
two  years  old.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  this 
county  ;  is  a  fiirmcr  by  occupation  ;  was  united  in  marriage  to  Eliza- 
beth Heisel  in  1874.  They  are  the  parents  of  George  N.,  born  Jan. 
13,  1875;  Emma  E.,  born  Feb.  15,  1877;  Philip  H.,  born  Nov.  4, 
1878.     Mr.    and   Mrs.  Lutz   are   both    members  of  the    Lutheran 

Church. 

William  Magee  is  a  native  of  Westminister,  Maryland,  Avhere  he 
was  born  in  Feb.  1825.  Aquillia  and  Mary  (Blizzard)  Magee  were 
his  parents.  They  were  natives  of  Maryland.  William  Magee's 
ancestors  on  both  sides  were  of  Scotch  decent.  His  great  great 
grandparents  came  from  Scotland  at  a  very  early  day,  and  took  part 
in  the  early  struggle  of  the  colonist,  and  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 
Mr.  M.  was  married  in  March  1855,  to  Mary  Jane  Burns,  a  native 
of  Maryland.  Her  ancestors  on  her  mother's  side  were  of  German 
descent.  Mr.  M.  adopted  a  daughter,  who  married  Richard  Correll 
and  now  resides  in  this  township.  Mr.  Magee  acts  with  the  Repub- 
lican party  in  politics.  He  has  been  a  profess(?i'  of  religion  for 
some  23  years,  and  is  connected  with  the  Methodist  Church.  P. 
O.,  Green  Valley 

Joseph  Warren  Martin  was  born  in  Geneva,  Fayette  Co.,  Penn., 
in  1835.  His  father,  Tazewell  Presley  Martin,  was  born  in  Monon- 
gahela  Co.,  Va.,  and  is  now  living  in  Lloydville,  O.,  78  years  old. 
He  has  always  voted  the  Democratic  ticket  except  once  and  then 
under  protest  he  voted  for  Horace  Greeley.  His  wife,  Ann  Dixon 
Bailey,  was  a  native  of  Geneva,  Penn.  The  ancestors  of  Mr.  M. 
served  in  the  Revolution  army  and  also  suffered  depredations  from 
the  Indians.  Several  members  of  the  family  were  massacred  by  the 
Indians  in  an  early  day  in  Virginia.  The  Martins  are  of  English 
descent.  Joseph  W.  Martin  was  educated  at  the  graded  schools  of 
Ohio  and  Carmichael  Academy,  Greene  Co.,  Ohio.  Mr.  M.  was 
married  to  Carnelia  Woodrow,  Oct.  13,  1868.  She  is  a  native  of 
this  countv.  She  is  a  daughter  of  William  Woodrow,  Jr.,  and 
Ellen  Kellogg.  Mr.  Woodrow  died  March  3, 1860,  and  Mrs.  Ellen 
W.  died  April  25,  1858.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  are  the  parents  of 
Fannie  D.,  born  Jan.  30,  1870;  Thompkins  P.,  July  31,  1871; 
William  W.,  Feb.  3,  1874;  P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

Charles  E.  Mcintosh  is  a  son  of  Charles  Mcintosh,  a  native  of 
Ky.  and  Elizabeth  Adams,  his  wife,  a  native  of  111.  Charles  R.  is 
a  native  of  Weakly  Co.,  Teun.,  where  he  was  born  Jan.  8,  1836. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  625 

He  located  in  this  county  in  1861 ;  by  occupation  is  a  farmer,  and 
in  politics  a  Democrat.  He  has  represented  the  sixth  ward  of 
Pekin  in  the  City  Council.  He  was  united  in  marriage  April  1, 
1857,  to  Miss  Lucinda  Glover,  a  native  of  this  county.  They  have 
one  son  —  James  E.,  who  was  born  Nov.  18,  1858. 

John  Mcifers,  farmer,  sec.  36  ;  P.  O.,  Green  Valley ;  is  a  son  of 
A.  Louis  Meyers  and  Fannie  Hafliger,  his  wife,  they  are  of  Swiss 
and  German  descendants.  John  Meyers,  whose  name  is  at  the  head 
of  this  sketch,  is  a  native  of  Sand  Prairie  township,  Tazewell  county, 
111.,  where  he  was  born  Aug.  26,  1838.  Mr.  Meyers  was  educated 
in  the  schools  of  this  county ;  has  filled  the  offices  of  Collector, 
Supervisor,  and  other  local  offices  with  satisfaction  to  all  those  who 
were  interested.  On  Feb.  26,  1863,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mary  Hafliger,  of  Dillon  township,  a  daughter  of  John  Hafliger,  a 
native  of  Switzerland,  whose  wife  was  Catherine  Rhink,  a  native  of 
Germany,  They  settled  in  Dillon  township  about  40  years  ago. 
Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Meyers  are  the  parents  of — Joseph  A.,  born  Oct.  30, 
1865;  Franklin  E.,  born  Oct.  21,  1867;  Catherine  Mabel,  born 
Dec.  26,  '69. 

Thomas  C.  3Iurphn,  31.  D.,  was  born  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  1844. 
His  parents  were  John  and  Margaret  (Hayes)  Mur[)hy,  natives  of 
Limerick,  Ireland.  Dr.  M.  came  to  this  county  Jan.  29,  1856.  He 
attended  the  schools  of  his  native  State,  and  also  of  this  State ;  the 
Doctor  received  his  medical  education  at  Rush  Medical  College, 
Chicago,  111.,  where  he  graduated  Feb.  5,  1868;  is  now  located  at 
Green  Valley.  When  treason  stalked  abroad  in  this  land ;  when 
this  mighty  nation  of  ours  was  reeling  and  rocking  to  and  fro  like 
a  distressed  vessel  upon  the  stormy  seas,  Thomas  C.  Murphy  was 
one  of  the  band  of  j^atriots  in  this  land  who  defied  treason  and  fliced 
the  war  made  against  the  nation;  willing  to  risk  his  life  and  his  all 
for  its  presevation.  He  enlisted  Aug.  6,  1861,  in  Co.  I,  31st  regt. 
111.  vol.  In  April,  1862,  was  promoted  to  Sergeant,  in  which  posi- 
tion he  served  until  mustered  out,  Sept.  18,  1864.  Dr.  M.  partici- 
pated in  the  battles  of  Belmont,  Mo,,  where  he  received  a  wound  in 
the  leg,  Fort  Henry,  Tenn.,  Fort  Donelson,  and  all  the  skirmishes 
from  Pittsburg  Landing  to  the  capture  of  Corinth,  Miss. ;  took  part 
in  the  second  battle  of  Corinth,  and  the  battles  while  marching  to 
the  south  and  rear  of  Vicksburg,  receiving  two  wounds,  one  in  the 
neck  from  a  pistol  ball,  and  in  the  back  by  a  piece  of  shell,  Avhich 
so  disabled  him  he  was  sent  home  on  furlough.  April  18,  1864,  the 
regiment  joined  Sherman's  army  at  Clinton,  Tenn.,  and  was  actively 
engaged  in  the  battles  and  skirmishes  as  far  as  Atlanta,  on  Sher- 
man's famous  march  to  the  sea,  where  the  Doctor  was  mustered  out 
on  account  of  exj)i ration  of  term  of  service.  Dr.  M.  was  married 
Feb.  2,  1871,  to  Virginia  M.  Plackett,  a  native  of  New  Jersey. 
They  are  the  parents  of  Edward  Powell,  born  June  9,  1874,  and 
Ettie  I.,  born  Dec,  26,  1876. 

John  Benjamin  Oswald,  is  a  native  of  Washington  county,  Md. 


626  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

His  parents,  Jolin  and  Margaret  (Stephy)  Oswald,  were  natives  of 
Maryland,  and  same  county  in  which  John  Benjamin  Oswald  first 
saw  light,  Sept,  26,  1840.  John  B.  was  educated  in  the  schools  of 
his  native  State,  and  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  educational 
matters,  has  held  the  office  of  School  Director  for  some  eight  years. 
Mr.  O.  was  united  in  marriage  in  1861,  to  Caroline  Keefer,  of 
Pekin,  Tazewell  county.  Their  children  are  —  Emma  K.,  born 
July  5,  1861;  Harvey  L.,  April  8,  1864;  Benjamin  F.,  March  31, 
1874;  Alva  Edwin  and  Alvin  Edgar,  twins,  born  Jan.  22,  1877; 
and  an  infant  son,  born  Feb.  9,  1879.  Mr.  O.'s  post-office  is  Green 
Valley. 

Enoch  Runyon  is  a  native  of  Plainfield,  Essex  county,  N.  J., 
where  he  was  born  in  1824.  His  parents  were  Benjamin  and  Joan 
B.  (Hariott)  Runyon.  The  Runyons,  Hariotts,  and  Blackfords 
were  very  early  settlers  of  New  Jersey,  dating  back  from  the  Revo- 
lution. Enoch  R.,  the  sul^ject  of  this  sketch,  received  a  liberal 
education  in  his  native  State.  He  came  to  this  county  May  10, 
1853.  He  follows  the  occupation  of  a  farmer,  but  formerly  worked 
at  the  hatter's  trade,  in  New  Jersey.  He  resides  on  sec.  33 ;  owns 
180  acres  of  laud ;  post-office.  Green  Valley.  Has  been  a  consist- 
ent member  of  the  Baptist  Church  for  the  past  thirty-six  years ;  has 
been  Assessor  and  School  Director;  was  married  in  December, 
1845,  to  Margaret  D.  Shortwell,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Dorcas 
(Drake)  Shortwell,  who  were  descendants  of  very  early  settlers  of 
New  Jersey.  Enoch  Runyon,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  the 
father  of  twelve  children — Alfred  H.,  Benjamin  N.,  Sarah  Z.,  Jacob 
S.,  Jaso,  Julia  E.,  Howard,  Andrew  S.,  Walter,  Arabella,  Jeanna, 
Ralph  S.     Mrs.  Runyon  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

John  Sehafer,  farmer,  sec.  9 ;  is  the  ow^ner  of  (500  acres  of  valua- 
ble land.  .  Mr.  Sehafer  is  a  native  of  Germany,  where  he  was  born 
in  1818.  His  parents  were  Philip  and  Margaret  Sehafer.  John, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  received  a  common  school  education  in 
his  native  country,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1840.  Has  been 
Supervisor  for  this  township  for  two  years ;  is  a  Democrat  in  poli- 
tics; was  married  to  Elizabeth  Carroll,  in  1843.  They  are  the 
parents  of — Anton,  born  Feb.  4,  1844,  he  married  Margaret  Lutz; 
Philip,  born  Nov.  26,  1848,  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Lutz;  John, 
Jan.  13,  1854,  (deceased),  John,  born  March  12,  1855,  married 
Mary  Hafleger;  Elizabeth,  March  17,  1842,  married  to  Philip 
Weyhrich ;  Margaret,  Aug.  14,  1876,  (deceased) ;  Eve,  Aug.  13, 
1851,  married  Peter  Weyhrich;  Margareta,  Oct.  21,  1857,  married 
U.  Lutz:  Elizabeth,  Jan.  29,  1861.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sehafer  are 
members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.     P.  O.,  Pekin. 

Jonathan  Schureman  was  born  in  Essex  Co.,  New  Jersey,  March 
13,  1816.  His  parents  were  John  and  Jane  (Totten)  Schureman, 
natives  of  N.  J.  Mr.  S.  received  a  common  school  education.  He 
is  a  farmer,  and  the  owner  of  500  acres  of  choice  land.  He  was 
formerly  a  carpenter  and  builder.      Mr.   S.   was  married  to  Miss 


HISTORY   OP   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  627 

Kcziali  Lawler  in  1837.  They  are  the  parents  of  Rachel,  who  was 
born  in  Oct.,  1839;  Mariette  was  born  Feb.  7,1841;  Israel  was 
born  Dec.  27,  1843;  Elizabeth  was  born  May  4, 1855.  Mr.  Schure- 
man  first  started  from  New  Jersey  in  Oct.,  1849,  on  a  prospecting 
tour,  for  the  purpose  of  finding  a  place  to  locate  permanently ;  going 
through  New  York  State,  Canada,  IVIichigan  and  Wisconsin.  Trav- 
eling by  canal,  stage,  and  where  there  was  no  public  conveyances, 
traveling  on  foot.  He  passed  down  into  Illinois  as  far  as  Jacksonville, 
where  he  concluded  to  stop,  on  account  of  meeting  a  Mr.  Goltry, 
who  was  general  superintendent  of  carjwnter  and  mason  work  on 
the  Insane  Asylum,  which  was  then  being  built,  and  although  Mr. 
S.  proposed  locating  lands  for  the  purpose  of  farming,  as  he  was 
offered  the  superintending  of  the  mason  work  on  the  Asylum,  he 
concluded  to  accept,  and  returned  immediately  to  N.  J.  to  secure 
other  masons.  Mr.  S.  returned  to  Jacksonville  with  his  help  about 
March  24 ;  and,  as  soon  as  he  got  his  men  fairly  at  M'ork,  he  came  to 
this  county  and  bought  320  acres  of  land,  but  afterwards  sold  this 
tract,  and  in  1855  he  bought  800  acres  of  raw  prairie  land  in  sees. 
19  and  20,  Dillon  township,  at  |25  per  acre.  Mr.  S.  has  sold  all 
his  farms,  and  lives  at  a  very  pleasant  residence  in  Green  Valley. 

Samuel  Schureman,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  35 ;  P.  O.,  Green 
Valley ;  was  born  in  Essex  Co.,  N.  J.,  March  1,  1818.  His  parents 
were  John  and  Jane  Schureman,  natives  of  N.  J.  Mr.  S.  received 
a  common  school  education  in  his  native  State,  and  was  united  in 
marriage  May  15,  1845,  to  Cornelia  H.  Dickinson,  a  daughter  of 
Philomen  and  Cornelia  (Howel)  Dickinson,  of  Essex  Co.,  N.  J. 
Mrs.  Schureman  died  Oct.  27,  1858.  She  was  the  mother  of  five 
chihlren  — Mary  E.,  born  Feb.  1,  184G;  Alice,  born  Jan.  28,  1848; 
John  \y.,  born  Jan.  3,  1851,  Avho  died  while  an  inflint  of  one  year; 
William  H.,  born  Sept.  11,  1863;  Charles  E.,  born  Oct.  25,  ISod. 
Mrs.  S.  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  the  time  of 
her  death.  Mr.  S.  was  again  married  March  30,  1865,  to  Deborah 
Osborn,  daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  (dark)  Osborn,  of  N.  J. 
With  a  stout  heart  and  a  determined  will  Mr.  S.  has  made  life  a 
success. 

Thomas  Schureman  was  born  in  Essex  Co.,  N.  J.,  June  16,  1823. 
His  parents  were  Samuel  and  Sally  (Scuddcr)  Schureman,  natives  of 
the  same  place.  Mr.  S.  was  educated  at  New  Providence  Academy, 
N.J.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1852.  He  is  retired,  and  lives 
in  Green  Valley.     He  has  held  several  local  offices.     Mr.  S.  was 


Ellworth,  Frederick  W.,  Estella  Mav.     Mrs.  S.  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church. 

Christopher  Stoehr  was  born  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  in 
1828.  His  parents  were  Nicholas  and  Elizabeth  Stoehr.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  this  county  in  1850.     He  follows  the 


628  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

occupation  of  farming ;  is  the  owner  of  260  acres  of  land ;  resides 
on  section  6  ;  P.  O,,  Green  Valley.  He  was  married  in  1851,  to 
Elizabeth  Ekrhart,  a  native  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Ger.,  where  she 
was  born  May  6,  1831 ;  they  have  been  the  parents  of  fifteen  chil- 
dren, of  Avhom  eight  are  living,  as  follows  —  George,  born  Oct.  28, 
1852;  Philip,  Sept.  30,  1854;  Conradt,  Oct.  25,"' 1863;  Margaret, 
Feb.  5, '65  ;  Alice,  March  1,  '70  ;  Catherine,  March  31,  '72  ;  Louisa, 
July  11,  '74;  Ada,  June  11,  '77,  and  the  following  chiklren  are 
dead  —  Martin  died  at  the  age  of  live  years;  Philip,  one  year; 
Mary,  six  years ;  Elizabeth,  age  four  years ;  Lena,  age  three  years, 
and  two  infants  not  named. 

Peter  Urish,  farmer,  sec.  24 ;  post-office.  Green  Valley ;  is  a 
native  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  where  he  was  born  in  1824. 
He  emigrated  to  this  country  in  1831,  and  settled  with  his  parents 
on  section  24,  this  township.  His  parents  were  George  and  Eve 
(Wyhrick)  Urish.  Peter  Urish  was  united  in  marriage  in  1846,  to 
Margaret  Vogel,  a  daughter  of  Frederick  and  C'harlotta  (Beck) 
Vogel,  who  were  natives  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany.  They 
emigrated  to  this  country  and  located  at  Smithtown,  Maryland,  in 
1833,  and  moved  to  this  county  in  1846,  bringing  Mrs.  Urish  with 
them.  She  was  born  in  Germany  in  1828.  The  fruits  of  her  mar- 
riage with  Mr.  Urish  are  —  *Henry,  born  Nov.  10,  1847;  '^'Mary, 
born  Jan.  29, '49 ;  Eva,  born  Dec.  10, '53;  Elizabeth,  born  May 
30,  '56 ;  *Mary  Ann,  born  Feb.  4,  '58 ;  John,  born  Feb.  24,  '60 ; 
*George,  born  March  18,  '62;  Jacob,  March  15,  '63;  Nicholas, 
April  20,  '65;  Peter,  Nov.  11,  '67;  Adam,  Dec.  13,  '69;  Amelia, 
April  17,  '73.  Those  marked  *  not  living.  Mrs.  Urish  has  been 
a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church  ever  since  she  was  14  years  old. 

Nicholas  Yolk,  farmer,  sec.  9 ;  P.  O.,  Pekin.  Was  born  in  Ger- 
many, July  22,  1818.  He  came  to  this  county  37  years  ago.  His 
parents  were  John  and  Mary  (Schwin)  Volk.  Nicholas  Volk  served 
in  the  German  army.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Margaret 
Ulrich,  in  1846.  She  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1826.  They  are 
the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  who  were  born  as  follows  —  Peter, 
born  in  1847,  Mary,  1849,  Elizabeth,  1851,  Jacob,  1853,  Eva,  1855, 
Caroline,  1857,  Balz,  1859  Lizzie,  1861,  Margaret,  1863,  Nicholas, 
1865,  John,  1867,  George,  1869,  Philip,  1871. 

James  M.  Watkins,  31.  D.,  Green  Valley.  Is  a  son  of  William 
M.  and  Mary  Patterson,  his  wife,  natives  of  Rockbridge  Co.,  Vir- 
ginia, near  the  Natural  Bridge.  The  Watkins  are  of  Scotch- 
Irish  Welch  descent.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Montezuma,  Parke  Co.,  Ind.,  in  1830.  He  attended  the 
schools  of  Terre  Haute,  in  his  native  State.  He  attended  one 
course  of  lectures  at  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia,  Penn., 
and  two  courses  at  Rush  Medical  College  at  Chicago,  where  he 
graduated  in  Jan.,  1864.  Was  united  in  marriage  in  1862,  to  Sarah 
B.  Megaw,  a  native  of  Ind.,  this  union  has  been  blessed  with  four 
children  —  Sarah  F.,  born  in  Dec.  1858;  Samuel  M.,  born  in  May 


^^' 


%^ .'.. 


^■m^4 


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''^'^^^UUS  L.GOVO^^' 


^/ZAB.GOVO^^' 


Spring  Lake  Township. 


HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL  COUNTY.  629 

1863;  Anna  E.,  born  March   23,  1865;  James  Edmund,  born   in 
April,  1867.     Mrs.  \V.  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Chureh. 

ThoHKVi  Hdriford  Wilcman,  physician,  Green  Valley.  Dr.  W. 
was  born  in  Stark  county,  Ohio,  in  1829.  His  parents  were  Jesse 
and  Lydia  (Gregg)  Wileman.  Dr.  AV.  received  his  literary  educa- 
tion in  Fulton  county,  and  Knox  College,  Knox  county,  and  his 
medical  education  in  the  Allopathic,  Homeopathic,  and  Eclectic 
schools,  and  practices  as  a  regular  physician  of  these  schools  of 
medicine ;  has  practiced  medicine  for  nineteen  years ;  having  com- 
menced his  medical  studies  in  1857,  at  Vermont,  Fulton  county. 
The  Doctor's  medical  studies  did  not  cease  with  lectures  that  he 
attended,  or  at  the  commencement  of  his  practice,  but  he  has  always 
been  a  close  student;  during  these  nineteen  years  of  jiractice  he  has 
always  taken  the  leading  medical  journals  of  this  country,  keeping 
apace  with  the  knowledge  gained  by  experience  from  all  parts  of  the 
country.  Dr.  W.  enlisted  Feb.  8,  1865,  in  147th  regt.  111.  vol.,  and 
was  appointed  assistant  surgeon,  and  served  in  that  capacity  during 
the  time  of  service,  which  was  one  year.  Dr.  W.  came  to  this 
county  in  April,  1866;  was  united  in  marriage  April  11,  1871,  to 
Lizzie*  D.  Field,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  Their  union  has  been 
blessed  with  two  daughters  —  Mabel,  born  May  25,  1873;  and 
Bessie,  born  July  29,  1877.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  A¥ileman  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  Church. 

*S'.  M.  Wood  row,  Sr.,  was  born  in  Cincinnati  township,  Tazewell 
county,  111.,  in  the  year  1840.  His  parents  were  Samuel  and  Cath- 
arine (Montague)  Woodrow,  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  New 
Jersey,  res})ectively.  S.  M.  Woodrow  is  a  farmer,  on  sec.  25 ;  P. 
O.,  Green  Valley.  Mr.  Woodrow  is  a  Republican  in  ])olitics.  Pie 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Anna  Hill,  Aug.  21,  1862.  They 
have  been  blessed  with  five  children  —  Katie  A.,  born  Sej)t.  30,  '63; 
Edna  May,  born  Jan.  15,  '65;  Louis  C,  born  July  27,  '(yS;  Bennie 
E.,  born  March  23,  '72;  Richard  S.,  born  Sept.  18,  '76. 

Jo.scpli  Woodruff  is  a  native  of  Fabius,  Onondago  county.  New 
York,  where  he  was  born  in  1824.  He  is  a  son  of  Joseph  and 
Lavina  (Blanchard)  Woodruff.  The  Woodruff's  are  of  English 
descent.  Three  brothers  came  to  this  country,  one  settled  in  Con- 
necticut, which  was  the  great  grandparent  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch ;  another  settled  in  the  State  of  Rhode  Island,  and  the  other 
in  South  Carolina ;  they  took  i)art  in  the  struggle  for  independence 
in  the  Revolutionary  AVar.  Gurdin  W.  emigrated  to  New  York 
when  it  was  a  wilderness,  his  son,  Joseph,  the  father  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  died  at  his  son's  residence  in  Sand  Prairie  townshij), 
in  1862,  at  the  age  of  72,  having  ex})erienced  pioneer  life  in  three 
States.  Mr.  W.'s  first  wife  was  Adeline  S.  Davis,  of  New  York. 
She  is  deceased.  His  present  wife  is  Anna  Eliza  Codding,  of  Sum-  , 
mit  county,  Ohio.  Mr.  W.  is  the  father  of — Emma  J.,  born  Feb. 
5,  '50;  Esther  L.,  Dec.  14,  '54,  died  Oct.  1,  '63;  George  D.,  Nov. 
9,  '59 ;  Adeline  A.,  Oct.  4,  '63 ;  Nettie  M.,  Feb.  21,  '65 ;  Gurdin 
38 


630  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

A.,  Jan.  18, '67;  Byron  M.,  Jan.   28/70;  Alta  O.,  Feb.  13, '74. 
P.  O.,  Green  Valley. 

SUPERVISORS. 

W.J.Thompson 1850  John  Schaffer 1868-69 

Lewis  Prettvman 1851-55      Moses  R.  Meeker 1870-72 

James  Hanison 1856-61      James  H.  Kilpatrick 1873-74 

James  Hampson 1863-64      Jesse  Black 1875-77 

Henry  A.  Sweet 1865  John  Meyers 1878-79 

Jonathan  Totten 1866-67 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

William  Dickson 1854-60  Samuel  Renner 1869-71 

William  Woodruff 1861  Baltz  P.  Melick 1872-77 

James  Hampson,  Jr 1863-64  Samuel  Ornofield 1878 

John  C.  Edwards 1865-68  Samuel  Bradfield 1879 

ASSESSORS. 

William  Woodrow,  Jr 1854  William  Edwards 1864-68 

David  W.  Ayres 1855  Jesse  Black 1869 

William  Edwards 1856  J.  W.  Burhans 1870-72 

Alex.  McCrea 1857-58  Henry  A.  Sweet. 1873 

William  Edwards 1859  Anthony  Fisher 1874-75 

James  Kilpatrick 1860-61  Enoch  Runvon 1876-78 

Moses  R.  Meeker 1863  P.  E.  Ripper 1879 

COLLECTORS. 

David  G.  Williams 1854  Hubbard  Latham 1869 

James  Hampson 1855  Samuel  Renner 1870 

David  G.  Williams 1856  H.  Latham 1871 

Lewis  Shelton 1857  Samuel  Renner 1872 

Abraham  Champion 1858  John  Meyers 1873 

Benj.  Priddy 1859-60  Hubbard  Latham 1874 

Thomas  S.  McKasson 1861  I.  N.  Munson 1875 

James  H.  Killpatrick 1863-64  S.  M.  Woodrow 1876 

Thomas  Schureman 1865-66  Peter  Ripper 1877-78 

Lewis  H.Burns 1867  David  F.  Lawler 1879 

William  Woodruff. 1868 


SPRING  LAKE  TOWNSHIP. 

The  soil  of  this  township  is  not  unlike  that  of  Cincinnati,  and 
the  history  of  its  early  settlement  is  similar.  Joseph  Otfutt  erected 
a  cabin  on  the  border  of  Spring  lake  in  1839,  and  moved  in  the 
following  year.  The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1849,  on  sec. 
11,  range  7,  23  north.  Mr.  Offutt  was  to  the  expense  of  getting 
the  shingles  and  lumber  for  this  house.  The  neighbors  joined  in 
and  hauled  the  logs  for  this  building.  Daniel  Hawkins  was  the 
first  to  wield  the  rod  in  this  school-house,  the  same  year.  The 
children  of  all  the  settlers  attended.  The  first  sermon  preached  in 
the  township  was  by  a  Mormon  by  the  name  of  Woods.  This 
meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  a  man  named  Grover.     Quite  a 


MRS    HAR;«I£T   woods  ABRAHAM   WOODS 

SPRING  LAHE    TOWNSHIP 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  633 

number  of  the  neighbors  went  to  hear  him,  not  knowing  that  he 
was  a  Mormon,  and  they  were  prejudiced  against  that  people.  Two 
weeks  thereafter  he  preached  by  appointment  again,  but  no  one  went 
to  hear  him.  This  finished  his  ministration  here.  Louis  White 
tells,  that  when  he  settled  here,  he  had  but  few  neighbors,  and  no 
church  nearer  than  Long  Pine  Church,  but  he  had  preaching  in  his 
house  occasionally,  both  in  English  and  German.  The  nearest  mill 
was  seventeen  miles  away ;  they  would  start  in  the  early  morning 
with  a  load  of  corn  and  wheat,  and  get  back  the  next  morning. 
The  first  school  in  his  neighborhood  was  held  at  what  is  now  No.  4. 
The  first  teacher's  name  was  Hoagland.  This  house  was  used  for 
school,  Suuday-school,  preaching,  town-meetings,  and  elections. 
The  first  regular  Methodist  meeting  was  began  in  this  house,  the 
preacher  being  Rev.  Joseph  Hart. 

The  first  church  organized  was  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  in 
1856.  The  first  death  was  that  of  John  Owen  Offutt,  Oct.  10, 
1841.  The  first  marriage  was  that  of  Chas.  Seiwell  to  Deborah 
Claton,  in  1842.  Among  the  earliest  settlers  in  the  township  were 
Valentine  Haas,  Chas.  Seiwell,  Maxon  Claton,  James  Flemings, 
Daniel  Devore,  and  the  McLeashes  and  Hibbards.  Mr.  Christian 
Hermann  bought  a  land  warrant  of  an  old  veteran  of  the  Mexican 
war,  named  John  H.  Banker,  and  settled  on  the  land  in  1851.  It 
is  the  farm  David  W.  Hermann  now  lives  on.  He  tells  us  that 
this  part  of  the  county,  to  a  great  extent,  was  used  as  a  public  range 
for  stock  for  many  years  after  the  first  settlement  of  the  county. 
The  soil  was  then  regarded  as  not  desirable  on  account  of  its  sandy 
nature,  consequently,  it  was  not  settled  as  rapidly  as  some  other 
portions  of  the  county.  There  were  other  drawbacks  besides  the 
soil.  There  was  no  bridge  across  the  Mackinaw,  and  the  settlers 
had  to  depend  upon  the  slow-going  ferry  of  John  Bequeaith,  and 
when  the  water  was  high,  it  was .  impossible  to  cross  even  on  this. 
But  as  the  people  learned  of  the  productiveness  of  the  soil,  it  was 
rapidly  settled.  A  good  iron  bridge  has  taken  the  place  of  the 
ferry.  He  also  tells  us  that  game  was  plentiful  here.  He  has  seen, 
within  rifle-shot  of  where  he  now  lives,  twenty-five  deer  in  one 
drove.  Prairie  wolves  were  numerous,  and  timber  wolves  were 
often  seen.  These  would  destroy  pigs,  calves,  sheep,  and  other 
domestic  animals. 

A  terrible  tornado  passed  through  the  township  in  1859,  carrying 
destruction  in  its  path.     It  destroyed  Mr.  Hermann's  fine  orchard 


634  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

of  150  trees,  leaving  but  one  standing.  It  destroyed  corn-bins, 
barns,  out-houses,  carried  off  wagons,  etc.  It  carried  oiF  a  spring 
wagon  which  was  never  heard  of  afterwards ;  destroyed  fowls,  many 
of  which,  when  found,  had  no  feathers  on  them  at  all,  and  were  as 
clean  as  though  they  had  been  picked.  Mr.  Christian  Hermann  re- 
ceived an  injury  from  a  flying  timber,  from  the  eifects  of  which  he 
never  fully  recovered.  He  was  a  large,  portly  man  and  healthy, 
and  during  the  prevalence  of  the  cholera  at  Pekin,  he  took  upon 
himself  the  care  of  many  a  poor  suiferer  of  that  dreaded  disease. 
He  was  fearless,  and  although  constantly  with  it,  did  not  catch  it 
himself. 

TERRIBLE    TORNADO. 

The  following  account  of  the  disastrous  storm  of  May  26,  1859, 
as  referred  to  above,  is  gleaned  from  a  letter  of  Dr.  C.  C.  Hodgland, 
of  Spring  Lake,  to  the  Tazewell  Register: 

"We  had  a  refreshing  shower  during  the  night  of  the  26th,  and  the  early 
morning  wrapped  the  hills  in  dense  fog.  About  9  o'clock  rain  began  to  fall 
which  continueil  at  intervals  till  mid-day.  About  4  o'clock  our  attention  was 
attracted  to  a  very  dark  and  heavy  cloud  which  arose  out  of  the  southwest, 
and  soon  began  to  show  the  shape  and  indications  of  a  waterspout — from  the 
dark  cloud  above  the  eart  spiral  tubes  of  vapor,  varying  and  shifting  in  a 
circle,  accompanied  with  vivid  streaks  of  lightning  ami  heavy  thunder  in  the 
distance.  Soon  the  cloud  advanced  rapidly  with  a  gyrating  motion,  appearing 
very  grand  and  awful,  but  filling  our  minds  with  apprehension  as  it  ap- 
proached with  the  rapiclity  of  the  wind.  Rev.  Mr.  Brumstead's  house  is  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  mine  and  it  was  doubtful  whether  the  cloud  was  pass- 
ing east  of  his  house  or  over  it ;  but  all  doubt  was  dissipated  in  a  moment 
more  as  the  tornado  struck  his  barn  and  smashed  it  in  a  moment,  scattering 
the  timbers  and  enclosures,  and  carrying  them  to  great  height  in  the  air,  whirl- 
ing and  tossing  them  as  if  they  were  feathers.  A  young  man  in  the  barn  hear- 
ing the  roaring  ran  out  and  was  overturned  at  once,  and  rolled  over  and  over 
thirty  or  forty  yards  before  he  could  regain  his  feet.  The  farm  wagon  was 
taken  next  and  dei)0sited,  the  fore  wheels  with  the  tongue,  three  hundred 
yards  from  where  it  stood,  while  the  hind  wheels  were  carried  one  hundred 
yards  further.  Then  a  small  granary  was  crushed  like  an  egg  shell ;  a  two- 
rowed  corn  planter  was  hurled  fifty  yards  over  the  ruins  of  the  granary  and 
deposited  against  a  shed  in  the  yard  which  next  shared  the  fate  of  the  granary, 
anil  the  well-curb  was  lifted  from  its  place  and  hurled  against  the  house  and 
broken  in  pieces.  The  kitchen  was  next  in  order,  and  instantly  unroofed,  the 
shingles  flying  in  every  direction  and  the  fragments  covering  the  i)rairie  for 
hundreds  of  yards  with  cloth  and  household  fui'niture.  Trees  were  twisted 
down  and  flower  gardens  and  shrubs  made  a  desolation.  The  fence  was  broken 
thoroughly  and  then  across  the  prairie  the  tornado  marked  its  path  with  the 
ruins  of  fences  and  buildings.  George  B.  VanNortwick's  buildings  were  next 
in  range.  Here  fences,  outhouses,  well-curb,  boxes,  barrels,  stove  furnitui-e 
and  clothing  were  at  once  flying  in  very  direction.  The  house-door  was  burst 
open,  window  panes  and  sash  smashed  in,  and  the  south  lialf  of  the  roof  torn 
bodily  from  its  place  and  sent  flying  over  the  prairie.  Mr.  Hermann's  fence 
was  extensively  torn  up,  an  out-building  demolished,  and  the  house  moved 
from  its  foundation  several  inches. 

"It  is  wonderful  that  no  lives  were  lost.  The  minister's  four  horses  were 
in  the  barn,  and  were  covered  with  the  ruins,  but  Avere  taken  out  uninjured. 
In  his  house  he  was  struck  by  a  falling  rafter,  but  only  slightly  bruised.  Mr. 
VanNortwick  and  his  daughter,  in  trying  to  close  the  door,  were  thrown  in 
violence  across  the  room  but  only  bruised." 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  635 

From  the  earliest  period  of  the  county's  history  down  to  the 
present  time,  we  find  that  the  loss  of  life  by  accident  has  been  most 
remarkably  frequent.  Scarcely  a  week  has  passed  but  some  home 
has  been  darkened  by  the  gloom  cast  over  it  by  the  loss  of  one  of 
its  inmates.  One  of  the  saddest  of  these  painful  accidents  occurred 
in  this  township  in  October,  1865. 

A  party  of  young  people  embarked  on  a  boating  and  fishing 
excursion  on  Spring  lake,  unfortunately,  in  an  old  leaky  boat, 
which  cost  the  lives  of  three  young  ladies.  The  party  was  composed 
of  Joshua  G.  Claton,  Silas  McLean,  the  Misses  Julia  and  Susan 
Van  Bonthusen,  and  William  Van  Benthusen,  of  Bloomfield,  Iowa, 
Miss  Mary  ]\Ioore,  of  same  place.  Miss  Mattie  King,  and  the  Misses 
Amanda  and  Bina  Claton,of  Spring  Lake.  Happy  and  jovial  were 
the  party  as  they  left  the  shore  in  their  fated  boat,  but  ere  they  had 
got  sixty  yards  from  shore  it  began  to  leak.  It  grew  worse  and 
worse  rapidly  and  before  anything  could  be  done  toward  returning 
to  the  shore  a  hole  was  broken  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat  and  it 
filled  immediately.  McLean,  becoming  excited  jumped  out  and 
swam  ashore,  but  in  doing  so  upset  the  boat,  precipitating  the  entire 
party  into  the  water.  At  this  critical  moment  the  presence  of  mind 
of  Mr.  Claton  prevented  the  six  young  ladies  from  all  going  to  a 
watery  grave.  He  remained  with  them,  directing  them  to  hold  on 
to  the  side  of  the  boat.  Three  of  them,  with  Willie,  managed  to 
retain  their  hold  on  the  skiff,  and  Mr.  Claton  shoved  the  boat 
ashore  and  saved  three.  Although  he  made  strenuous  efforts  to 
save  the  other  three,  they  went  doMai  before  he  could  rescue 
them.  The  unfortunate  ladies  were  the  Misses  Van  Benthusen  and 
Miss  Bina  Claton.  The  sad  catastrophe  cast  a  gloom  over  the  en- 
tire neighborhood,  which  remained  for  many  a  day,  and  even  at 
present  it  is  referred  to  only  with  sighs  and  tears  by  those  who 
.were  living  there  at  that  time.  The  grief-stricken  parents  of  the 
young  ladies,  had  their  bodies  removed  to  their  home  in  Iowa,  for 
interment. 

Mr.  Benj.  Priddy,  of  this  township,  was  the  first  to  introduce  the 
Osage  orange  hedge  in  the  county.  About  the  year  1846,  when  he 
was  in  Texas,  where  this  tree  grows  in  a  wild  state,  he  saw  its  qual- 
ities as  a  fence.  It  was  there  known  as  "  boycdare."  The  timber 
is  used  for  the  purpose  of  manufacturing  wagons,  furniture,  etc., 
where  a  fine-grained,  tough  timber  is  needed,  being  susceptible  of 
very  fine  polish.     Another  peculiarity  of  the  wood  is,  that  it  will 


636  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

neither  swell  or  shrink.  Mr.  P.  sent  home  seed  to  his  friends,  for 
them  to  experiment  on  its  growing  in  this  climate.  Their  trials 
proved  eminently  successful,  and  in  1852,  when  he  came  back  to 
this  county,  he  brought  500  bushels  of  the  seed  and  introduced  it 
generally.  It  is  unnecessary  to  say  anything  of  the  usefulness  of 
the  Osage  orange  for  fences,  if  properly  cared  for,  or  to  the  extent 
to  which  it  is  used,  as  it  is  so  general,  all  of  our  readers  are  acquainted 
witli  those  facts. 

This  country,  in  an  early  day,  was  infested  by  bands  of  horse- 
thieves,  who  were  regularly  and  strongly  organized.  In  these  bands 
were  some  daring,  reckless  fellows,  and  an  account  of  their  exploits 
is  exciting,  even  in  detail.  At  the  close  of  the  career  of  these  des- 
peradoes a  book  was  written  recounting  their  adventures  and  detail- 
ing their  crimes.  This  was  called  "  The  Banditti  of  the  Prairie." 
Abraham  Woods  had  an  experience  with  a  member  of  one  of  these 
bands  in  1853.  A  very  gentlemanly  appearing  man  stopped  at  his 
house  for  dinner.  He  was  sociable,  agreeable  in  conversation,  and, 
withal,  a  clever  fellow.  He  claimed  to  have  plenty  of  money,  and  said 
he  was  on  his  way  to  California.  He  left,  and  a  few  days  thereafter 
again  appeared  and  called  for  breakfast,  remarking  as  he  entered, 
"Treat  a  dog  well  and  he  is  sure  to  return."  He  was  such  a  fluent 
talker,  so  intelligent  and  agreeable,  that  Mr.  W.  was  glad  to  see  him. 
He  soon  left.  Mr.  W.  observed  that  he  had  a  sharp  eye,  which 
could  not  be  caught  for  an  instant.  On  coming  to  the  house  that 
morning  he  passed  the  barn  and  looked  at  two  spans  of  fine  horses, 
a  gray  and  a  bay  team.  He  expressed  much  admiration  for  the 
grays,  and  made  inquiries  about  their  gentleness,  &c.  Mr.  W. 
replied  that  they  were  his  "  darlings,"  and  were  perfect  pets. 

A  week  passed,  when  Mr.  W.  was  awakened  during  the  night  by 
the  running  and  whinnying  of  a  horse,  as  if  it  had  lost  its  mate. 
He  sent  his  man  out,  telling  him  one  of  his  horses  was  loose.  He 
soon  returned  with  two  letters,  one  had  been  stuck  up  on  the  door, 
the  other  was  found  on  the  ground.  He  also  reported  one  of  the 
gray  horses  gone.     One  of  the  letters  read  as  follows : 

"Oh,  avick!  shurc  and  its  meself  that's  trying  to  make  a  dacent  outfit  to 
go  home  to  Sarah  and  the  childer.  As  Col.  Doniphan  said  in  the  Mexican  war, 
I  came  across  your  ranche  and  made  bowld  to  take  into  my  sarvice  two  Ille- 
gant  Gray  travellers  I  found  on  your  premises.  I  wunst  thought  of  calling 
and  telling  yer  Honor  what  I  was  after  transacting.  But  thinking  it  would  be 
to  bad  intirely  to  be  Robbing  a  dacent  gentlemon  of  his  Darlings  and  sweet 
sleep  at  the  same  time  I  mean,  I  hope  and  trust  your  Darlings  can  travel 
Handsomely,  for  I  shall  be  after  putting  them  to  their  trumps,  for  a  while  at 
least,  for  it's  no  more  than  likely  you'll  be  after  sending  the  dirthy  spalpeen 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  637 

of  a  constable  after  me.    Bad  cess  to  the  likes  of  him,  He'd  be  asking  my 
name  and  other  unconstitutional  questions,  for  what  does  Will  Shakspeare  say, 

'  That  which  we  call  the  Rose 
By  any  other  name  would  smell  as  sweet.' 

"So  you  perceive  that  this  settles  the  point  at  i.ssue.  Perhaps  you  would 
be  mighty  well  obliged  should  I  tell  you  my  name,  place  of  Residence,  and 
where  I  am  from.  AVell,  yer  honor,  I  am  from  every  place  but  this,  and  shall 
be  from  this  Just  as  quick  as  your  Darling's  legs  can  carry  me.  Now  to  con- 
clude. Fare  ye  well,  and  still'forever  fare  ye  well,  Hoping  your  Darlings  you'l 
see  never,  before  I  can  them  swap  or  sell.  Acushla  Mavourneen." 

The  above  letter  goes  to  show  that  the  writer  was  undoubtedly 
the  stranger  who  had  been  so  hospitably  received  a  few  days  before. 
As  soon  as  this  letter  was  read,  and  Mr.  W.  found  his  horse  gone, 
he  notified  his  neighbors.  Soon  a  large  number  of  his  neighbors 
assembled  and  prepared  for  the  chase,  but  ere  they  had  fairly  started 
the  stolen  horse  returned.  It  was  evident  that  the  thief  got  alarmed 
before  he  had  fairly  started.  He  attempted  to  take  both  horses,  but 
one  had  broken  loose. 

It  was  evident  from  the  other  letter  found,  that  there  was  a  regu- 
lar systematic  gang  of  horse-thieves  running  from  here  to  Texas. 
It  was  in  a  sealed  envelope,  and  was  directed  to  Frederick  Gamble, 
Galvaston,  Texas,  forwarded  by  Patrick  Dougherty,  and  contained 
a  promisory  note  for  $220,  on  David  C.  Jones,  of  Texas.  He  states 
in  this  letter  that, "  Patrick  and  Jim  have  gone  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Pekin  to  make  a  raid  on  fine  horses,  which  they  would  likely  get 
away  with,  as  Patrick  was  a  good  engineer,  and  knew  the  country. 
They  would  stop  the  first  night  with  a  friend  on  Salt  creek,  thence 
to  W.  Davis',  near  Carlinville,  from  there  to  Chester,  where  they 
knew  the  ferryman,  who  would  take  them  across  in  the  night,  thence 
proceed  with  due  dilligence  to  Texas."  ^ 

The  town  of  Spring  Lake,  which  is  located  on  sec.  IG,  22  north, 
7  west,  was  laid  out  May  15,  1862,  by  Thomas  G.  Conant.  Haines- 
ville  is  on  the  P.,  P.  &  J.  Railroad,  on  sec.  2,  6  west,  22  north. 

Spring  Lake  M.  E.  Church. — The  church  edifice  is  located  on  sec. 
31,  of  town  24  north,  and  6  west,  and  in  size  is  36  by  50  feet,  with 
basement  story.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  and  finest  church  structres 
located  in  the  rural  district,  that  Central  Illinois  can  boast  of.  It 
was  erected  in  1872,- at  a  cost  of  $3,500.  A  class  was  organized  in 
this  neighborhood  as  long  ago  as  thirty  years.  Meetings  were  held 
at  school-houses  and  at  private  houses,  until  their  building  was 
erected.  The  first  pastor  after  the  completion  of  the  duirch  was 
Rev.  Williams ;  the  present  pastor  is  Rev.  Boggess.  The  Trustees 
of  the  Church  are  Eli  Haas,  D.  C.  Orr,  Abraham  Woods,  Lewis 


638  HISTORY  or  tazewell  county. 

AVhite,  and  Mr.  Hammer.  Abraham  Woods  is  class  leader;  and 
Eli  Hass,  Jesse  Scott,  Abraham  Woods,  John  B.  Lowry,  Edward 
Reader,  and  others,  are  Stewards.  There  is  a  good  school  in  con- 
nection with  the  Church,  of  which  Isaac  Larish  is  Superintendent. 
The  membership  of  the  Church  is  about  40,  which  is  also  about  the 
attendance  at  school. 

Spring  Garden  Dutch  Reformed  Church. — This  is  an  old  well 
established  congregation,  being  organized  in  1856.  As  far  back  as 
twenty-six  years  ago,  this  people  began  to  hold  public  religious 
services  in  this  township.  Some  years  thereafter  a  neat  edifice  for 
worship  was  erected  on  sec.  5,  23  north,  and  6  west.  It  is  a  good 
frame,  and  although  the  congregation  has  no  regular  pastor  at  pres- 
ent, yet  is  in  a  good  healthy  condition.  Rev.  Gilmore  was  the  last 
pastor. 

We  have  occasion,  in  giving  a  more  detailed  history  of  the  town- 
ship, to  speak  personally  of  some  of  its  leading  and  representative 
residents,  among  whom  we  find  the  persons  named  below : 

Frank  E.  Adams  is  a  native  of  West  Haven,  Vt.,  where  he  was 
born  Aug.  15,  1852.  His  parents  were  Edward  and  Calista  Adams ; 
the  Adams  are  lenial  descendents  of  the  Pilgrims.  They  came  to 
America  about  tw^o  years  after  the  "May  Flower"  landed.  Mr. 
Frank  Adams,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  took  a  scientific  course  of 
studies  at  Ft.  Edwards,  N.  Y.  He  follows  the  occupation  of 
school  teaching ;  he  has  taught  five  school  years  of  nine  months  each. 
He  was  united  in  marriage.  May  10,  1876,  to  Miss  Mary  G.  Emens, 
a  native  of  Dayton,  Middlesex  Co.,  N.  J.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
Abraham  Emens  and  Anna  Van  Arsdale,  his  wife,  natives  of  Mid- 
dlesex and  Hunterton  Cos.,  N.  J.  They  came  to  this  county,  April 
26,  1866,  and  settled  in  Pekin,  but  now  live  in  Spring  Lake  town- 
ship. Mr.  A.  is  connected  with  the  Reform  Church  of  America. 
In  politics,  is  a  Republican.     Post-office,  Manito. 

John  Barnes  was  born  in  Fulton  Co.,  111.,  in  1835.  His  parents, 
John  and  Susan  (Chandler)  Barnes,  natives  of  Kentucky,  died  in 
Mason  Co.  His  father  died  in  1843,  his  mother  in  1853.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  first  married  to  Charity  Ide,  of  New 
York.  She  died  in  1863,  having  one  child,  William  Barnes.  In 
1868,  Mr.  B.,  was  again  married,  this  time  to  Ellen  Lawson,  of 
Sangamon  Co.,  111.  Mr.  Barnes,  memory  carries  him  back  to  the 
times  when  wolves  were  very  numerous  through  this  part  of  the 
State.  They  became  very  bold,  even  so  daring  as  to  chase  a  small 
dog  through  the  house.  Mr.  B.  was  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion. 
He  enlisted  in  Feb.,  1865,  in  148th  111.  infantry,  under  Col.  H.  H. 
Wilsie.  He  was  in  Co.  C,  and  served  till  the  close  of  the  war. 
Post-office,  Pretty  man. 


MRS.ANN.  C.HAAS  EZLI     HAAS 

SPRING  LAKE  TOWNSHIP 


/■ 


■J:- 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY.  641 

Harman  Henri/  Beimfohr.  John  Henry  and  Mary  (Hokanip) 
Beimfohr  were  his  parents.  H.  H.  was  born  in  Minclen,  Prussia, 
Oct.  30,  1842;  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  country. 
He  has  held  tlie  office  of  School  Director.  ^Ir.  B.  was  united  in 
marriao:e,  April  2,  1808,  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Bortzfield,  a  daui^hter 
of  William  and  Catherine  (Musseliyan)  Bortzfield.  They  were 
natives  of  Penn.  Mr.  B.  is  now  living  in  Osborn,  Kansas.  Mrs. 
B.  died  in  1859.  The  children  of  Mr.  Beimfohr  are,-Mjiry^nn 
Catherine,  born  Oct.  22,  1869;  Fanny  Wilhelmina,  born  Augr  2^), 
'71;  William  H.,  Dec.  9,  '72'r  Mary  Magdalena,  May  28,^ '75; 
Lucy  Wilhelmina,  born  March  2,  '77,  died  Sept.  21,  ,78.  Mrs.JB. 
is  a  member  of  the  Evangelical  Church.  Mr.  B.  acts  with  the 
Democratic  party.     P.  O.,  address,  Prettyman. 

John  Bernhcvd  Beimfohr  was  born  in  Minden,  Prussia,  in  1836. 
His  parents  were  John  Henry  and  Mary  (Hokamp)  Beimfohr. 
John  B.  came  to  this  county  in  1854;  was  educated  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  country.  He  is  a  farmer ;  in  politics  is  a  Democrat 
He  was  united  in  matrimony  in  Oct.,  1856,  to  Mary  Wilhelmina 
Baker.  They  have  been  blessed  with  six  children — August,  born 
Oct.  27,  '54;"  Mary  Ann,  born  Dec.  25,  '61;  Martha  Theresa,  Nov. 
19,  '65;  Emily,  July  29,  '68;  John  Harmon  Henry,  Feb.  5,  '72; 
George  Frederick,  March  21,  '77.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  both  united 
with  the  Evangelical  Church  in  1867.     Post-office,  Prettyman. 

David  P.  Black  was  born  in  Blair  Co.,  Penn.,  in  1842.  His 
parents,  George  and  Rebecca  (Mauly)  Black,  were  both  natives  of 
the  same  county.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1858;  received  his 
education  at  Green  Valley,  this  county,  and  has  been  generally  suc- 
cessful in  business.  He  was  joined  in  marriage  with  Somantha  H. 
Marshall,  in  1865.  They  have  one  girl  —  Annie  Laura,  born  in 
August,  1866.  He  enlisted,  in  1862,  in  the  85th  111.  Inf ,  and 
served  as  musician.  He  was  in  the  battles  of  Perrysville,  Stone 
River,  INIission  Ridge,  Atlanta,  Jonesboro',  and  all  the  battles  of 
Sherman's  army  on  its  march  to  Savannah.     Post-office,  Manito. 

WiJIiam  Ira  Callaway,  farmer,  was  born  in  C-ampbell  Co.,  Va., 
in  1826.  He  came  to  the  county  in  1851,  and  to  the  State,  with 
his  parents,  Isaiah  and  licttice  Callaway,  in  1836.  He  had  only  a 
common  school  education  ;  has  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  School 
Trustee  and  School  Director.  In  1851  he  married  Ruth  A.  Lowry, 
who  died  April  1,1878.  She  bore  him  six  children — Siralda  S., 
Sarah  B(41,  Rhoda  J.,  Louis  F.,  Henry  M.  and  Fannie  A."  Three 
of  these  are  married  and  live  in  this  township,  not  three  miles  from 
the  parental  roof  Siralda,  w^fe  of  Wm.  McFarland,  is  living  about 
two  miles  away,  while  Rhoda  and  Sarah,  wives  of  Isaac  Schinick 
and  John  McFarland,  respectively,  live  but  a  short  distance  from 
their  father.  His  present  wife,  Catharine  Sherrer,  he  married  Nov. 
10,  1878.  Mr.  C.  has  been  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church  for  13 
years.     Post-office,  ^lanito. 

/.  G.  Claton,  farmer,  residing  upon  sec.  27,  township  24  north, 


s,^.> 


642  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

range  6  ;  was  born  in  Shelby  Co.,  Ind.,  in  1844.  His  parents,  James 
and  Sarah  Ann  (Guile)  Claton,  were  both  natives  of  Ohio.  Mr. 
Claton  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Iowa.  He  came  to 
this  county  in  1865.  In  1870  he  married  Sarah  E,  Vanorstrand, 
who  has  borne  him  two  children  —  Thomas  A.,  born  Dec.  28,  1870, 
and  Cora,  born  Oct.  23,  1872.     Post-office,  Prettyman. 

llrs.  Margaret  Claton. —  One  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  town- 
ship is  Mrs.  Margaret  Claton,  who,  at  this  writing,  April  13,  1879, 
is  just  86  years  old.  She  is  a  native  of  Georgia.  Her  parents, 
John  and  Anna  (Davidson)  Gaston,  moved  to  Virginia  before  she 
was  two  years  old,  and  subsequently  to  Ohio.  While  living  in  that 
State,  and  on  July  4,  1812,  she  was  married  to  Maxon  Claton. 
They  came  to  this  county  in  1836,  locating  in  Sand  Prairie,  and  in 
1838  moved  on  the  farm  where  she  now  lives.  Her  husband  died 
Aug.  17,  1839.  Mrs.  Claton  had  a  family  of  ten  children,  only  one 
of  whom  is  now  living.  For  an  old  lady,  nearly  four  score  and  ten, 
she  is  remarkably  quick  and  smart,  and  has  a  good  memory.  To 
hear  her  relate  her  experiences  in  early  times,  is  almost  like  reading 
a  thrilling  romance  of  border  life.  At  one  time  all  her  fences  and 
her  wheat  crop  was  burned  by  the  prairie  fire.  She  hired  a  man, 
during  an  early  day,  for  two  years,  at  $50  a  year  and  board  and 
clothes.  She  was  to  give  him  12  yards  4-leaf  jeans,  9  yards  of  cot- 
ton flannel,  4  cotton  shirts,  2  pair  cotton  socks,  1  pair  of  boots, 
and  1  pair  shoes,  and  a  hat.  She  had  all  these  articles  specfied  in 
the  agreement. 

Frank  F.  Deyo  is  a  son  of  John  P.  Deyo  and  Sarah  Ann  Forester, 
his  wife,  natives  of  New  York.  Frank  F.  Deyo,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Erie  county,  Ohio,  1847.  He  received  his  edu- 
cation at  Milan  Xormal  School,  Ohio.  Mr.  D.  came  to  Tazewell 
county  in  September,  1869;  by  occupation  is  a  farmer  and  teacher; 
has  taught  for  the  past  fifteen  years.  He  resides  on  sec.  15;  post- 
office,  Pekin.  He  was  united  in  marriage,  Dec.  28,  1871,  to  Miss 
Irene  Claton.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Jno.  Claton  and  Elizabeth  Ann 
Hawkins,  his  wife;  they  came  to  this  county  in  1835.  Mr.  Claton's 
portrait  may  be  found  in  his  book.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Deyo  have  two 
children  —  Eunice  Anna,  born  Nov.  25,  1873;  and  Palmer  Claton, 
born  Nov.  16,  1878.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  both  united  with  the  Meth- 
odist Church  in  1874.  In  politics  Mr.  D.  acts  with  the  Democratic 
party. 

Abraham  Gorman  is  a  native  of  Lehigh  county,  Penn.,  where  he 
was  born  in  1823.  His  parents  were  Abraham  and  Elizabeth  Gor- 
man. Mr.  G.  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  State.  He 
came  to  this  county  in  1855;  and  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary 
Hensinger,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  in  1849;  they  are  parents  of 
—  Benjamin  F.,  Abraham,  John  M.,  Wm.  L.,  Emery  G.,  Elizabeth 
C,  Mary  F.,  and  Sarah  Bell.  Mr.  G.  acts  with  the  Democratic 
party.     Post-office,  Manito. 

Cornelius  L.  Golden  is  a  native  of  Hunterdon  county,  N.  J.,  where 


HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  643 

he  was  boru  Oct.  5,  1807.  His  parents,  David  and  Deborah  (Wil- 
son) Golden,  were  natives  of  New  Jersey.  Mr.  G.'s  grandfather 
came  from  Holland.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  Fulton 
county,  this  State,  and  after  residing  there  three  years  he  removed 
to  this  county  in  tlie  year  1853.  Ho  received  his  education  in  his 
native  State;  by  occupation  he  is  a  farmer.  Mr.  G.  was  united  in 
the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony  to  Miss  Eliza  B.  Dallas.  This  mar- 
riage has  been  blessed  with  six  children,  five  of  whom  arc  living  — 
Joanna,  born  Dec.  17,  '30;  Ephriam  D.,  born  March  4,  '32;  Frank- 
lin L.,  boru  Dec.  12,  '35;  Jane  E.,  born  Aug.  11,  '37;  Rebecca, 
born  Aug.  4,  '39,  deceased ;  Sarah,  born  Sept.  30,  '43.  Mrs.  Golden 
is  a  member  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church.  Mr.  G.  has  lived  a 
long  and  useful  life,  and  is  beloved  and  respected  by  all  who  know 
him  and  a  is  representatives  of  Spring  Lake.  His  portrait,  with 
that  of  his  wife,  will  be  found  in  this  volume. 

Ephriam  D.  Golden,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  came  to  this  county 
with  his  parents,  in  1850,  and  is  engaged  in  farming  in  this  town- 
ship. His  education  was  obtained  in  the  common  schools  of  New 
Jersey.  Mr.  Golden  was  married  to  Lydia  R.  Van  Deuscn,  of  New 
York.  They  have  four  children — John  W.,  born  Nov.  18,  1863; 
Reuben  S.,  born  May  13,  1865;  Emma  May,  born  Nov.  3,  1869; 
Rebecca  H.,  born  Aug.  15,  1871.  Mr.  Golden  and  his  wife  are 
both  members  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  America,  and  have  been 
for  fifteen  or  sixteen  years.  He  has  held  the  positions  of  Road 
Commissioner  and  School  Trustee  in  his  township.  Post-office 
address  is  Manito. 

Eli  Haas.  This  gentleman  is  certainly  one  of  the  representative 
men  of  the  county,  and  an  extensive  farmer,  owning  2,000  acres  of 
land.  He  came  here  with  his  father  in  1839,  and  at  that  time  was 
the  possessor  of  a  very  limited  amount  of  this  world's  goods.  The 
simple  statement  of  his  owning,  at  present,  thousands  of  acres  of 
land,  is  the  best  evidence  of  a  well-sj)ent  life.  He  was  born  in 
Union  Co.,  Pa.,  Sept.  13,  1817.  His  father  was  born  in  Montgom- 
ery county  of  that  State.  He  died  here  in  1852  at  the  age  of  69. 
His  mother,  Mary  Magdalene  (Mauck)  Haas,  was  also  a  native  of 
the  grand  old  Key-stone  State.  She  passed  over  the  Jordan  of 
Death,  Jan.  6,  1876,  being  at  that  time  almost  ninety  years  of  age. 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  Haas  with  Miss  Ann  Catherine  Orr,  took 
place  March  2,  1853.  They  have  one  son,  Edward  S.,  who  was 
born  Dec.  2,  1864.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haas  are  consistent  and 
active  members  of  the  Methodist  Church.  He  has  held  the  office 
of  School  Director  for  some  sixteen  years.  We  give  his  portrait, 
with  that  of  his  wife  and  son,  in  this  volume.  He  resides  upon  sec. 
30,  upon  which  section  he  has  lived  since  his  advent  into  the  county. 
Post-office,  Manito. 

Joseph  F.  Haines,  grain  dealer  and  farmer,  is  one  of  the  oldest 
residents  of  Tazewell  county.  He  was  born  in  Jiutler  Co.,  O.,  and 
came  to  the  county  with  his  parents,  William  and  Elizabeth  (Wil- 


644  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

son)  Haines,  also  natives  of  Ohio,  in  the  year,  1828.  In  Feb., 
1865,  he  enlisted  in  the  148th  111.  Inf.,  under  Col.  Wilsie.  Mr. 
Haines  was  joined  in  marriage  with  Emeline  Lance  in  1844.  Their 
children  are  William  C,  born  in  1848,  and  Maggie  May,  born  in 
1863.  William  Haines,  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  on 
coming  to  this  county,  located  first  at  Pekin,  and  was  one  of  the 
original  proprietors.  He  died  in  that  city  in  1834,  with  the  cholera. 
He  owned,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  all  the  lots  fronting  north  on 
Court  street,  save  two,  of  the  original  town  of  Pekin.  INIr.  H.  re- 
lates that  Pekin  wa:s  first  called  "  Town  Site."  The  name  "  Pekin  " 
was  given  by  a  Mrs.  Cromwell,  a  wife  of  one  of  the  proprietors, 
who,  doubtless  foreseeing  its  brilliant  future,  gave  it  its  illustrious 
name.  Mr.  Haines,  Sr.,  left  a  family  of  five  children  at  his  death, 
whose  names  were,  Sarah  Ann,  now  the  wife  of  B.  S.  Prettyman  of 
Pekin ;  Elizabeth  Jane,  many  years  deceased ;  INIartha  Ellen,  who 
married  John  Gorage,  of  Ottumwa,  Iowa,  and  died  about  the  year 
1872  or  '73.  One  of  her  sons  is  now  running  a  paper  in  the  Black 
Hills;  Caroline  Matilda,  who  married  John  M.  Hedrick,  of  Ot- 
tumwa, Iowa,  and  is  still  living ;  the  next,  Mr.  Joseph  F.  Haines, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  now  living  at  Hainesville,  a  station  on 
the  P.,  P.  &  J.  P.  P.,  which  derives  its  name  from  him,  he  being 
the  first  settler,  and  built  the  first  house  at  that  place  in  1860.  The 
house  is  now  owned  by  B.  S.  Prettyman,  and  occupied  by  Mr.  Ben- 
jamin Priddy.     Post-office,  Prettyman. 

Samuel  C.  Hammer  was  Ijorn  in  Franklin  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1824.  His 
parents,  Jacob  and  Priscilla  (Eyler)  Hammer,  were  natives  of 
Maryland.  Mr.  H.  came  to  Tazewell  county  in  1855.  He  learned 
the  trade  of  shoe-making  and  followed  that  business  for  ten  years, 
but  for  many  years  has  been  engaged  in  farming.  In  1846  he  was 
married  to  Ann  Elizabeth  Working,  a  native  of  Maryland,  The 
union  has  been  blessed  with  five  sons  and  four  daughters :  Frances 
Virginia,  Lewis  Cass,  John  Winton,  Elizabeth  H.,  Emma,  Alvin 
Davis,  Clara,  William  Pufus  and  Johnson.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  M.  E.  Church.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  John  G.  Ham- 
mer, brother  of  Samuel,  is  a  veteran  of  the  •  Mexican  war  and  is 
now  living  in  Pekin.  He  enlisted  in  Capt.  Jones'  company,  and 
served  about  a  year.  He  participated  in  the  engagements  of  Vera 
Cruz,  Cerro  Gordo,  Puebh).  He  first  settled  at  Springfield,  then 
came  to  Pekin  to  build  a  mill  for  Mr.  Wagenseller,  and  has  since 
lived  there. 

Samuel  Hammer,  like  many  of  the  early  settlers,  thought  the 
best  locations  were  by  the  streams  and  timber,  and  let  thousands  of 
acres  of  fine  prairie  land  go  for  others  to  occupy,  thinking  it  would 
never  be  settled. 

Leivis  Franklin  Harbaugh  was  born  in  Franklin  Co.,  ]\Id.,  in 
1837.  His  parents,  John  and  Margaret  Harbaugh,  were  also 
natives  of  the  same  county.  Mr.  H.  came  to  this  county  in  1865, 
and  is  engaged   in  agricultural  pursuits  in   this  township,  owning 


z^-^?-^ 


^L-iH^^'C^^ 


SPRING  LAKE  TP. 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   OOIJNTT.  645 

over  300  acres  of  land.  He  was  married  to  Mary  J.  VanOstrand, 
April  2,  1873,  who  has  borne  him  two  children,  Frank  Leslie,  born 
Jan.  18,  1874,  and  Charles  Dana,  born  Dec.  2(3,  '75.  Mrs.  H.  is  a 
member  of  the  American  Reformed  Clinrch.  Mr.  H's  ancestry  was 
of  Swiss  descent.  Yost  Harbangh,  of  whom  the  sudject  of  this 
sketch  is  a  lineal  descendent,  came  to  this  country  in  1736  or  '38, 
and  settled  in  York  Co.,  Penn. 

David  WdUnyton-  Herrmann  wa>'  born  in  Wayne  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in 
1846.  His  parents,  Christian  and  Barbara  (Lux)  Herrmann,  were 
natives  of  Germany.  He  was  married  to  ]\Ienni  Hanns,  of  Prussia, 
in  1869.  They  liave  four  children:  Lilly,  born  Feb.  18,  1871; 
Irene,  May  20,' 1872  ;  Albert,  Sept.  24,  1874  and  Carlina  May,  Feb. 
7,  1879.  Mrs.  Herrman's  parents  were  Christian  and  Frederick 
(Dietrich),  Prussians.  Her  father  died  in  that  country.  Her 
mothcT  CJirae  to  this  country  in  1868,  bringing  Mrs.  H.  with  her, 
and  located  at  Bloomington,  111.,  where  she  still  resides.  Mrs.  H. 
is  a  member  of  the  Kvangelical  Lutheran  Church.  Christian 
Herrmann's  family  consisted  of  six  children  :  David  W.,  Caroline, 
Jemima,  Louisa,  Catharine,  Rosena.  Mr.  H.  has  held  the  office  of 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  Road  Commissioner  and  School  Director. 
Post-office,  Prettvman. 

Jacob  Kei/ser.  INIr.  Keyser  '  is  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this 
county,  having  settled  in  this  townshi])  in  1833.  Mr.  K.  is  a  son 
of  Phili])  and  Elizabeth  (Flower)  Keyser.  Jacob  Keyser  was  united 
in  marriage,  in  1847,  to  Miss  Hannah  Wood.  They  are  the  parents 
of — Minerva,  born  June,  1848;  William  T.,  born  June  9,  1850; 
Jacob  F.,  born  May  14,  1852;  Sarah  Jane,  Sept.  7, 1854;  Louis  E., 
March  22,  1857.  When  Mr.  K.  first  settled  on  S])ring  Lake  prairie, 
they  lived  on  what  they  raised,  and  made  the  cloth  at  home  to  clothe 
the  family.  Their  friends  were  every  one  for  twenty  miles  around; 
their  fresh  meat  consisted  of  venison  and  other  wild  game.  ]\Ir. 
K.'s  house  at  that  time  was  headquarters  for  religious  meetings.  In 
politics  ]\rr.  K.  is  a  Republican.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Jo/in  B.  Loirri/  is  a  native  of  Jefferson  Co.,  O.,  and  a  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  ]\Iartha  Ann  (McCoy)  Lowry,  natives  of  the  above  State. 
John  B.  attended  the  schools  of  Clark  and  Tazewell  counties;  by 
occupation  a  farmer.  Post-office,  Pekin.  He  has  filled  several 
local  offices  with  perfect  satisfaction  to  all.  Mr.  L.  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Sarah  C.  Claton,  in  1862.  The  fruits  of  this  marriage 
are  four  boys,  as  follows  :  William  E.,  born  Nov.  14,  1863  ;  John 
C,  born  March  18,  1867;  James  M.,  born  March  13,  1869;  George 
M.,  born  iSIay  15,  1874.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lowry  are  both  members 
of  the  Methodist  Church. 

Joshua  Marshall  is  a  native  of  the  State  of  Va.,  where  he  was 
born  in  the  year  1814.  He  is  a  son  of  Joshua  and  Sarah  (Hayne) 
Marshall.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  settled  in  this  county  in  1862. 
Mr.  M.  has  been  very  successful,  financially,  since  he  came  to  this 
county ;  has  filled  several  local  offices.     He  came  to  Kankakee  Co., 


646  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  , 

this  State,  in  1846.  He  was  not  very  successful  there.  He  com- 
menced in  the  hotel  business  in  Kankakee,  havino;  l)uilt  a  new  hotel. 
He  was  burned  out  in  1857,  which  caused  almost  a  total  loss  of 
$6,000.  After  coming  to  this  county,  everything  turned  the  other 
way,  and  in  the  year  1867,  he  sold  $6,200  worth  of  produce  off 
his  farm.  Was  united  in  marriage,  in  March,  1838,  to  Miss  Dru- 
sella  Rakestraw.  They  are  the  parents  of — Samantha  Black,  John 
A.,  Horace  S.,  Allen  J.  and  Henry  H.     Post-office,  Manito. 

Allen  J.  Marshall  was  born  in  Kankakee  Co.,  111.  He  is  a  son  of 
Joshua  and  Drusella  Marshall,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
jniblic  schools.  His  political  views  are  those  of  the  Republican 
party.  He  was  joined  in  matrimony,  in  1876,  to  Miss  Anna  R. 
Patterson.     His  post-office  address  is  Manito. 

Henry  H.  Marshall  is  a  son  of  Joshua  and  Drusella  Marshall,  and 
was  born  in  Kankakee  Co.,  this  State,  in  1852.  He  came  to  Taze- 
Avell  county  with  his  parents  in  1862,  received  his  education  in  this 
county,  and  is,  by  occupation,  a  farmer.  He  was  married  Oct.  6, 
1875.     In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.     Post-office,  Manito. 

Horace  8.  Marshall  is  a  native  of  Kankakee  Co.,  111.,  where  he 
was  born  in  1848.  He  is  a  son  of  Joshua  Marshall.  Horace  was 
educated  in  the  schools  both  of  this  and  his  native  county.  He  is 
an  extensive  farmer,  owning  1000  acres  of  land,  and  is  also  a  dealer 
in  grain.  Mr.  M.  was  united  in  marriage,  in  1871,  to  Miss  Mary 
Haas.  In  political  matters  he  acts  with  the  Republican  party.  His 
post-office  address  is  Manito. 

David  K.  Moore  was  born  in  Fleming  Co.,  Ky.,  in  1815.  His 
parents  were  Jacob  Moore  and  Rebecca  Paddicks,  his  Avife,  who 
were  natives  of  Kentucky.  David  K.  came  to  this  county  in  1857. 
During  the  war  for  the  Union  he  enlisted  in  the  38th  Regt.  111.  Inf., 
and  was  engaged  in  many  important  battles,  among  which  were  the 
Battles  of  Corinth,  Miss.,  and  Perrysville,  Ky.  Mr.  Moore's  health 
gave  way  after  two  years  of  service,  from  which  he  has  never  en- 
tirely recovered.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Fanny  Mcintosh  in  '45. 
They  have  been  the  parents  of  ten  children,  named  as  follows : 
Louisa  C,  Thomas  J.,  Clarinda,  deceased,  Sarah  J.,  deceased,  James 
W.,  Mary  Isabel,  deceased,  Rhoda,  deceased,  Hannah  E.,  deceased, 
Fanny  Belle,  and  Jacob  R. 

Edward  Purdy  was  born  in  the  county  of  Westmead,  Ireland,  in 
1831.  His  parents  were  Thomas  and  Catherine  (Hosey)  Purdy. 
He  came  to  New  York  in  1846  and  to  this  county  in  1857.  In  '60 
he  united  with  Elizabeth  Jane  Ballard,  of  Allen  Co.,  Mo.,  in  mar- 
riage. Her  parents  were  Anderson  S.  and  Susan  (Archer)  Ballard. 
He  is  the  parent  of  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are  living.  The 
names  and  dates  of  birth  of  his  children  arc  as  follows :  Catherine 
Ann,  born  Nov.  5,  1860;  Susan  Jane,  Sept.  7,  1864;  Mary  Ellen, 
Feb.  26,  1866;  Emma  Viola,  Feb.  16,  1868;  James  Edward,  Sept. 
30,  1830;  Sarah  Cordelia,  March  5th,  1872;  Frans  A.,  Jan.  5,  '75; 
John   William,   March  25,  '76;  Florence  L.,  Oct.  28,  '78.     Oath- 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWEIJ.   COUNTY.  647 

erine,  Emma,  and  John  are  dead.     He  is  a  member  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Cluirch.     P.  O.,  Manito. 

Benjiuain  Pviddy,  grain  dealer  at  Hainesville,  was  horn  in  Kan- 
awha Co.,  W.  Va.,  in  1821.  His  father,  Nelson  Priddy,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Virginia,  and  his  mother,  Leah  (Morris)  Priddy,  was  born 
in  West  Virginia.  Mr.  Priddy's  introduction  into  Tazewell  county 
was  over  half  a  century  ago,  when  he  was  a  lad  of  but  eight  sum- 
mers. His  parents  first  settled  on  sec.  10,  Sand  Prairie  township, 
and  spent  the  remainder  of  their  earth-life  there.  His  mother  died 
in  1833,  and  his  father  in  1844.  This  couple  reared  a  large  family 
of  children,  only  three  of  whom  are  now  living.  Their  children 
were  Strawther,  Sclden,  Elgin,  Morris,  Charles,  Benjamin,  Sybil, 
Leah,  Nelson  and  Frances.  They  all  lived  to  maturity  except 
Elgin,  who  died  at  the  age  of  13  or  14.  Two  of  the  boys,  Selden 
and  Charles,  served  in  the  Mexican  war.  The  company  they  were 
in  was  raised  in  Pekin  by  Ca]itain  Jones.  They  were  in  the  battles 
of  Buena  Arista,  Vera  Cruz,  and  other  engagements.  Their  com- 
pany was  the  one  which  captured  Santa  Anna's  wooden  leg.  Selden 
lived  but  a  short  time  after  his  return  home.  Charles  lived  till  '78, 
when  he  died.  Sybil,  the  wife  of  H.  H.  Elmore,  and  Frances,  the 
wife  of  Thomas  Baker,  are  now  living  in  Sangamon  county.  Their 
husbands  are  early  settlers  of  that  county  and  are  in  good  circum- 
stances. Benjamin  was  married  to  Harriet  A.  Prettyman  in  1844, 
who  has  borne  him  three  children — Louis  P.,  born  in  1848;  Chas. 
C,  born  in  1851,  and  Benjamin  F.,  born  in  1857. 

James  Fredon,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  is  a  son  of  James  and 
Sarah  (Cohenour)  Preston,  who  resided  in  this  county  about  one 
year,  when,  in  1846,  he  moved  to  Iowa  with  his  family,  where  he 
died  in  the  fall  of  1866,  leaving  a  wife  and  five  children.  His  wife 
has  since  followed  him  over  the  river  of  death.  James  Preston,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  returned  to  this  county  in  the  fall  of  1868, 
and  still  resides  on  sec.  23.  Mr.  P.  takes  a  great  interest  in  educa- 
tional matters ;  has  held  the  office  of  School  Director  for  twelve 
years.  He  has  been  quite  successful  in  life,  having  accumulated 
considerable  property  by  industry  and  close  attention  to  business. 
He  was  united  in  marriage,  in  1861,  to  Adaline  Avery,  a  native  of 
New  York.  They  are  the  parents  of  six  children  —  Martha  Jane, 
born  Aug.  24,  1862;  Ella  L.,  April  10,  1864;  Walter  G.,  Sept.  8, 
1866;  Leonard  L.,  Aug.  28,  1868;  Norah  B.,  Sept.  10,  1870;  Ed- 
gar W.,  Feb.  17,  1874.     In  politics  is  a  Democrat. 

Jesse  Wilson  Scott  is  a  native  of  Scott  county,  Ky.,  where  he  was 
born  March  15,  1837.  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Scott  were  his  par- 
ents. Jesse  Wilson  Scott  came  to  this  county,  in  1843,  with  his 
parents.  He  received  his  education  at  Pekin.  When  our  country 
called  for  men,  Mr.  S.  was  among  the  first  to  respond ;  he  enlisted, 
July  5,  1861,  in  the  8th  regt.  111.  vol.,  Co.  F,  and  served  till  May, 
1866.  He  took  part  in  many  a  hard  fought  battle,  among  them 
were  Ft.  Donelson,  Shiloh,  and  Vicksburg.     On  several  occasions 


648  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

he  has  had  balls  pass  through  his  clothing,  but  was  never  seriously 
injured,  beyond  mere  scratches,  until  the  last  battle  he  was  in,  at  Ft. 
Blakely,  Alabama,  where  he  received  a  severe  wound  in  the  right 
shoulder,  braking  the  bone.  His  hearing  was  also  affected  by 
heavy  artillery  at  Vicksburg.  Mr.  S.  was  united  in  marriage,  in 
Dec,  1866,  to  Margaret  Fleming.  They  have  one  son — William 
Edwin,  born  Dec.  6,  1867.  They  are  both  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Church.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

F.  11.  Heiivcll  was  born  in  Spring  Lake  township,  this  county,  in 
1841.  His  parents  were  Charles  and  Deborah  (Claton)  Seiwell.  F. 
E,.  received  his  education  in  the  school  of  this  township,  and  at 
Pekin.  Mr.  S.  is  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  Avas  united  in  mar- 
riage, in  1868,  to  Miss  Frances  C.  Kuly.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
Hiram  and  Mary  (Mowrery)  Kuly,  who  were  natives  of  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.  They  moved  to  this  county  in  1854,  and  are  now  living  at 
Manito,  Mason  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seiwell  are  the  parents  of — 
Charles  Edward,  born  July  10,  1869;  and  Annie  May,  born  June 
26,  1874.     Politically  Mr.  S.  is  a  Democrat.     Post-office,  Pekin. 

Mrs.  Catharine  Seiwell  (Westspher)  was  born  near  Harrisburg, 
Penn.  Her  parents  were  George  and  Mary  E.  (Myers)  Westspher. 
Mrs.  Seiwell  came  to  this  county  about  the  year  1849.  She  was 
married  to  Charles  Seiwell  in  1855;  they  had  four  children  —  De- 
borah, Hauorah,  Almira,  and  Catharine.  Mrs.  S.  is  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Methodist  Church.     Her  post-office  address  is  Pekin. 

Stephen  ShanhoHzer,  farmer,  was  born  in  Hampshire  county,  Va., 
March  17,  1819.  Plis  parents,  Philip  and  Zilpha  (Queen)  Shauholt- 
zer,  were  also  natives  of  Virginia ;  his  father  of  German  parentage, 
and  his  mother  of  Irish.  Mr.  S.  came  West  to  Ohio  in  1859, 
in  1864  to  Illinois.  In  1838  he  married  Hannah  II.  William,  a 
native  of  Hampshire  county,  Va.  They  have  had  twelve  children 
borne  unto  them,  eight  of  whom  are  now  living.  The  names  and 
dates  of  birth  of  their  children,  are  as  follows :  Sarah  Ellen,  born 
Nov.  16,  '38;  Zilpha  Jane,  Feb.  29,  '40;  Jacob  N.,  Nov.  7,  '41; 
William  Jasper,  April  11,  '43;  Chloe  E.,  Jan.  4,  '46;  Hannah  M., 
Sept.  25, '48;  Philip  M.,  Sept.  18, '51 ;  James  W.,  Nov.  30, '53 ; 
Virginia  F.,  Jan.  17,  '56;  Albert  D.,  April  19,  '59;  Geo.  R.,  Sept. 
6,  '61 ;  and  Ida  B.,  Nov.  12,  '64.  AVilliam,  Philip,  James,  and 
George  are  dead.     Post-office,  Prettyman. 

Louis  White.  This  gentleman  was  born  near  Reading,  Berks 
Co.,  Penn.,  Dec.  9,  1809.  He  is  the  son  of  Louis  White  and  Susan 
(Crouse)  White,  both  of  whom  are  natives  of  the  above  county,  and 
their  ancestors  took  part  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Mr.  White 
received  a  liberal  education.  He  holds  the  office  of  School  Director 
at  present,  and  has  for  fifteen  years  past.  He  was  united  in  mar- 
riage, Oct.  20,  1833,  to  Miss  Catharine  Keyser,  a  native  of  Penn. 
She  was  born  Sept.  26,  1811.  Her  father,  Philip  Keyser,  was  a 
native  Russian,  and  her  mother,  Elizabeth  Flower,  of  Penn.  Mrs. 
White  was  the  mother  of — Mary  E.,  deceased  ;  Catharine,  deceased ; 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  651 

William  H. ;  Martin  Luther,  deceased ;  Jonathan  Franklin,  deceased  ; 
Louis  Wesley,  Lydia  Ann,  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  White  were 
united  with  the  Methodist  Church  some  27  years  ago ;  they  have 
lived  a  long  and  consistent  Christian  life.  Mr.  W.  was  an  old-time 
Whig  until  the  formation  of  the  Republican  party,  with  which  he 
has  since  acted.     His  post-office  address  is  Prettyman. 

Abraham  Woods.  This  gentleman  was  born  in  the  city  of  York, 
England,  in  the  year  1818.  He  is  a  son  of  Abraham  and  Jane 
(Masey)  Woods.  Mr.  W.  left  his  native  country  and  came  to 
America,  arriving  in  Greene  Co.,  this  State,  in  1831.  He  came  to 
this  county  in  1850,  and  is  one  of  the  prosperous  farxners.  He  is 
the  owner  of  524  acres  of  land.  His  success  is  wholly  due  to  his 
own  efforts.  He  was  united  in  marriage,  in  1853,  to  Elizabeth 
Woorfoot.  She  died  in  18G1.  He  was  again  married  in  1863,  to 
Harriet  M.  Adams.  Mr.  W.  is  the  father  of  the  following  ch  ildren  : 
Maria  J.,  born  in  Sept.,  1854.  She  married  the  Rev.  R.  B.  Williams, 
and  now  resides  in  McLean  Co.;  George  A.,  born  in  Dec,  1856; 
John  L,  born  March  28,  1858;  Mary  E.,  born  July  15,  1860; 
James  Lincoln,  born  April  14,  1865;  Clarissa  E.,  born  Jan.  11, 
1867.  Mr.  W.  has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church  for 
upwards  of  45  years,  and  Mrs.  Woods  since  1861.^  Mr.  W.  acts 
with  the  Republican  party  in  politics;  his  post-office  address  is 
Manito.  The  reader  will  find  portraits,  in  this  volume,  of  INIr.  and 
Mrs.  Woods. 

Edwin  A.  VanDeiisen  was  born  in  Greenport,  Columbia  county, 
N.  Y.,  March  15,  1832.  His  parents  were  James  and  Eve  (DcLa- 
mater)  VanDeusen.     His  parents  came  to  this  county  in  1856. 

Jacob  VaiiDcum  is  a  son  of  James  A'anDeusen  and  Eve  DeLa- 
mater,  his  wife.  Jacob  was  born  in  Columbia  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1835. 
He  received  an  academic  education  at  Charlotteville,  N.  Y.  He  has 
filled  several  local  offices.  Mr.  VanDeusen  was  united  by  marriage, 
in  Feb.,  1863,  to  Elmina  King;  they  have  had  one  child,  a  daugh- 
ter, Eva  May,  who  was  born  Aug.  15,  1864.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van- 
Deusen are  both  members  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  America.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican.     Post-office,  Manito. 

Charles  Gregory  VanOrstrand.  This  gentleman's  jjarents,  Chris- 
topher and  Mary  Ann  VanOrstrand,  came  to  111.  in  1839,  taking  up 
his  residence  at  Whitehall,  Greene  Co.,  where  he  carried  on  black- 
smithing  and  wagon-making  for  twelve  years,  when  he  moved  to 
this  county  and  township  in  1851.  Their  children,  four  in  number, 
now  live  in  this  township.  Their  names  are  Sarah  Elizabeth  (Cla- 
ton) ;  John  Oliver,  living  on  the  old  homestead ;  Mary  Jane  (Har- 
baugh),  and  Charles  Gregory,  whose  name  is  at  the  head  of  this 
sketch.  His  father,  J.  C,  departed  this  life  March  9,  1868.  His 
mother,  Mary  Ann,  died  March  9,  1866.  Charles  G.  was  born  in 
Greene  Co.,  this  State,  in  1844:  was  married  to  Mary  M.  VanDeu- 
sen in  1868.  They  have  two  children — Charles  Edwin,  born  Feb. 
8,  1870;  and  Catharine,  Sept.  20,  1872.  P.  C,  Pekin. 
39 


652  HISTOEY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  served  the  township  in  the  various 
official  capacities  named.  The  years  of  serving  are  given,  and 
where  more  than  one  date  is  set  opposite  a  name,  covering  a  period 
of  years,  the  official  served  during  the  intervening  years. 

SUPERVISORS. 

George  H.  Daniels 1850-51  Edward  Bailev 1870 

Elbert  Park 1852-53  Daniel  Sapp  ." 1871-74 

J.  C.  VanOstrand 1854-65  E.  A.  VanDeusen 1875 

EzekielPoe 1866-69  Daniel  Sapp 1876-79 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

N.  Holton 1854  James  Claton 1871 

EzekielPoe 1855-57  Frank  Devo 1872 

D.  J.  Heck 1859-69  E.  \V.  Reader 1873-76 

Daniel  Sapp 1870  Frank  F.  Deyo 1877-79 

ASSESSORS. 

J.  Offutt 1854  Edward  Bailev. 1863 

Wellington  King 1855  Wellington  King 1864-65 

T.Clark 1856  J.  W.  Claton 1866 

A.J.Rankin 1857  Wellington  King 1867-70 

R.  S.  Eakin 1858  Charles  G.  VanOrstrand 1871-76 

Wellington  King 1859  James  Claton 1877-78 

Wm.  Stewart 1860  Jonathan  Ayres 1879 

Wellington  King 1861 

COLLECTORS. 

J.P.Ross 1854-55  AVm.  Claton 1869 

E.  Poe 1856-58  D.  J.  Heck. 1870-72 

E.Park 1859  J.  B.  Lowrv 1873-73 

D.J.  Heck 1860-61  Jacob  Bartzfield 1875-76 

Charles  W.  Skinner 1863  Daniel  Havens 1877-78 

D.  J.  Heck 1864-68  John  B.  Lowry 1879 


TREMONT  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  has  a  fair  proportion  of  timber  land,  and  is  well 
drained  by  numerous  streams,  among  which  are  Mackinaw  river, 
Prairie  creek.  Deer  creek.  Mud  creek,  etc.  The  township  was  set- 
tled at  a  very  early  date,  and  has  been  brought  to  a  very  high  state 
of  cultivation.  Among  the  first  settlers  Avas  Hezekiah  Davis,  who 
was  born  in  Virginia,  Dec.  3,  1798.  He  came  to  Illinois  in  1819, 
and  to  Tazewell  Co.  in  1826.  He  bought  out  Thomas  Cameron, 
who  had  started  in  the  tannery  business,  but  had  not  finished  any 
leather.  In  July,  the  17th,  1827,  Mr.  Davis  moved  his  tannery  to 
Pleasant  Grove,  sec.  2,  Elm  Grove  township.  He  carried  on  the 
business  there  until  the  Tremont  colony  came.  The  colonists  bought 
up  all  the  timber  land  and  he  could  get  no  more  bark,  and  was  com- 
pelled to  abandon  the  business.     It  took  him  about  a  year  and  a 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  653 

half  to  tan  hides,  as  the  fires  that  ran  througli  the  timber  liad  weak- 
ened the  bark.  Mr.  Davis  could  do  nothing  at  his  business  during 
the  winter  of  the  deep  snow.  He  was  away  from  home,  and 
was  unable  to  get  home  for  two  months.  It  is  supposed  that  James 
Chapman  was  the  first  settler  in  the  township.  Among  other  early 
settlers  were  Michael  Trout,  David  Lackland,  Wm.  Stcarling,  Wil- 
liam and  James  Broyhill,  the  former  of  whom  bought  the  improve- 
ments made  by  Chapman.  For  some  years  nothing  of  interest 
occurred  in  the  history  of  the  township.  It  was  not  until  1834, 
when  the  purchasing  committee  of  the  Tremont  colony  appeared, 
that  anything  of  interest  is  noted.  This  committee  was  composed 
of  Josiah  L.  James,  John  H.  Harris  and  Wjlliam  Sampson.  They 
selected  a  fine  body  of  land  on  the  prairie  in  the  western  part  of  this 
and  Elm  Grove  townships.  There  was  no  settlement  on  this  prairie 
at  that  time,  save  a  place  known  as  the  Auburn  house,  which  was 
near  the  center  of  the  township.  The  Tremont  colony  was  formed 
in  New  York  City  and  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  came  here  in  1835. 
It  was  composed  of  about  fifty  persons.  They  brought  with  them 
the  culture,  refinement  and  enterprise  of  the  East.  The  town  pros- 
pered at  first,  and  soon  secured  the  public  buildings  of  the  county, 
which  gave  an  impetus  to  its  growth  that  was  remarkable.  But 
soon  the  long,  eventful  and  disastrous  contention  arose  between 
Pekin  and  Tremont,  which  not  only  retarded  its  growth  at  the  time, 
but  injured  the  bright  prospects  of  both  towns.  We  speak  of  this 
portion  of  Tremont's  history  in  the  second  chapter  of  this  book, 
and  will,  therefore,  make  no  repetition. 

The  rapid  strides  made  by  the  young  colony  is  shown  by  the  fact 
of  their  eagerness  to  incorporate  as  a  town.  On  the  25th  of  July, 
183G,  a  vote  was  taken  for  or  against  incorporation.  There  were 
twenty -eight  ballots  for  and  one  against  the  proposed  move.  The 
incorporation  measure  being  adopted,  town  officers  must  be  chosen. 
Accordingly,  Tuesday  evening,  Aug.  2,  1836,  at  the  school-house, 
for  the  purpose  of  chosing  five  Trustees,  an  election  was  held.  The 
following  gentlemen  were  selected :  IMiilij)  Flaglee,  Coles  Tomp- 
kins, Palmer  Holmes,  J.  C.  Morgan,  and  Richard  S.  Updike. 

Nathan  Kinsey  delivered  the  first  load  of  lumber  in  Tremont  for 
the  first  house,  which  was  Col.  Chas.  Oakley's,  and  Josiah  Matthews 
completed  the  first  house.  The  old  county  buildings  still  stand,  and 
are  owned  by  the  town.  The  court-house  was  used  for  a  number  of 
years  as  a  high-school  building,  and  many  of  the  men  and  women 


654  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 

who  are  to-day  actively  engaged  at  various  callings  throughout  the 
county,  received  much  of  their  education  in  attendance  upon  the 
the  Tremont  High  School. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  this  township  who  are  now  living,  is 
Martha  S.  Sawyer,  wife  of  Rees  Sawyer.  They  came  in  1835,  and 
she  has  lived  here  ever  since.  Mrs.  Sawyer  was  born  in  1801,  and 
during  the  past  winter  spun  twelve  knots  in  a  day.  She  walks  to 
town,  a  distance  of  seven  miles,  and  returns,  apparently  without 
much  fatigue. 

Capps  &  Wisler  have  a  grist-mill  on  the  Mackinaw,  in  this  town, 
on  section  26.  This  is  a  new  mill,  and  has  three  run  of  burrs,  two 
for  wheat  and  one  for  corn.  The  mill  that  formerly  stood  here  was 
destroyed  by  fire  in  the  fall  of  1878. 

Phillips  Bros,  have  a  saw-mill  on  the  Mackinaw,  on  the  line  be- 
tween Hopedale  and  Tremont  townships,  on  sec.  3  of  the  former  and 
34  of  the  latter.  They  have  good  facilities  and  are  doing  a  good 
business.  They  have  a  twenty  horse-power  engine,  and  a  capacity 
of  turning  out  4,500  feet  of  lumber  per  day. 

Before  closing  this  sketch  of  Tremont  we  wish  to  speak  person- 
ally of  some  of  the  leading  citizens.  We  would  call  attention  to 
the  following : 

Charles  A.  Bowyer,  son  of  Engle  and  Mary  Bowyer,  was  born  in 
Cullpepper  Co.,  Va.,  Oct.  31,  1822.  In  Dec.,  1845,  he  moved  to 
Tazewell  Co.,  and  is  farmer  on  sec.  12.  He  has  served  in  the 
important  position  of  Justice  of  the  Peace.  Oct.  29,  1846,  he  was 
married,  and  is  the  father  of  seven  children.  Politically  he  is  a 
Democrat. 

John  Boyle  is  an  old  resident  of  this  county,  having  come  here  in 
December,  1835,  when  he  was  a  small  boy.  His  father,  John 
Boyle,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  while  his  mother,  Sarah  Green,  was 
a  Virginian.  They  were  residing  in  Henderson  Co.,  Ky.,  in  1830, 
when  their  son  John  Avas  born  to  them.  He  is  engaged  in  farming 
on  section  23.  He  was  married  to  Sarah  Miars,  on  the  23d  of  Sept., 
1856.  Their  children  number  six,  wearing  the  following  names: 
Mary,  Martin,  Fannie,  Charles,  Martha  and  Archie.  Twenty-one 
years  ago  Mr.  B.  made  a  profession  of  religion  and  is  connected 
with  the  Christian  Church  at  Mackinaw.  He  votes  the  Democratic 
ticket.     Post-office,  Mackinaw. 

Wileam  Buchele  is  a  native  of  Baden,  Germany,  where  he  was 
born  in  1841.  His  parents  were  Hieronymus,  and  Frances  (Jager) 
Buchele.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1865.  He  has  a  bakery, 
grocery,  and  confectionary  in  the  village  of  Tremont.  He  served, 
during  the  war,  in  the  8th  111.  Infantry,  in  Co.  I.  Mr.  B.  was  uni- 
ted in  marriage,  Feb.  11,  1866,  to  Josephine  Brellesaner.     She  has 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  655 

borne  him  five  children  —  Henry,  William,  August,  Josephine, 
Mary,  Francis.     Mr.  B.  is  a  Catholic. 

Fred  Capps,  miller,  was  born  in  Germany  in  1842.  His  parents, 
August  and  Fridrike  (Trieka)  Capps,  were  also  natives  of  Germany. 
Mr.  C.  attended  the  High  Schools  of  Germany  and  finished  his 
edu<^ation  in  Wisconsin,  When  the  Rebellion  first  broke  out  he 
took  up  arms  to  defend  the  Government  of  his  adopted  country. 
He  enlisted  in  company  H,  7th  111.  Infantry,  in  December,  1861, 
and  re-enlisted  in  1863  as  a  veteran.  He  accompanied  Sherman's 
army  on  the  march  to  the  sea.  December  26,  1866,  he  was  married 
to  Minnie  Brown.  Charlie,  Minnie  and  Freddie  are  their  children. 
Mr.  C.  resides  on  sec.  26,  and  is  carrying  on  a  milling  business  on 
the  Mackinaw.     He  is  a  Democrat.     Post-office,  Mackinaw. 

Milo  Dalbey  is  a  son  of  John,  and  Clara  (Gard)  Dalbey.  Mr. 
Dalbey  was  born  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  Jan.  23,  1843,  and  was 
brought  to  this  county  the  following  year.  He  resides  on  sec,  34, 
and  is  engaged  in  farming.  He  served  during  the  Rebellion  in  Co. 
E,  3d  111.  Cavalry.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  turned  his  attention 
to  domestic  affairs,  and  was  united  in  marriage,  March  8,  1865,  to 
Miss  Margaret  Davis,  Avho  has  borne  him  seven  children,  as  follows 
—  Ira,  George,  Clara,  Seborn,  Henry,  Idila,  and  Milo.  Post-office, 
Tremont. 

Aquilla  J.  Bavis  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  county.  His  par- 
ents, Hezekiah  and  Sarah  T.  (Scott)  Davis,  came  to  this  county  in 
an  early  day.  Aquilla  J.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in 
this  county,  March  3,  1830.  He  grew  to  manhood  while  his  native 
county  was  being  converted  from  a  wilderness  to  modern  homes. 
When  our  nation  was  in  peril,  Mr.  Davis  went  to  her  defense.  He 
was  mustered  as  second  lieutenant,  Nov.  1,  1861,  in  Co.  H,  11th 
cavalry,  under  Col.  R.  G.  Ingersoll,  and  served  until  Oct.  15,  1865. 
He  was  promoted  to  lieutenant  colonel.  Dec.  24,  1850,  Col.  Davis 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Martha  A.  Gowdy.  They  have 
been  blessed  with  seven  children,  three  boys  and  four  girls,  six  of 
whom  are  now  living.  Col.  Davis'  political  views  accord  with  those 
of  the  Democratic  party.     Post-office  address,  Tremont. 

Thomas  J.  Bavis,  farmer  and  stock  raiser.  Mr.  Davis  is  a  i)io- 
neer  of  this  county,  having  been  born  in  Elm  Grove  township, 
Nov.  23,  1831.  His  parents  were  William  and  Jane  (Eads)  Davis, 
His  flither  was  the  old  hunter,  surveyor  and  early  settler  of  this 
county.  Mr.  D.  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  county. 
As  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  he  has  been  very  successful.  He  was 
married  April  10,  1859,  to  Miss  Susan  Fisher.  Their  children  are 
Sophronia,  William,  Charlie,  Eliza,  Archie,  and  Walter.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican.     Post-office,  Tremont. 

Robert  Sanford  Finks  is  a  son  of  John  and  Wineford  Finks. 
Robert  S.  was  born  in  Culpepper  county,  Va.,  Oct.  5,  1816,  and 
when  18  years  old  went  to  Howard  county.  Mo.  In  the  year  1836 
he  entered  the  State  malitia,  under  General  Clark,  against  the  Mor- 


656  HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

mons.  They  captured  the  leaders,  among  whom  were  Brigham 
Young,  White,  and  others.  They  took  them  to  Richmond,  Mo., 
where  a  compromise  was  made  that  they  should  leave  the  State.  He 
then  went  back  to  Virginia.  After  about  ten  years  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois, and  settled  in  Tazewell  county,  where  he  has  since  remained. 
Mr.  F.  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  an 
intelligent  and  enterprising  citizen.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Lucy  A.  McQueen ;  the  union  has  been  blessed  with  four 
chldren. 

James  F.  Finks  is  a  native  of  Mackinaw  township,  this  county. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Finks  &  Allen,  of  Allentown,  grain 
dealers.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  united  in  marriage,  Feb. 
29,  1872,  to  Miss  Nellie  Franklin;  they  have  one  child,  who  was 
born  May  2,  '73. 

Gustiis  Flegel  is  of  German  parentage,  and  was  born  in  Tazewell 
county,  June  4,  1855,  where  he  received  a  common  school  educa- 
tion. His  parents  are  Christian  and  Willmanda  (Hodgson)  Flegel. 
Gustus  is  engaged  in  farming  on  sec.  23,  Tremont  township,  and 
has  been  quite  successful  financially.  He  has  identified  himself 
with  the  Republican  party.     Post-oifice,  Mackinaw. 

Marks  Goodyear  was  born  June  10,  1809.  Mr.  Goodyear  left 
New  York  on  the  17th  of  Jf.n.,  1837,  for  Illinois,  with  his  family, 
consisting  of  wife  and  three  children.  Their  conveyance  was  a 
wagon  set  on  a  sleigh.  In  this  vehicle  they  traveled  three  hundred 
and  fifty  miles ;  then  there  came  a  thaw  in  which  the  snow  disap- 
peared, the  wheels  were  put  on  the  wagon,  and  they  went  from  Day- 
ton, Ohio,  to  Cincinnati,  over  very  rough  roads,  most  of  the  time  it 
being  very  cold.  Arriving  at  Cincinnati,  they  had  to  wait  a  week 
before  they  could  get  a  boat  down  the  river.  Mr.  G.  says  "  they  had 
a  long,  tedious  voyage ;  the  boat  caught  fire  once,  but  finally  the 
flames  were  extinguished."  He  landed  his  familv  in  Pekin  the  7th 
day  of  March;  he  remained  in  this  township  till  1841,  when  he 
moved  to  sec.  32,  Morton  township,  where  he  now  resides.  Mr. 
Goodyear  was  united  in  marriage,  April  13,  1834,  to  Miss  Eliza 
Hodges.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with  ten  children,  of  whom 
seven  are  living.  Mr.  G.  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 
In  politics  he  acts  with  the  Democratic  party. 

EUsha  Grenard,  farmer,  resides  on  section  23 ;  was  born  in  Indi- ' 
ana  in  1831.  His  parents  are  Elisha  and  Anna  (Reeve)  Grenard. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Indiana,  and  came  to 
this  county  in  1873.  The  18th  of  Oct.,  1855,  is  a  memorable  day 
in  the  history  of  the  life  of  Mr.  Grenard.  Upon  that  day  he  took 
unto  himself  a  wife  in  the  person  of  Joanna  Roll.  Their  children 
number  seven,  all  of  whom  are  living.  Their  names  are  —  John  C, 
Mary  E.,  Elizabeth  J.,  Emma  J.,  Harvey  L.  and  Fred.  E.  Mr.  G. 
is  a  member  of  the  Mackinaw  Methodist  Church.  In  politics  he  is 
identified  with  the  Republican  party.     Post-office,  Mackinaw. 

Daniel  W.  Hammond  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  having 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  657 

been  born  in  Miami  county,  of  that  State,  in  1835.  It  was  there 
his  early  life  was  passed,  and  where  he  gained  his  education,  in 
attendance  upon  the  common  schools.  His  father,  Jonathan  Ham- 
mond, was  a  native  of  the  Green  Mountain  State,  and  his  mother, 
Louisa  Harrington,  was  born  in  the  Empire  State.  In  July,  1843, 
Mr.  H.  was  married  to  Mary  Lance.  The  following  ten  children 
are  the  fruits  of  this  marriage  —  Peter,  Jonathan,  Elizabeth,  Catha- 
rine, John,  George,  Alice,  Annie,  Winficld  and  Belle.  Mr.  H. 
came  to  this  State  in  1840  and  settled  in  Fulton  county,  and  in  1848 
came  to  Tazewell.  He  resides  on  section  23.  Politically  he  is  a 
Democrat.     Post-office,  Mackinaw. 

John  H.  Harris  was  born  in  Bedford,  Westchester  Co.,  N.  Y., 
Oct.  31,  1792.  He  was  the  sou  of  Ezekiel  and  Elizabeth  (Hamil- 
ton) Harris,  natives  of  N.  Y.  His  early  life  was  spent  on  the  farm, 
receiving  a  common  school  education.  In  the  year  1809,  he  went 
to  learn  the  hatter's  trade  with  William  Garretson,  at  Sing  Sing,  N. 
Y. ;  here  he  remained  until  1812,  when  he  went  to  New  York,  from 
there  he  went  to  South  Carolina,  on  Nov.  1,  1812,  to  clerk  for  a 
brother  in  the  hatter's  business.  Mr.  Harris  was  taken  prisoner 
twice  by  the  British  during  the  war  of  1812,  but  was  paroled  both 
times.  Mr.  H,  returned  to  N.  Y.  and  imbarked  in  the  hatter's 
business  for  himself  in  1815,  which  he  continued  until  1833,  when 
he  came  to  111.  to  look  at  the  country,  which  made  a  favorable  im- 
pression on  him.  He  returned  to  N.  Y.  in  1835,  and  helped  to 
form  a  colony  which  afterwards  settled  in  Tremont  township.  Mr. 
Harris  was  made  Treasurer,  Mr.  H.  was  married  to  Miss  Catharine 
Montross,  Dec.  2,  1815.  She  bore  him  four  children  —  Elizabeth, 
Jacob,  Louise  M.,  deceased,  and  John  H.  Mr.  H.  was  again  mar- 
ried, April  3,  1844,  to  Mrs.  Sarah  Holder,  of  Lynn,  Mass.  Post- 
office,  Tremont. 

Henrietta  Jenks  was  born  in  Somerset  Co.,  Maryland  Dec.  20, 
1811.  Her  parents  were  James  and  Elizabeth  (Nelson)  Owens. 
She  came  to  this  county  in  1833,  and  was  united  in  marriage,  Oct. 
29,  1835,  to  George  Jenks.  This  union  was  blessed  with  ten  chil- 
dren. Mrs.  Jenks  resides  on  sec.  5,  Tremont  township,  on  what  is 
known  as  the  Lone  Tree  Farm. 

Jlclcin  P.  Lackland  is  a  son  of  Col.  William  II.  Lackland,  who 
served  three  years  in  the  Civil  war,  and  his  wife,  Cordelia  C.  (War- 
ner) Lackland.  Melvin  P.  was  born  in  Tremont  towniship,  Oct.  12, 
1851.  He  has  received  a  liberel  education,  having  graduated  at  the 
Wesleyan  University,  of  Bloomington,  111.,  with  the  Class  of  '78, 
after  a  five  years'  course.  He  was  President  of  his  class.  He  took 
a  more  extended  course  in  mathematics  than  any  graduate  of  the 
Institution.  Mr.  L.  has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church 
since  Oct.  12,  1872.     Post-offi(!e,  Tremont. 

Levi  R.  Matthews  was  born  in  Ro(!hester,  Vt.,  in  1830.  His  par- 
ents were  Josiah  and  Mariette  (Waters)  Matthews.  He  attended 
the  schools  of  Tazewell  county,  and  finished  his  education  at  Knox 


658  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

College,  Galesburg,  111,  He  was  married  April  30,  1852,  to  Miss  M. 
A.  Sill,  who  has  borne  him  seven  children  —  Mary  L.,  Ellen  M., 
Katie  L.,  Annie  M.,  Levi  E,.,  Grace  L.,  and  Wimfred  L.  Mr. 
Matthews  became  connected,  in  1850,  with  the  Antioch  Christian 
Church.  He  was  a  conductor  on  the  Under-ground  Railroad. 
Post-office,  Tremont. 

Vitilda  May  is  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Malinda  (Wood)  May. 
She  is  a  native  of  Tazewell  county,  having  been  born  here  Sept.  15, 
1358.  She  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  her  native  county.  She 
resides  on  sec.  36.     Post-office,  Mackinaw. 

Samuel  A.  McClure  is  a  native  of  McLean  Co.,  111.,  where  he  was 
born  Feb.  9,  1850.  His  parents  were  Samuel  and  Deliah  J.  (Oren- 
dorff")  McClure.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Logan  Co.,  111.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1858,  and 
now  resides  on  sec.  35,  following  the  occupation  of  farming.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  in  1874,  to  Miss  Mollie  Stout.  They  are 
the  parents  of  three  children  —  Lillian  E.,  Maudie  J.,  and  Lourin. 
Mr.  McClure  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Post-office, 
Mackinaw. 

Samuel  R.  Saltonstall,  M.D.  Dr.  S.  is  one  of  the  solid  men  of 
this  county.  He  was  born  in  Scott  Co.,  Ky.,  Aug.  31,  1818,  and 
came  to  this  county  in  1839.  Dr.  S.  attended  the  schools  of  his 
native  State  and  finished  his  education  at  the  St.  Louis  University, 
where  he  received  the  degree  of  M.D.  Dr.  Saltonstall  has  repre- 
sented this  district  in  the  State  Legislature  three  terms,  which  fact 
speaks  of  his  ability  in  much  higher  terms  than  we  can  find  words 
to  express  it.  He  has  also  represented  the  township  in  the  Board 
of  Supervisors.  Dr.  S.  was  united  in  marriage,  Dec.  3,  1840,  to 
Elizabeth  C.  Harris.  They  have  been  blessed  with  three  children 
—  Nathaniel  M.,  born  Sept.  20,  1841,  by  occupation  a  stock  raiser; 
Hamilton  H.,  born  Sept.  14,  1843,  died  March  28,  1868,  was  a  law- 
yer by  profession;  Kate,  born  March  5,  1848.  Politically  Dr.  Sal- 
tonstall is  a  Democrat.     Post-office,  Tremont. 

Thomas  S.  Shaw  is  a  native  of  Ky.,  in  which  State  he  was  born, 
Dec.  31,  1832.  His  parents  were  AVilliam  and  Alice  (Nesbit)  Shaw. 
Mr.  Shaw  came  to  this  county  in  1865,  and  became  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock  raising,  in  which  he  has  been  quite  successful. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  June  3,  1861,  to  Miss  I^orena  C.  Marrs; 
they  are  the  parents  of  three  children.  Mr.  S.  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Church.     In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.     P.O.,  Tremont. 

James  B.  Sterling  was  born  in  East  Tennessee,  Oct.  11,  1827. 
His  parents  were  William  and  Jane  (Lackland)  Sterling.  Mr. 
Sterling  came  to  this  county  when  but  four  years  old.  He  is  a 
farmer  on  sec.  17,  in  which  calling  he  has  been  quite  successful. 
Mr.  Sterling  was  united  in  marriage  Feb.  1,  1856,  to  Miss  Mary  J. 
Shepherd.  His  father  was  born  in  McMinn  Co.,  Tenn.,  in  1800, 
and  came  to  this  State  in  1830,  and  stopped  in  Sangamon  county 
and  put  in  a  crop  and  came  to  Tremont  in  September  and  settled  on 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  659 

the  place  he  now  owns.  He  had  nothing  but  one  horse  and  a 
wagon.  His  horse  strayed  away  from  him  leaving  him  without  any 
horse.  Then  the  deep  snow  came  and  his  family  saw  no  persons 
except  the  family  that  came  with  him,  which  was  Mr.  Broyhill's,  for 
two  months.  They  killed  eleven  deer,  which  furnished  meat,  and 
they  lived  on  deer  and  hominy.  They  could  get  no  flour.  They 
got' out  of  corn  and  went  to  the  nearest  settlement,  which  was  three 
miles  away,  to  get  some  corn  to  make  hominy.  It  took  all  day  to 
gather  10  bushels  of  corn  and  four  horses  to  haul  it  home. 

Peter  Speece,  farmer ;  is  the  son  of  Peter  and  Sarah  (Princehouse) 
Speece,  Virginians.  He  was  born  to  them  in  1824,  while  they  were 
living  in  Champaign  county,  Ohio.  In  the  common  schools  of  that 
State  he  received  his  education.  At  the  age  of  twenty  (Sept.  1, 
1844),  he  was  married  to  Tliamer  Swiger,  who  has  borne  him  seven 
children,  all  of  whom  live.  Their  names  are  Washington,  Martha 
A.,  Mary  E.,  "William,  Elizabeth,  Edward,  and  Thomas  T.  Mrs. 
S.  came  to  this  State  from  Ohio  in  1850,  and  settled  in  Sangamon 
county,  where  he  made  a  farm.  In  1865  he  came  to  Tazewell  county. 
In  1863  he  made  a  profession  of  his  faith  in  Christ,  and  united  with 
the  Christian  Church.  He  is  connected  with  the  Concord  Congre- 
gation in  Hopedale  township.  Politics,  Democratic.  Post-office, 
Tremont. 

Wtlliam  D,  -S/je/T7/ was  born  in  Onondago  county,  N.  Y.,  Sept,  10, 
1831.  His  father,  Aurelius  Sperry,  was  born  in  New  Haven,  Conn., 
in  1800,  and  came  to  Tazewell  county  in  1849.  He  was  Deacon  in 
the  Baptist  Church  at  Tremont  for  many  years  and  held  the  position 
at  the  time  of  his  death.  His  mother,  Julia  Mandiville,  was  born 
in  Middlebury,  Conn.,  in  1804.  She  is  now  living.  William's 
grandmother  died  in  1877.  She  was  born  in  New  Haven,  Conn., 
in  1780.  On  the  4th  day  of  July,  1877,  at  a  picnic,  this  old  lady 
was  present  and  had  grcat-great-grandc^hildren  with  her.  They 
were  the  children  of  William  S.  Russell.  The  younger  nearly 
three  years  of  age.  These  children  had  eleven  grand  and  great- 
grand  and  great-great-grandparents  living.  Mr.  Sperry  resides  on 
sec.  10,  and  is  engaged  in  farming.  He  formerly  worked  at  the 
cooper's  trade.  He  has  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
eight  years.  In  1853,  Jan.  11,  he  was  married  to  Anna  Dean. 
Ella,  Eugene,  Adelbert,  and  Elmer  E.,  are  the  names  of  their  four 
children.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Tremont  Baptist  Church.  In 
politics,  a  Republican.     Post-office,  Tremont. 

Henry  L.  Trout.  One  of  the  many  young  men  who  were  born  in 
Tazewell  county ;  who  have  grown  u]>,  educated  and  married  here, 
and  who  have  identified  themselves  with  the  interests  of  their  native 
place,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Henry  L.  Trout.  His  parents 
were  Matthias  and  Mary  (Ireland)  Trout,  of  Tennessee.  He  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  and  Tremont  High  School.  He  is 
engaged  in  farming  on  section  15.  October  15,  1874,  he  was  joined 
with  Elizabeth  Owens  in  holy  matrimony.     Mrs.  Trout  is  also  a 


660  HISTORY   OP   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

native  of  this  county.  They  have  a  little  girl,  Gertrude,  who  was 
born  March  5,  1876.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  Post-office 
address,  Tremont. 

Mrs.  Minnie  E.  Trout,  wife  of  the  late  William  H.  Trout,  a  stock 
dealer,  which  business  he  carried  on  successfully  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  Dec.  14,  1872,  after  a  brief  illness  of  thirty  hours. 
Mrs.  Trout  was  born  in  Lorain  Co.,  Ohio,  April  23,  1839.  Her 
parents  were  Libeus  and  Anna  (Bliss)  Sperry.  She  was  wedded 
to  William  H.  Trout  April  18,  1861  ;  they  have  had  two  sons  — 
Zenas  A.,  born  Sept.  7,  1862,  died  July  7,  1867;  and  Frederick  H. 
Trout,  born  June  5,  1864.  Mrs.  Trout  united  herself  with  the 
Methodist  Church  in  1859.     Post-office,  Tremont. 

Dc  Witt  C.  Warner.  In  the  dark  days  of  the  Rebellion  Mr.  War- 
ner came  forward  and  enlisted,  Aug.  14,  1862,  in  Co.  A.  108th  111. 
Vol.  He  had  the  misfortune  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
at  Price's  Cross  Poads,  on  ths  12th  day  of  June,  1864.  He  was 
taken  to  Andersonville  prison,  where  he  was  confined  for  five  long 
months  and  eight  days,  sufficing  terribly  the  pangs  of  hunger,  his 
rations  being  a  half  pint  each  of  beans  and  corn  meal  per  day,  and  a 
tea-spoonful  of  salt  once  a  week. 

Fredrick  W.  Warner  is  a  son  of  Hiram  and  Phebe  Warner.  He 
was  born  in  Tremont,  this  county,  Dec.  24,  1854,  and  was  educated 
in  the  schools  of  his  native  county.  He  chose  the  pursuit  of  farm- 
ing, in  which  he  has  been  quite  successful.  Mr.  W.  was  joined  in 
marriage,  Aug.  13,  1875,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  J.  Williamson, 

Jesse  Wilso7i,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  this  county,  having  been  born 
in  Tremont  township.  His  parents  are  Edward  and  Mary  Wilson. 
Mr.  Edward  Wilson  is  a  very  large  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  and  is 
the  owner  of  1800  acres  of  land.     Post-office,  Mackinaw. 

3fary  Wilson  was  born  in  Montgomery  Co.,  Tcnn,,  in  1829.  Her 
parents  were  John  Allensworth  and  Rebecca  Shankliu,  his  wife. 
She  came  to  this  county  in  1834.  She  was  united  in  marriage  Feb. 
3,  1846,  to  Henry  Wilson.  She  is  the  mother  of  seven  children  — 
Edward  S.,  Sarah  E.,  Benjamin  F.,  Susan  E.,  William  S.,  Jesse  S,, 
and  John  L.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Hopedale  Christian  Church. 
Post-office,  Mackinaw. 

Alexander  Wynd,  grocer  and  farmer,  Tremont,  was  born  in  Dun- 
dee, Scotland,  June  18,  1808.  His  parents,  Robert  and  Margaret 
(Constable)  Wynd,  were  Scottish  people.  Young  Alexander  was 
apprenticed  to  the  bakery  trade  to  Margaret  Proctor,  of  Dundee, 
then  worked  in  London  two  years,  and  shortly  afterwards  sailed  for 
America,  landing  in  New  York  in  1830.  He  remained  in  that  city 
for  a  number  of  years,  when  he  went  to  New  Orleans,  and  in  1839 
came  to  this  county,  and  engaged  in  mercantile  life.  He  received  a 
good  common-school  education  in  Scotland.  In  1844,  May  27,  he 
united  his  fortunes  with  those  of  Frances  E.  Clement,  a  native  of 
France.  Their  children  numbered  ten,  six  of  whom  are  living  — 
Margaret,  John  C,  Augustus  P.,  Frances,  Freeman  and  Genevieve. 
Religiously  he  is  a  Presbyterian ;  politically,  Democrat. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  661 

Henry  C,  Vaicter,  farmer,  sec.  27,  post-office,  Tremont.  He  is  a 
son  of  J.  D.  and  Sarah  (Foster)  Vawter.  He  was  born  in  Ky., 
April  4,  1838,  and  came  to  this  connty  when  bnt  nine  years  old. 
Was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  adopted  State  and  county. 
He  has  been  a  consistent  member  of  the  Christian  Church  since 
1858.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  L.  Davis,  Sept.  7, 
1866.  They  have  been  blessed  with  three  children  — Oliver,  Sarah 
L.,  and  Henry  L. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  served  the  townshi])  in  official  ca- 
pacities since  its  organization : 

SUPERVISORS. 

R.  W.  Britrgs 1850  Peter  Menard ISOG 

John  M.  Bush 1851-52       Edward  Allen 1S67 

James  K.  Kellogg 1853-54      Stephen  Stout. 1868-71 

Charles  Emerson 1855  A.J.  Davis 1872-73 

James  J.  Kellogg 1856-59       Edward  Pratt 187-1 

Samuel  R.  Saltonstall 1860-61      S.  C.  Hobart 1875-79 

Edward  Allen 1863-65 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

David  Roberts 1854-58       James  E.  Phillips 1867 

H  R  Brown 1859  David  Roberts 1868-69 

Robert  Wvnet,  Jr 1860  W.  Hayward 1870-71 

James  E.  Phillips 1861  J.  C.  Wynd 1872-73 

C.  G.  Rowland 1863  A.  J.  Davis 1874 

John  Ingalls 1864  W.  Hayward 1875 

Stei^hen  Stout 1865  James  Pons 1876-77 

L.  M.  Hobart 1866  W.  Hayward 1878 

ASSESSORS. 

John  Stiles 1854  Samuel  G.  Russell 1866 

A.  Stockwell 1855  E.  L.  Case 1867 

John  Stiles 1856-59  Simeon  Norman 1868-69 

David  Eaton 1860-61  Stephen  Stout 1870 

Stephen  Stout 1863  C.  M.  Broyhill 1871 

Edward  L.  Case 1864  C.  W.  Clark 1872 

AlfredLowell 1865  Justin  S.  Armstrong 1873-78 

COLLECTORS. 

Richard  Oliver 1854  R.Oliver 1867 

J  W.Howard 1855  W.B.Armstrong 1868 

Richar.l  Oliver 1856-59  R.  L.  Rvant 1869-70 

Emerv  Warner. I860  S.  H.  Quinn 1871-72 

Stephen  Stout 1861  W.  W.  Stiles 1873-,4 

Gilson  Hok'omb 1863  Richard  Oliver 18/o-/b 

James  Pettijohn 1864  Wm.  H.  Harris 1877-78 

Justin  Armstrong 1865-66 


662  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 

The  first  settler  in  Washington  township  was  William  Holland, 
Sen.,  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  and  who  emigrated  from  that  State, 
and  settled  in  Edwardsville,  Madison  county.  111.,  in  1815.  He 
remained  there  for  three  years,  when  he  removed  to  Sangamon  Co., 
and  after  two  years  residence  there  moved  to  Peoria,  then  Fort 
Clark,  in  the  spring  of  1820.  He  crossed  the  river  to  the  flats, 
now  Fond  du  Lac  township,  and  occupied  an  old  shanty.  Here  he 
raised  a  crop  during  the  summer  of  the  same  year.  He  cut  logs, 
which  he  hauled  across  the  river  and  erected  a  double  log  cabin. 
This  was  the  second  dwelling  built  in  Peoria.  Prior  to  his  settling 
in  Peoria,  and  during  his  residence  in  Sangamon,  he  was  employed 
by  a  man  named  Cramer,  who  had  contracts  with  the  Government 
to  do  blacksmithing  for  the  Indians.  But  completing  the  erection 
of  his  abode,  he,  himself,  formed  negotiations  with  the  Government, 
and  commenced  at  his  trade,  blacksmithing.  In  the  spring  of  1825, 
he  came  to  this  township,  and  built  a  log  house  on  section  23,  and 
on  the  present  site  of  A.  G.  Danforth's  residence.  Here  the  family 
were  surrounded  by  a  dense  wilderness,  and  were  the  only  white 
occupants  of  this  township  until  1826.  Holland  commenced  im- 
proving a  farm  on  sec.  24,  town  26,  range  3,  just  east  of  the  town 
of  Washington,  and  embracing  a  part  of  the  Holland,  Dorsey,  Wal- 
than  and  Robinson  addition  to  the  town.  His  nearest  neighbors 
were  located  on  Farm  creek,  three  miles  east  of  Peoria,  where  the 
first  settlement  was  made  in  this  section.  Amono'  them  were  Wm. 
Blanchard,  Elza  Bethard,  Jack  Phillips,  and  his  son  William,  Aus- 
tin and  Horace  Crocker,  and  Thomas  Camlin,  whose  cabin  was 
located  nearest  Holland's  Gove.  There  are  others,  the  exact  data  of 
whose  coming  seems  quite  impossible  to  determine.  In  1824  Jacob 
Wilson,  Sr.,  Joshua  Walker,  Thomas  Banks,  and  Elisha  Green,  all 
settled  on  Farm  creek.  Cyrus  J.  Gibson  followed  in  1830,  and 
Thomas  Trimble,  whose  sons  are  now  prominent  among  the  residents 
of  Washington  City,  settled  there  in  1834.  William  Thompson,  a 
native  of  Indiana,  came  in  1826,  and  settled  on  the  farm  now  occu- 
pied by  John  Johnson  and  made  some  improvements.  The  same 
year  William  Weeks  came  from  Indiana,  and  settled  on  the  present 
estate  of  Peter  Portman,  where  he  erected  a  rude  habitation,  which 
has  since  given  place  to  the  fine  residence  of  its  owner.  In  the  fall 
of  the  same  year,  John  Redman,  also  from  Indiana,  settled  near  the 
farm  of  'Squire  Baker. 

These  four  families  were  the  only  white  inhabitants  in  this  town- 
ship until  1827,  when  Ira  Crosby,  of  New  York,  located  on  the 
place  now  occupied  by  James  R.  Crane.  George  Burrow,  of  Ten- 
nessee, came  in  the  same  year,  and  settled  on  the  Peter  P.  Scott  farm, 
and  James  Holland,  a  brother  of  William  Holland,  Sen.,  from 
North  Carolina,  made  a  temporary  location,  but  removed  to  Macou- 
pin Co.     In  1828,  James  Harvey,  father  of  Wesley  B.  Harvey,  came 


^^^3. 


.s^^^^  ■ 


L/(oeceASEo) 


HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL  COFNTY.  665 

and  purchased  the  Benjamin  Kindig  farm,  where  he  lived  until 
1834,  when  he  removed  to  Groveland,  where  he  died  in  1859.  In 
1829,  George  Burrow  and  Peter  P.  Scott  added  their  number  to  the 
little  community.  In  the  spring  of  1880,  William  Heath  located 
in  AVrenn's  Grove,  also  a  man  named  Pearl,  made  a  temporary  lo- 
cation in  this  vicinity.  The  same  year  James  McClure  settled  on 
the  present  farm  of  Orin  Castle,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  in 
1858.  His  son,  Hamilton,  is  still  a  resident  of  this  townshij). 
William  and  Walter  Berket,  of  Lancashire,  Eng.,  and  John  Low- 
man,  from  Indiana,  came  in  1831,  and  located  west  of  the  city, 
where  they  are  still  living.  Their  heads  are  silvered  by  the  frosted 
tooth  of  Time.  These  worthy  pilgrims  are  numbered  among  the 
few  living  pioneers.  The  same  year  Reuben  Bandy,  a  Kentuckian, 
came  and  located  on  the  claim  made  by  Ira  Crosby ;  Abarham  Van 
Meter,  from  the  same  State,  settled  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by 
Adam  M.  Switzer,  and  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  in  1868.  In 
the  fall  of  the  same  year.  Rev.  Nathan  Curtis,  a  Methodist  minister, 
located  on  the  present  farm  of  W.  T.  Higgins.  Several  of  his  chil- 
dren are  still  residents  of  the  township.  Col.  Ben.  Mitchell,  a  Vir- 
ginian, settled  in  Wrenn's  Grove,  and  opened  the  present  farm  of 
Wade  T.  Wrenn.  He  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1834,  and 
to  the  State  Senate  in  1836,  and  was  succeeded  in  this  position  by 
Major  R.  N.  CuUom.  He  died  at  his  home  in  1840.  In  1832,  the 
settlements  became  numerous.  Among  the  arrivals  of  that  year, 
were  Elias  Slaughter  and  Philip  Varble,  from  Kentucky,  Thomas 
and  Jonathan  Reed,  from  Indiana,  and  John  Mincli.  The  last  two 
named  located  on  their  present  estates. 

With  the  coming  of  the  spring  and  summer  months  of  1833, 
there  came  a  general  rush  of  immigrants,  and  ere  the  first  snows  of 
winter  fell,  the  whole  of  the  timbered  sections  of  the  township  were 
nterspersed  with  cal)ins  and  settlers.  A  large  ])ortion  of  the  lands 
bearing  timber,  and  the  smaller  groves,  were  claimed,  if  not  occu- 
pied, while  the  prairie,  for  most  part,  was  left  untouched  and  un- 
sought. The  })rairie  land  was  regarded  as  Avorthless  for  purposes  of 
agriculture,  and  considered  a  useless  waste.  There  were  hundreds 
of  men  w^ho  believed  it  would  never  be  occupied.  If  any  of  the 
settlers  at  that  time  had  located  on  the  prairie  he  would  have  been 
regarded  as  extremely  visionary,  if  not  absolutely  crazy.  Of  those 
whose  names  appear  among  the  early  pilgrims,  many  removed  from 
the  township  ere  many  years  had  flown  ;  others  followed  from  year 
to  year,  in  other  localities;  others  have  passed  to  the  Shining  Shore 
of  the  Beautiful  River,  while  many  others  still  remain  in  the  en- 
joyment of  the  homes  of  their  industry,  endurance,  and  enterprise ; 
fashioned  and  founded  in  the  beautiful  lands  of  Washington.  The 
surroundings  of  piom^er  life  arc  well  calculated  to  test  the  true  in- 
wardness of  the  human  heart,  and  the  trials,  sufferings,  and  endur- 
ance, incident  to  the  founding  and  building  of  homes,  unite  them  in 
the  strongest  and  deepest  feelings  of  friendship,   that  grows  and 


666  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

strengthens  with  their  years.  Raven  locks  may  bk'ach  and  whiten ; 
full  round  cheeks  wither  and  waste  away ;  the  fires  of  intelligence 
vanish  from  the  organs  of  vision  ;  the  brow  become  wrinkled  with 
care  and  age,  and  the  erect  form  bowed  with  accumulating  years, 
but  the  true  friends  of  long  ago  will  be  remembered  as  long  as  life 
and  reason  endure. 

The  oldest  living  settler  of  this  township  is  Lawson  Holland, 
eldest  son  of  William  Holland,  Sr.,  who  was  born  in  Lincoln  Co., 
N.  C,  in  1812,  and  came  to  this  county  with  his  parents.  From 
him  we  gather  many  incidents  connected  with  the  early  settlement 
of  the  township.  He  was  married  in  Oct.,  1833,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Bandy,  daughter  of  Reuben  Bandy,  who  came  from  Kentucky  in 
1831,  and  bought  out  the  claim  of  Ira  Crosby.  They  were  married 
by  Rev.  Nathan  Curtis,  a  Methodist  minister.  This  was  the  fourth 
marriage  in  the  township.  The  first  in  the  neighborhood  was  in 
1828,  between  James  Hendricks  and  Miss  Sallie  Redman,  daughter 
of  John  Redman,  They  were  united  by  Daniel  Meek,  Justice  of 
the  Peace  and  resident  of  Waterloo.  The  same  day  Terrill  Hall 
was  married  to  Miss  Jane  Redman,  second  daughter  of  John  Red- 
man. The  first  funeral  was  that  of  a  child  of  Plenson  Thomas. 
It  was  buried  in  the  graveyard  on  the  'Squire  Baker  farm.  The 
first  death  of  an  adult  was  a  Mr.  Pembrock,  a  stranger,  who  had 
stopped  at  the  residence  of  William  Heath,  where  he  died.  He  Avas 
also  laid  away  in  the  same  grounds.  The  first  physician  was  Dr. 
Goodwin,  who  came  from  Vermont  in  1832,  where  he  was  a  student 
with  the  late  Dr.  G.  P.  Wood,  and  with  whom  he  associated  a  busi- 
ness relation  in  1835,  in  this  city.  They  were  the  originators  of 
Goodwin  &  Wood's  addition  to  Washington.  He  is  now  a  resident 
of  Kendall  Co.,  111.  James  Huggins,  of  North  Carolina,  came  in 
1833.  Jle  learned  wagon-making  in  the  same  shop  in  which  Hol- 
land worked  at  blacksmithing.  He  engaged  in  the  practice  of  med- 
icine until  1859,  Avhen  he  removed  to  Peoria,  where  he  died  in  1870. 
In  1834,  Joseph  Kelso  and  George  D.  Gibson  came  in,  and  are  all 
of  the  living  relics  of  that  date.  In  1835,  Anthony  Field,  deceased, 
came  in  and  located  on  sec.  34,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  in 
1878.  His  widow  still  occupies  the  homestead.  Thos.  Cress  came 
in  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  and  has  secured  an  impregnable  j)osi- 
tion  in  the  public  history  of  this  township,  having  beeuelected  Col- 
lector twenty-four  consecutive  years. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  near  Wm.  Holland's  hut  in  the 
winter  of  1827-28.  It  was  built  of  logs  and  was  16  by  18  feet. 
The  writing  desks  and  seats  were  made  of  split  logs,  and  it  was 
lighted  by  sawing  an  aperture  out  of  each  end  of  one  log,  over 
which  was  pasted  greased  paper.  This  ancient  and  somewhat  unique 
style  of  windows  served  to  keep  out  the  wind  and  admitted  some 
light.  The  school  was  a  subscription  school  and  Avas  taught  by 
George  H.  Shaw,  now  a  resident  of  Shaw's  Grove,  who  was  travel- 
ing through  the  country,  and  stopped  over  night  with  Wm.  Hoi- 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  667 

land,  Sr.  He  was  satisfied  to  receive,  as  oonipcnsation,  his  board, 
washing  and  horse  feed.  The  second  school  was  taught  by  Eli  Red- 
man, in  the  house  built  by  William  Weeks  as  a  residence,  on  the 
Portman  place  in  the  winter  of  1828-29.  In  the  spring  and  sum- 
mer of  1829  or  1830  school  was  taught  by  Miss  Elizabe'rh  Wathon, 
a  native  of  Kentucky.  It  was  taught  in  a  building  which  at  that 
time  was  erected  near  the  site  of  the  old  Methodist  Church.  It  has 
since  gone  to  decay.  Chas.  S.  Dorscy,  who  came  from  Kentucky  in 
1831,  erected  the  third  building  in  the  townshi])  and  the  first  on  the 
present  site  of  Washington  city,  in  1834.  It  was  built  of  logs,  and 
near  the  present  site  of  Kingsbury  &  Snyder's  store.  It  was  occu- 
pied by  Dorsey,  who  had  the  honor  of  exhibiting  the  first  stock  of 
goods  for  sale  in  the  city.  The  first  frame  building  was  erected  by 
Jehu  Lindley,  on  the  present  site  of  Long's  wagon  manufactory, 
where  he  also  opened  a  store,  and  was,  for  some  years,  a  pioneer 
merchant.  The  following  year  he  built  the  premises  noAv  occupied 
by  Thomas  Handsacker,  as  the  office  of  the  Washington  Herald. 
It  was  used  by  Lindsey  as  a  store-house.  The  caqienter  work  was 
done  by  L.  J.  Smith,  a  native  of  Virginia,  who  settled  in  Washing- 
ton in  1834,  and  performed  the  first  carpenter  wark  in  this  cit!y, 
where  he  died  in  1844.  His  son,  Robert,  came  with  his  father  aiid 
is  a  resident  of  the  city.  Other  authorities  say  the  first  frame  build- 
ing erected  in  the  town  is  still  standing  opposite  the  present  resi- 
dence of  Mr.  Buckley,  and  is  called  the  Gorin  House.  Be  this  as 
it  may,  we  have  positive  information  that  this  building  retains  the 
first  i)lastcring  done  in  the  city.  It  was  originally  owned  by  Ben 
Sickler.  It  has  been  rebuilt,  and  at  the  present  writing  presents  a 
good  appearance.  The  Buckley  mansion,  on  Walnut  street,  nearly 
opposite,  shelters  its  happy  occupants  from  spring  and  autumn  rains,, 
and  the  cold  blasts  of  winter  fail  to  pierce  its  Avalnut  sides.. 

William  Holland,  Sr.,  laid  out  the  original  town  of  Washington 
in  1834,  being  part  of  the  town  lying  east  of  main  street.  The  first 
building  was  erected  on  the  original  town  plat  by  Joseph  Kelso, 
Sr.,  in  1834.  Kelso  and  a  Mr.  AV'agoner  had  purchased  of  Holland 
three  lots  for  ^150  each,  ujmn  one  years  credit.  Much  valuable 
timber  grew  in  front  of  these  lots,  and  in  the  street,  which,  by 
agreement,  the  first  to  build  should  be  entitled  to  use.  The  ques- 
tion was  settled  by  lot,  which  fell  to  Kelso,  wdio  was  also  the  first  of 
the  pioneers  to  open  a  farm  wholly  on  the  prairie.  The  first  hotel 
was  opened  by  Charles  Dorsey  iii  a  two-storv  frame  house,  which 
stood  on  the  lot  now  occupied'  by  Lewis  Tobias  tt  Sons'  hardware 
store.  Jesse  and  James  Oatman  came  in  1835,  and  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business.  The  same  year  Whipple  and  Blair  opened  a 
general  stock  of  goods,  and  a  man  named  Kilebrem,  also  opened  a 
small  store.  Lands  &  Hawks  were  another  firm  added  to  the  busi- 
ness list.  Burton  <fe  Gant  came  in  soon  after,  and  erected  a  store-house 
on  the  corner  of  Peoria  and  Main  sts.,  and  on  the  lot  now  occupied 
by  the  Zinser  Brothers.    Here  they  carried  on  an  extensive  business 


668  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

for  some  years.  Gant  and  Jacob  Wilson  were  the  only  Constables 
between  this  precinct  and  the  boundaries  of  Tremont  and  Peoria, 
including  Hushaw's  Mills,  some  miles  to  the  North.  Grant  is  now 
a  resident  of  Missouri  and  Burton  has  passed  through  the  shadow 
and  valley  to  that  brighter  and  better  land.  Old  man  Pearl,  as  he 
was  usually  called,  was  another  merchant,  who  remained  a  few  years. 
His  whereabouts  is  at  present  unknown  to  any  person  living  in  this 
township.  Prior  to  1885  William  Holland  Sr,,  carried  on  the  only 
blacksmith  shop  in  town,  at  which  time  Brazilla  Allee  built  a  large 
two-story  frame  building  on  Main  street,  now  occupied  by  his 
widow,  Sarah  Allee.  Allee  and  William  Spencer  used  this  building 
as  a  blacksmith  shop  and  wagon  manufactory,  it  being  the  first  place 
in  town  in  which  wagons  were  manufactured.  These  were  primi- 
tive times,  and  the  sight  of  a  wagon  was  hailed  with  much  joy  and 
pleasure,  and  its  possessor  envied  by  all.  Travelling  was  princi- 
pally done  on  horseback,  and  hauling  on  sleds.  Peter  P.  Scott 
opened  a  blacksmith  shop  soon  after  his  arrival.  He  carried  on  his 
trade  here  for  several  years.  Tinware  was  sold  by  the  merchants 
until  1848,  when  Charles  S.  N.  Anthony  became  engaged  in  that 
business. 

William  Holland,  Sr.,  built  the  first  grist-mill  west  of  his  dwell- 
ing, in  1827.  It  was  called  a  band-mill,  and  was  run  by  horse- 
power, a  simple  arrangement  consisting  of  one  large  wheel,  the 
nave  of  which  was  a  log  of  wood  eight  or  ten  feet  long,  hewed 
eight  square,  set  in  a  perpendicular  position,  and  supplied  with 
spokes  or  arms.  The  lower  end  was  secured  by  a  pivot,  on  which 
it  turned  to  another  timber  fastened  in  the  ground,  the  upper  end 
being  secured  in  like  manner.  The  flour  produced  resembled  bran 
or  Graham  flour. 

Lawson  Holland,  Esq.,  has  the  honor  of  manufiicturing  the  first 
flour  made  in  Washington.  It  was  produced  by  breaking  the  wheat 
with  a  pestle  in  a  mortar,  and  sifting  through  a  hand  seive.  The 
mortar  was  made  by  hollowing  out  one  end  of  a  log,  the  other  end 
of  which  rested  firmly  on  the  ground.  The  pestle  was  a  heavy 
piece  of  timber,  the  lower  end  of  which  was  shaped  to  fit  the  exca- 
vation in  the  mortar,  the  upper  end  being  fastened  to  a  spring  pole, 
which  aided  in  raising  the  weight  of  the  pestle.  Near  the  lower  end 
of  this  pestle  were  four  cj-oss  pins  or  handles,  for  the  use  of  the 
operators.  The  hand  seive  was  not  of  the  modern  manufacture,  but 
was  made  by  drawing  a  fawn  skin  tightly  across  a  wooden  hoop, 
and  perforating  it  with  a  red  hot  iron  of  the  size  desired.  Through 
these  holes  the  fine  particles  of  grain  escaped  during  the  shaking 
process.  What  remained  in  the  seive  was  returned  to  the  mortar 
and  repounded  and  sifted  again,  until  all  the  flour  was  separated 
from  the  bran.  The  hand-mill  of  William  Holland,  Sr.,  was  the 
only  kind  of  mill  in  this  section  of  country  until  1836,  when  Wm. 
Kern  erected  a  flouring-mill  on  the  premises  formerly  occupied  by 
Jaquin  as  a  brewery.     It  was  run  by  Jehu  Lindly,  and  proved  a 


HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  6G9 

financial  failure.  A.  Danforth  &  Co.  built  the  next  mill,  in  1845. 
It  was  the  first  brick  builing  erected  in  AVashington.  The  bricks 
used  in  its  structure  were  made  by  Danfijrth.  The  mill  is  now 
being  operated  by  the  Andrews  Brothers,  who  settled  in  AVashinccton 
in  1843. 

RELIGIOUS. 

Methodist  Church. — The  first  religious  society  was  organized  in 
1828,  by  Jesse  Walker,  a  Methodist  preacher.  The  meeting  was 
held  at  William  Holland's  cabin.  His  family  and  that  of  James 
Harvey,  oonstituted  most  of  the  society  at  that  time.  In  1840,  they 
built  the  old  church,  near  the  corner  of  Jefferson  and  Main  streets, 
which  is  now  fast  passing  into  decay.  This  denomination  erected 
their  present  place  of  worship,  on  the  corner  of  Walnut  and  Pine 
streets,  in  1866.  A  complete  history  of  which  we  were  unable  to 
secure  on  account  of  lost  records. 

Christian  Church. — In  1832,  the  Christian  Church  was  organized 
by  Richard  B.  McCorkle,  in  the  school-house  on  the  'Squire  Ba- 
ker farm.  Of  its  members  we  find  R.  B.  Isabelle  and  Eliza  Mc- 
Corkle, James  and  Mary  McClure,  John  and  Martha  Johnson,  Wni. 
Holland,  Sr.,  Peter  and  Catharine  Scott,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Goodwin, 
Rufus  and  Catharine  North,  Levi  and  Mrs.  Moulton,  Josiah  and 
Mrs.  Yager.  The  first  church  building  was  built  of  brick  and  was 
erected  in  1851.  The  congregation  became  too  large  for  it,  and  it 
w^as  sold  to  the  Germans,  and  Nov.  28,  1869,  the  second  edifice  was 
dedicated.  This  was  burned  Feb.  17,  1870;  fire  caused  by  a  defect- 
ive flue.  Another  and  the  third  building  was  erected,  which  was 
dedicated  Aug.  28,  1870,  and  Oct.  29,  1876,  was  burned,  being  set 
on  fire  by  lightning.  The  congregation,  not  disheartened,  erected 
another,  which  was  dedicated  July  29,  1877.  The  congregation  has 
expended,  on  the  several  houses,  about  $32,000.  The  jiresent  mem- 
bership is  about  150.  The  officers  are,  Elders  :  John  Johnson,  Geo. 
Bonurant,  H.  A.  Pallister;  Deacons:  John  Bassett,  Henry  Jewett, 
W.  P.  Thompson,  and  A.  J.  Cress.  The  present  jiastor  is  Elder  J. 
W.  Spriggs.  Those  who  have  preached  regularly  here  are :  R.  B. 
McCorkle,  Wm.  Davenport,  H.  D.  Palmer,  Josiah  Yager,  S.  P. 
Gorin,  J.  J.  Harvey,  John  Lindsey,  O.  A.  Burgess,  A.  G.  Ewing, 
J.  B.  McCorkle,  B.  W.  Johnson,  R.  H.  Johnson,  J.  A.  AValters,  J. 
M.  Allen,  J.  F.  Berry,  D.  R.  Howe,  J.  W.  Allen,  H.  W.  Everest, 
James  Kirk,  G.  W.  Mapes,  A.  P.  Cobb,  and  J.  AY.  Spriggs,  present 
pastor. 

Presbyterian.  The  Presbyterian  Church'  was  organized  on  the 
16th  day  of  Nov.,  1834,  by  Rev.  Father  Bascom  and  Leonard  Fos- 
ter, a  committee  of  the  Presbytery  of  Sangamon,  appointed  fi)r 
the  purpose,  and  upon  the  petition  of  certain  persons  residing  at 
Holland's  Grove.  The  meeting  for  the  organization  was  held  in  the 
store  of  Charles  Dorsey.  The  following  named  persons  united  in 
the  organization :  .Henry  Kice,  Mary  Kice,  John  T.  Tool,  Elizabeth 
40 


670  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 

Tool,  Horace  Blair,  Rebecca  L.  Blair,  Elizabeth  Reid,  Charlotte 
Berghet,  David  Gibson  and  Mary  Gibson.  Of  these  David  Gibson 
and  Horace  Blair  were  elected  Ruling  Elders.  The  congregation 
commenced  the  erection  of  a  church  building  in  1837.  The  frame- 
work was  erected,  but  on  account  of  the  financial  crisis  which  came 
upon  the  county  in  that  year,  was  not  enclosed  until  1842.  It  was 
then  occupied,  but  never  finished.  In  1850  the  old  building  was 
sold  and  a  new  one,  more  suitable  to  the  wants  of  the  congregation, 
was  erected.  In  1871  this  building  was  removed,  and  the  present 
tasteful  edifice  erected  at  a  cost  of  $5,000. 

St.  MarFs  English  Lutheran.  This  congregation  is  a  departure 
or  division  from  the  German  Lutheran  Church  of  this  city,  from 
which  the  prominent  members  came.  It  was  the  custom  in  the  early 
history  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church,  to  have  both  the  English 
and  German  language  preached  each  Sabbath.  But  the  German 
element  being  in  the  majority,  that  congregation  voted  to  exclude 
the  English  language  from  the  pulpit.  A  meeting  of  the  English 
brethren  was  held  April  18,  1875,  and  a  committee  appointed  to 
draw  up  a  constitution  for  its  new  congregation.  This  organization 
was  eft'ccted  at  a  subsequent  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Josiah 
Snyder,  April  26,  1875.  First  officers,  elected  May  2d,  were,  Josiah 
Snyder,  Elder ;  Henry  Mahle  and  T.  L.  Benford,  Deacons ;  Henry 
Denhart,  Eli  Heiple  and  Elias  Benford,  Trustees,  and  Rev.  S.  W. 
Harkey,  Pastor.  Their  meetings,  for  the  first  year,  were  held  at  the 
Baptist  Church.  A  festival,  held  June  12,  1876,  gave  them  net 
proceeds  of  $277,  with  which  the  ladies  of  the  congregation  pur- 
chased the  lot  upon  which  their  beautiful  church  now  stands.  It 
was  contracted  to  be  built  for  |3,700.  It  was  dedicated  Aug. 
26,  1877.  The  entire  cost  of  the  building,  including  the  lot,  was 
$6,500.  Of  this  sum,  $2,600  remained  unpaid,  which  was  provided 
on  the  morning  of  dedication.  The  members  that  united  in  its 
organization  were  T.  L.  Benford,  H.  Mahle,  L.  R.  Harkey,  Edgar 
Benford,  Sarah  Snyder,  Elias  Benford,  Sabella  Mahle,  Minnie  Ben- 
ford, Mary  E.  Benford,  Sojihia  Benford,  Emma  Jones,  Mary  Heiple, 
Amanda  Mahle,  Clara  Denhart,  Frank  Snyder,  Isadore  Burton, 
Anna  Burton,  John  Bradle,  Mary  Bradle,  Sarah  J.  Harlan,  Mary 
F.  Kingsbury  and  Caroline  R.  Kingsbury. 

Baptist. — The  Baptist  organization  was  not  effected  until  1835, 
meetings  being  held  prior  to  that  time  at  Tremout.  Abraham  Van 
Meter  and  wife  and  their  son,  "William  C,  Matthew  and  Martha 
Crane,  and  Mr.  Shermqn  and  wife,  were  of  its  first  members.  The 
minister  officiating  at  its  organization  was  the  Rev.  Thos.  Brown, 
and  of  there  members,  Mrs.  Martha  Crane  only  appears  on  its 
church  roll. 

Catholic. — The  Catholic  church  was  erected  in  1877  at  a  cost  of 
$250,  the  money  being  raised  by  subscription  by  Walter  T.  Berket. 

Ornish  Church,  sec.  20.  This  people,  who  have  organized  under 
the  above  name,  are  a  division  from  the  Mennonites,  and  are  so 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  671 

called  by  its  leader,  Jacob  Armour.  This  Church  was  organized  in 
1866  with  30  or  40  members,  and  the  house  contracted  to  be  built 
for  ^1,500.  Its  size  is  30  by  40,  and  is  68  feet  high,  the  whole  cost 
being  over  |2,000.  Joseph  Stuckey,  from  McLean  Co.,  was  the 
original  mover  in  its  organization,  and  Peter  E.  Stuckey  and  Peter 
Gingrey  were  elected,  in  1868,  by  the  people  to  preach.  Mr.  Stuckey 
was  also  elected  Bishop  in  1875,  and  has  filled  the  pulpit  to  the 
present  time.  The  Church  has  a  membership  of  150  and  is  in  a 
prosperous  condition. 

It  is  quite  impossible  to  secure  records  of  church  organizations, 
together  with  a  history  of  their  growth,  without  the  assistance  of 
those  who  may  have  been  active  or  taken  some  part  in  the  church 
work,  and  the  absence  of  those  not  embraced  in  this  work  is,  in  a 
measure,  due  to  the  indiiference  of  those  to  whom  the  writer  ap- 
pealed for  information.  These  remarks  will  apply  as  well  to  other 
places  in  the  county  as  they  do  to  Washington. 

GENERAL    HISTORY. 

The  first  physician  that  located  in  Washington  was  Dr.  D.  T. 
Goodwin,  who  came  from  Vermont  in  1832,  where  he  was  a  student 
with  the  late  Dr.  G.  P.  Wood,  with  whom  he  shared  a  partnership 
for  some  years.  He  is  still  living  at  Dundee,  111.  Dr.  Wood  came 
from  the  same  State  in  1835,  and  resided  in  this  city  until  his  death 
in  1871,  at  which  time  he  was  a  ])artncr  of  the  late  Dr.  11.  J].  M. 
Wilson,  Dr.  Burton,  from  Kentucky,  came  in  1838,  and  opened 
the  first  drug  store  in  Washington.  He  also  followed  his  profession. 
He  died  in  this  city  in  1859,  leaving  a  large  family,  many  of  whom 
are  still  residents  of  Washington. 

The  first  lawyer  to  secure  a  footing  in  this  community  was 
Thornton  Walker,  a  Virginian.  The  first  constable  elected  was 
Jonathan  Hodge,  of  Stout's  Grove.  James  Harvey  was  the  first 
member  of  the  County  Commissioner's  Court  from  this  township. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Benjamin  Mitchell.  The  first  land  sales  for 
this  district  was  held  at  Springfield,  in  1830  or  1831.  Prior  to  that 
date  no  title  could  be  acquired  to  any  land  in  the  district.  The  set- 
tlers, however,  recognized  the  justice  of  securing  to  each  of  their 
number  the  benefit  of  his  labor,  and  a])pointed  Col.  Benjamin 
Mitchell  Registrar  of  Claims.  By  this  arrangement,  and  the  paying 
of  twenty-five  cents  to  the  Registrar,  each  ai)plicant  secured  the 
registration  of  his  claim,  and  the  right  to  buy  the  land  he  had  im- 
proved, when  it  came  into  the  market.  This  gave  a  value  to  the 
lands  in  the  hands  of  the  holder,  and  also  enabled  the  person  mak- 
ing the  claim  to  sell  and  transfer  it  if  so  desired.  Rough  and  rude 
though  the  surroundings  of  these  pioneers  may  have  been,  they 
were  none  the  less  honest,  sincere,  hospitable,  and  kind  in  their 
social  relations.  It  is  true,  as  a  rule,  there  is  a  greater  degree  of 
peal  humanity  among  the  early  pilgrims  of  any  new  country,  than 


672  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

there  is  when  the  country  becomes  older  and  richer.  If  there  is  an 
absence  of  refinement,  it  is  more  than  compensated  for  in  the  pres- 
ence of  generous  hearts  and  truthful  lives.  They  are  void  of  hy- 
pocrisy themselves,  and  despise  it  in  others.  They  hate  cowardice 
and  sham  of  all  kinds,  and  maintain  and  cultivate  a  sterling  integ- 
rity and  fixedness  of  purpose,  that  seldom  permits  them  to  prostitute 
themselves  to  any  narrow  policy  or  artifice.  Such  were  the  character- 
istics of  the  men  and  women  who  pioneered  the  way  to  the  township 
of  Washington.  Those  who  visited  them  in  their  cabins  in  a  social 
capacity,  or  settled  among  them  as  real  occupants  of  the  soil,  were 
always  welcome  as  long  as  they  proved  themselves  true  men  and 
women.  The  stranger,  who  came  among  them  and  claimed  shelter 
and  food,  was  made  as  welcome  as  one  of  the  household.  To  tender 
them  pay  in  return  for  their  hospitality,  was  only  to  insult  the  bet- 
ter feelings  of  their  nature.  If  a  neighbor  fell  sick  and  needed  care 
and  attention,  the  whole  neighborhood  was  interested.  If  a  cabin 
was  to  be  raised,  every  man  turned  out,  and  oftentimes  the  women, 
too,  and  while  the  men  piled  the  logs  that  fashioned  the  primitive 
dwelling  place,  the  women  prepared  the  dinner.  Sometimes  it  was 
cooked  by  camp  fires  at  the  site  where  the  cabin  was  building.  If 
one  neighbor  killed  a  pig  or  a  deer,  every  other  family  was  sure  to 
receive  a  piece  of  it,  and  a  welcome  remembrance  it  often  proved. 
One  of  the  few  remaining  pioneer  settlers  remarked :  "  In  those 
days  we  were  neighborly  in  a  true  sense.  We  were  all  on  equality. 
AVhat  one  had,  we  all  had.  Aristocratic  feelings  were  unknown, 
and  that  was  the  happiest  period  of  my  life.  But  to-day,  if  you 
lean  against  a  neighbor's  shade-tree,  he  will  charge  you  for  it.  If 
you  are  poor  and  happen  to  fall  sick,  you  may  lie  and  sufter  almost 
unattended,  or  go  the  poor-house,  and  just  as  like  as  not,  the  man 
who  would  report  you  to  the  authorities  as  a  subject  for  county  care, 
would  charge  the  county  for  making  the  report."  This  declaration 
was  not  made  because  the  facts  exist  as  he  put  them,  but  to  show 
the  contrast  between  the  feelings  and  practices  of  the  pioneers  of 
fifty  years  ago,  and  the  people  of  the  present. 

At  a  special  election  held  on  the  2d  of  March,  1878,  to  vote  for 
or  against  organizing  under  the  General  Law,  which  was  carried  by 
a  majority  of  eighty-three  votes.  The  following  city  officers  were 
elected  on  the  16th  of  April,  1878:  Mayor,  Peter  Fifer;  City  Clerk, 
Eli  E.  Heiple ;  City  Attorney,  J.  W.  Dougherty ;  City  Treasurer, 
T.  C.  Sonnemann ;  Meml^er  Board  of  Supervisors,  W.  B.  Hervey ; 
Aldermen  —  1st  Ward,  Henry  Mahle  and  D.  J.  Chaffer;  2d  Ward, 
Lawson  Holland  and  Henry  Denhart ;  3d  Ward,  Ernst  E,app  and 
James  Cameron.     The  first  City  Council  met  April  18,  1878. 

BUSINESS    INTERESTS. 

The  present  business  interests  of  Washington  embrace  the  follow- 
ing firms :  Banking  and  Exchange,  A.  H.  Danforth,  son  of  A.  G. 
Danforth,  who  commenced  banking  in  this  city  at  an  early  day,  and 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  673 

retired  from  active  business  pursuits  in  1871.  This  was  the  first 
bank  in  the  city.  Anthony  &  Denhart  formed  a  partnership  in  '66, 
and  a  few  years  later  opened  their  handsome  brick  banking  house, 
where  they  do  a  general  exchange  business.  Kingsbury  &  Snyder, 
G.  R.  Hornish,  Gibson  &  Parker,  and  the  Stormen  Brothers  are  all 
heavy  dealers  in  Groceries  and  control  a  large  trade.  The  Dry 
Goods  business  is  represented  by  L.  S.  North,  Anthony  &  Denhart, 
and  E.  E.  Hornish,  all  enjoying  a  lucrative  trade.  Heiplc  &  Port- 
man,  both  honored  sons  of  Eli  Heiple  and  Peter  Portman,  and  pre- 
senting the  dash  of  business  qualifications,  are  doing  an  extensive 
business  in  Clothing  and  Gents'  Furnishing  Goods.  T.  C.  Sonne- 
mann,  who  erected  the  fine  store  he  now  occupies,  in  1870,  controls 
the  bulk  of  trade  in  the  Hardware  business.  Lewis  Tobias  &  Son 
also  have  a  small  stock  of  hardware,  but  deal  considerably  in  stoves. 
Israel  Zinser  and  A.  Alphonso,  Druggists,  are  both  doing  a  pros- 
perous trade.  The  Zinser  Brothers  are  extensive  dealers  in  Stoves 
and  Hardware,  and  occupy  the  oldest  business  premises  in  the  city. 
The  daily  and  weekly  papers  may  be  found  at  the  post-office.  Chas. 
A.  Crane,  Postmaster,  is  a  social  man  and  always  at  his  post  of  duty. 
Jas.  A.  Crane  has  an  office  in  the  same  building,  and  carries  on  a 
general  Brokerage.  Mrs.  Ho]ikins  responds  to  the  call  for  spring 
and  winter  bonnets,  and  supplies  the  trade  in  Millinery.  William 
F.  Roehm  is  an  enterprising  German  in  the  Boot  and  Shoe  trade. 
Eli  E.  Heiple,  Peter  Fifer  and  Henry  Mahle  are  extensive  dealers 
in  Grain  and  Produce.  J.  W.  Dougherty,  educated  under  his  own 
tuition,  and  tiirough  his  energy  and  perseverance,  has  represented 
Washington  city  as  Attorney  for  several  years.  Henry  Harms  has  a 
Meat  Market  on  North  Main  street.  Uncle  Jacob  Wilson  repre- 
sents the  Livery  business,  and  George  F.  Tobias  is  a  rising  young 
merchant  in  the  Furniture  business.  Flour  and  Feed,  James  Keyes. 
Harness  and  Saddlery,  Benjamin  Frederick. 

Wagon  Manufactories. — Boss  &  Zinser  both  early  settlers,  are 
engaged  in  this  business  on  north  side  of  Commercial  S(piare.  Wm. 
H.  Long,  M.  R.  Brady,  and  Benjamin  Tobias;  the  last  named  com- 
menced the  manufacturing  of  plows  in  this  city  in  18oo.  Has  for 
some  years  been  engaged  in  wagon  manufacturing,  and  his  work  has 
a  good  reputation. 

Milling  Interests. — The  flouring-mill  erected  by  A.  G.  Danforth 
in  1845  is  being  successfully  operated  by  the  Andrews  Bros.  John 
Watson,  Jr.,  is  proprietor  of  the  Tazewell  County  Mill. 

The  Siierman  House  was  built  in  1835  by  Stiles  and  Titus  Hun- 
gerford,  and  run  by  them  until  1839,  when  Thomas  Cress  rented 
and  assnmed  the  proprietorshij)  fi)r  one  year.  It  was  afterwards 
opened  by  the  widow  of  Titus  Hungerford,  who  died  in  1846.  In 
1854  the  building  was  sold  to  a  man  named  Robinson,  whose  career 
as  a  hotel  proprietor  prpved  quite  a  success.  It  subsequently  be- 
came the  property  of  a  company  and  passed  into  the  hands  of  Elias 
Benford,  who  rented  the  premises  and  conducted  a  successful  busi- 


674  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

ness  for  some  years,  and  retired  from  public  life  after  the  purchase 
of  the  building.  In  1878  it  was  occupied  by  its  present  proprietor, 
John  W.  Patton,  a  native  of  Somerset  Co.,  Penn.  Although  the 
edifice  is  one  of  the  oldest  frame  buildings  in  the  city,  and  does  not 
present  an  inviting  appearance  Avithout,  it  is  neat,  clean  and  tidy 
within,  and  in  keeping  with  the  standard  of  a  first-class  hotel. 
Patton  is  a  veritable  joker,  a  good  talker,  and  if  not  overtaken  by 
sickness  or  disease  will  not  be  old  at  ninety. 

WASHINGTON   PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 

During  the  school  year  of  '78— '79,  nine  teachers  were  employed 
at  an  annual  expense  of  about  $3,000,  and  the  number  of  pupils 
enrolled  in  the  schools  was  419.  The  schools  are  all  in  one  build- 
ing—  a  substantial  two-story  brick  edifice,  recently  built  at  a  cost 
of  about  $20,000,  and  supplied  with  all  the  modern  improvements 
in  the  way  of  heating,  ventilation,  furniture,  etc.  The  school  work 
is  done  in  the  high  school  and  seven  subordinate  grades.  The  high 
school  is  in  charge  of  the  Principal,  R.  McCay,  assisted  by  his  wife, 
and  the  teachers  of  the  other  grades  are,  in  the  grammar  room,  Mr. 
J.  R.  Morse ;  third  intermediate,  Mr.  S.  F.  Corley ;  second  inter- 
mediate. Miss  Latiua  Patrick ;  first  intermediate.  Miss  Mary  Rich ; 
third  primary.  Miss  Carrie  Schultz;  second  primary.  Miss  Mary 
Italin ;  first  primary.  Miss  Clara  V.  Crane. 

Robert  3IcCay,  Principal  of  Washington  schools,  was  born  in 
McLean  county,  111.,  Jan.  13,  1852.  At  the  age  of  eight  his  perents 
removed  to  Macon  county,  where  his  mother  died  shortly  afterwards. 
He  remained  upon  a  farm  with  his  father  until  sixteen,  when  he  was 
sent  to  school  three  years  at  Bloomington,  111.,  during  which  time 
he  prepared  himself  for  college.  Being  deprived  at  this  time,  by 
death,  of  the  assistance  and  encouragement  of  his  father ;  at  the  age 
of  nineteen  he  entered  upon  the  work  of  teaching,  in  order  that  he 
might  obtain  funds  with  which  to  go  to  college.  Thus,  by  teaching 
in  winter  and  working  as  a  farm-hand  in  summer,  he  was  enabled  to 
go  to  college,  where  he  completed  the  classical  course  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  University  in  1877.  In  1878  he  was  married  to  Miss  M.  H. 
White,  of  Bloomington,  who  acted  as  his  high  school  assistant  the 
following  year.     He  has  held  his  present  position  since  graduating. 

G.  P.  Wood  has  for  some  years  conducted  a  select  school  in  this 
city. 

POTTAWATOMIES. 

This  tribe  of  Indians  was  the  largest  of  three  tribes  that  were 
located  in  this  section,  and  had  conquered  the  Sugars  and  Kickapoos. 
They  were  all  settled  under  Snatchwine,  the  Chief  of  the  Pottawato- 
mies.  He  was  honored  and  loved  by  all  the  braves  of  these  tribes ; 
his  word  was  law,  and  his  presence  and  council  always  sought  in 
times  of  disturbance  or  trouble.     Among  the  whites  he  was  gener- 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  675 

ally  honored  and  respected.  To  them  he  always  extended  the  hand 
of  welcome,  and  the  futtcd  deer  of  the  forest  was  brought  to  their 
door  in  token  of  good  will.  The  peculiar  habits  of  these  time- 
honored  natives  were  naturally  a  deep  curiosity  to  the  whites,  and 
from  the  well-stored  memory  of  Lawson  Holland  Ave  were  enabled 
to  gather  some  facts  and  incidents  which  we  place  upon  the  records 
of  this  work,  knowing  that  only  a  few  years  could  pass  ere  they 
would  have  been  lost  in  the  debris  of  time. 

Gathering  Turtles.  The  preparations  incident  to  this  journey  are 
somewhat  extended.  Two  horses  are  placed  side  by  side,  and  a 
blanket  stretched  between  them,  and  the  party  start  for  the  streams. 
The  turtles  are  thrown  in  this  blanket,  and  when  a  full  load  is 
secured  they  are  carried  to  the  camp,  and  a  large  kettle  tilled  with 
water  is  placed  over  the  fire,  and  in  the  boiling  cliauldron  the  living 
turtles  are  thrown,  until  the  kettle  is  filled.  When  thoroughly 
boiled,  the  meat  is  plucked  from  the  shell  and  eaten. 

Tradition.  A  tradition  which  has  existed  among  the  Pottawato- 
mies  for  ages,  is,  that  at  a  certain  time  of  the  year,  a  deer  must  be 
killed  and  eaten  without  breaking  a  single  bone.  This  performance 
is  entered  into  largely,  and  the  greatest  caution  taken  to  secure  the 
animal  without  a  l)oue  being  broken.  It  is  then  roasted,  and  the 
meat  eaten  with  the  greatest  possible  care.  The  remains  are  then 
gathered  up,  placed  in  the  skin  of  the  animal  and  buried. 

Punishment  for  Adultery.  The  punishment  for  adultery  is  cutting 
oif  the  nose;  the  first  offense  being  j)unishable  by  a  small  piece,  the 
second  a  larger  one,  and  the  third  cuts  it  to  the  bone.  These  are 
rare  cases,  however,  both  sexes  having  a  high  regard  for  purity  and 
virtue. 

Marriage.  In  marriage  the  women  promise  to  do  all  the  work, 
such  as  skinning  animals,  dressing  hides,  building  tents,  and  per- 
forming all  the  manual  lal)or,  the  males  only  furnishing  the  necessi- 
ties of  life.  The  marriage  covenant  is  made  by  the  exchange  of 
corn  for  a  deer's  foot  by  the  parties  to  be  united,  and  is  a  time  of 
great  solemnity. 

Ornamental  Wealth  is  indicated  by  piercing  the  nose  and  ears, 
from  which  hang  large  rings  and  bells ;  also  bells  attached  to  a  strap 
bound  around  the  leg  or  ankle. 

Their  Dead.  In  the  winter  the  dead  are  entombed  by  standing 
the  body  upright,  around  which  is  ])laced  poles  run  in  the  earth. 

At  one  time  Avhen  ]Mr.  Holland's  wife  was  washing,  a  squaw 
entered  the  cabin  and  interrupted  her  in  her  work.  She  had  just 
put  a  kettle  of  boiling  water  in  a  tub,  and  in  passing,  the  squaw  fell 
or  sat  in  the  tub  of  hot  suds.  Her  cries  called  the  braves,  who  lifted 
her  out  and  carried  her  to  the  wigwam. 

One  day,  when  Lawson  was  a  boy,  and  while  the  family  were  at 
dinner,  and  a  Frenchman,  named  Louey,  who  was  stopping  with 
them,  had  finished  his  meal,  lighted  his  pipe,  and  was  leisurely 
smoking  outside   the  cabin,  a  stalwart   Indian  came  down  the   trail 


676  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

and  demanded  his  pipe,  which  was  refused.     The  Indian  then  drew 

his  tomahawk  and  drove  it  into   his   skull.     Holland  and  old   man 

Avery,  who  was  there  at  the  time,  rushed  from  the  cabin,  and  Avery 

grappled  with  the  redskin.     He  sounded  the  war-whoop,  and  in  a 

twinkling  the  little   band  of  whites  were   surrounded   by  hundreds 

of  the  swarthy  tribe.     The  Chief,  taking  in  the  situation,  drew  his 

war-club  and  struck  at  Avery  with  this  deadly  weapon,  but  Avery's 

quick   eye   dodged   the   blow,  and  the   instrument  was   buried  in  a 

large  tree  behind  him.     It  was  a  j)erilous  moment  and  there  seemed 

to  be  no  earthly  escape  for  this  little  band  of  pioneers,  but  Holland 

was  regarded  as  a  friend,  and   his  counsel  was  at  all  times   sought. 

The    Indians  then  had  a  war-dance,  and  returned  to   their  camps, 

and  peace  and  quietness  was  again  restored.     This  occurred  in  1822. 

Snatch  wine,  the    Chief   of   the  Pottawatomies,    in  about   1823, 

found  out  the  whites  were  becoming  alarmed,  and  called  a  council 

with  the  whites,  to  talk.     He  spoke  about  four  hours.     He  began  his 

history  back  to   old  "Kentuck."     He  said:  "  When  you  palefaces 

came  to  our  country  we  took  you  in  and  treated  you  like  brothers. 

We  furnished  you  with  corn  and  gave  you  meat  that  we  killed,  but 

you  palefaces  soon  became  numerous  and  began  to  trample  upon  our 

rights,  which  we  attempted   to   resist,  but  was  whipped  and  driven 

off.     This  is  retui'ning  evil  for  good.     The  graves  of  my  forefathers 

are  just  as  dear  to  me  as  yours,  and  had  I  the  power  1  'd  wipe  you 

from  the  face  of  the  earth.     I  have  800  good  warriors,  besides  many 

old  men  and  boys,  that  could  be  put  in  a  fight,  but  this  takes  up  a 

remnant  of  these  tribes  since  the  last  war.     I  believe  I  could  raise 

enough  braves,  and   taking  you   by  surprise,  could   clean  the  State. 

I  know  I  could  go  below  your  capital   and  take  everything  clean. 

But  what  then?     We  must  all  die  in  time.     You  would  kill  us  all 

off.     You  tell  me  that  you  have  forbidden  your  men  to  sell  whisky. 

You  enforce  these  laws  and  I  stand  pledged  for  any  depredation  my 

people  shall  commit.    But  you  allow  your  men  to  come  with  whisky 

and  trinkets  and  get  them  drunk  and  cheat  them  out  of  all  their 

guns  and  skins  and  all  their  blankets,  that  the  Government  pays  me 

yearly  for  this  land.     This  leaves  us  in  a  starving  freezing  conditon 

and  we  are  raising  only  a  few  cliildren  compared  to  what  we  raised 

in  old  Kentuck,  before  we  knew  the    palefaces.     Some  of  my  men 

say  in  our  consultations,  let  us  rise  and  wipe  the  palefaces  from  the 

face  of  the  earth.     I  tell  them   no,  the  palefaces  are  too  numerous. 

I  can  take  every  man,  woman  and  child  I  've  got  and  place  them  in 

the  hollow  of  my  hand  and  hold  them  out  at  arm's  length.     But 

when  I  want  to  count  you  palefaces  I  must  go  out  in  the  big  prairie, 

where   timber  ain't  in  sight,  and  count  the   spears   of  grass,  and  I 

havn't  then  told  your  numbers."    Mr.  Holland  knew  this  Chief  for 

ten  years.     He  was  a  large  stalwart  man,  and  always  sorrowful. 

He  said  :     "  When  you  make  my  men  drunk,  my  men  are  just  as  big 

fools  as  your  men  when  they  are   drunk.     But  when   sober,  I  say 

come,  and  they  come,  and  I  say  go,  and  they  go." 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY.  677 

Washingtou  city  and  township  are  settled  by  a  cultured,  refined 
and  wealthy  community,  many  of  whom  deserve  personal  notices  in 
this  volume,  which  we  append : 

Alfred  Alphonso,  druggist  and  proprietor  Academy  of  Music,  was 
born  in  Berlin,  Germany,  in  1835,  and  received  his  early  education 
at  the  medical  university  of  that  city ;  emigrated  to  America  in 
1861,  and  settled  in  Chicago,  where  he  followed  his  profession.  In 
1863  he  enlisted  as  Acting  Surgeon  in  the  17th  Illinois  Cavalry, 
and  served  one  year,  and  returned  to  Chicago.  The  following  year 
he  married  Miss  Susan  Cassen,  a  native  of  Baden,  Germany,  where 
she  was  born  in  in  1846.  After  a  residence  of  eight  years  in  Kane 
Co.,  he  moved  to  Ottawa,  111.,  where  he  resided  until  1875,  when  he 
settled  in  this  city  and  opened  a  small  drug  store,  now  occu})icd  by 
Dr.  Wood.  By  strict  attention  to  business  he  was  enabled,  in  1877, 
to  erect  the  Washington  Academy  of  Music,  and  became  extensively 
engaged  in  the  music  trade,  and  has,  in  a  masterly  manner,  made  an 
entire  success.*  Edwin,  born  June  16,  '68;  Clara,  Jan.  11,  '7U;  and 
Ida,  June  1,  '72,  are  his  living  children. 

Margaret  Aubray,  residence  Elm  street,  Washington,  widow  of 
Frederick  W.  Aubray,  a  native  of  England,  who  emigrated  to 
America  at  an  early  age,  and  settled  in  Deer  Creek  townshij),  in 
1848,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and  mercantile  pursuit,  and 
entered  largely  into  the  interests  and  development  of  the  township ; 
was  prominent. in  all  the  enterprises  pertaining  to  its  growth,  and 
successful  in  all  his  business  transactions.  Through  his  energy  and 
perseverance  he  accumulated  a  large  landed  property ;  was  called 
from  the  held  of  life  just  when  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  home.  He 
died  in  August,  1872,  beloved  and  respected  by  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  relatives. 

John.  H.  Ant/ioni/,  farmer,  sec.  23;  P.  O.,  Washington;  born  in 
Shelburn,  Vermont,  in  1820,  and  emigrated  to  this  county  witii  his 
widowed  mother,  two  brothers  and  one  sister,  in  the  fall  of  1 837, 
settling  in  this  city,  and  with  strong  hands  and  willing  heart  com- 
menced the  struggle  of  life.  Sagacious,  industrious  and  frugal,  he 
was  enabled,  in  1843,  to  purchase  80  acres  of  his  present  estate,  and 
in  1846  he  became  engaged  with  a  house  at  Peoria,  and  traveled 
extensively  through  all  the  Southern  and  Western  States,  establish- 
ing agencies  for  the  sale  of  })atent  medicines,  and  in  1852,  connected 
himself  in  business  witii  his  brotiier,  Charles  S.  M.  Anthony,  at 
Washington,  but  continued  traveling  until  his  brother's  death,  in 
1857,  when  he  assumed  control  of  the  business,  and  formed  a  part- 
nership with  Wm.  Ross,  in  keeping  a  general  stock  and  hardware. 
He  engaged  extensively  in  the  manufacture  of  tin  ware,  with  which 
the  surrounding  country  was  supplied.  In  the  spring  of  1858  he 
sold  his  interest  to  Lewis  Tobias,  and  moved  on  his  present  estate, 
now  consisting  of  400  acres,  valued  at  $65  per  acre;  also  130  acres 
southwest  of  the  city.  The  same  year  he  married  Catherine  Keys, 
a  native   of  Michigan,  by  whom  he   has   four  children  —  John  A., 


678  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Charles  H.,  Mark  and  Kate.  In  1857  he  was  elected  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  one  year,  to  fill  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death  of  his 
brother.  In  1871  he  was  elected  Supervisor,  and  has  been  the 
people's  choice  for  that  office  every  year  since ;  he  was  also  elected 
a  member  of  the  State  Board  of  Equalization,  in  1876,  and  is  prom- 
inently known  throughout  the  county.  Mr.  A.  is  in  every  respect 
a  self-made  man ;  with  indomitable  energy  and  tireless  industry  and 
courage,  he  acquired  wealth.  He  has  for  years  been  Trustee  in  the 
Methodist  Church,  of  which  the  family  are  members. 

Emih/  31.  Baird,  farmer,  sec.  12;  P.  O.,  Washington;  widow  of 
Thomas  Baird,  Jr.,  who  was  born  in  Tioga  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1812. 
Her  maiden  name  was  Haynes,  and  she  was  born  in  Sharp's  Mills, 
Oswego  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1816.  They  were  married  in  1838,  and  came 
to  this  county  in  1844,  and  settled  on  the  present  estate,  then  owned 
by  Father  Baird.  Mr.  B.  resided  here  until  his  death,  in  1859,  when 
he  was  killed  at  South  Bend,  Ind.,  by  a  railroad  accident,  which  cast 
a  feeling  of  gloom  and  sorrow  over  the  whole  community.  He  was  a 
man  beloved  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him,  and  numbered 
among  those  of  the  early  settlers.  Mary  L.,  Sarah  R.,  Senith  A., 
Martha  C,  Thomas  P.,  and  George  S.  R.  D.  are  their  living  children. 
^Squire  Baker,  farmer,  sees.  14  and  15 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  born 
in  Campbell  Co.,  Ky.^in  1813.  His  parents  were  Nicholas  and  Su- 
sanah  (Carroll)  Baker,  natives  of  Penn.  and  Va.  He  married  Eliza- 
beth Clark,  in  1836;  she  was  born  in  Campbell  Co.,  Ky.,  in  1815. 
They  came  to  this  county  in  1837  and  settled  on  his  present  estate, 
consisting  of  80  acres,  valued  at  -$75  per  acre,  which  he  bought  with 
script.  His  father  came  to  this  county  in  1856,  and  died  in  1875. 
The  family  were  among  those  of  the  early  settlers,  and  experienced 
all  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life.  John  J.,  William  C,  George  W., 
Benjamin  F.,  Thomas  L.,  Robert  W.,  Elizabeth  C,  Edward  S., 
Lill'ie,  Stephen  A.,  and  Alfred  are  their  living  children. 

George  Bayler,  farmer,  sec.,  36;  P.  O.,  Washington;  born  in 
York  Co.,  Pa.,  in  '18.  His  parents  were  John  and  Catherine  (Kuhn) 
Bayler,  natives  of  Pa.,  where  his  fiither  died  when  he  was  12  years 
of  age.  He  came  to  the  West  in  1841  with  his  mother,  and  settled 
two  miles  west  of  their  present  place,  where  he  resided  11  years. 
In  1845  he  was  united  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Franklin,  a  native  of  Frank- 
lin Co.,  O.,  where  she  was  born  in  1823;  moved  on  his  present 
estate  in  1853.  It  consists  of  140  acres  valued  at  |70  per  acre. 
T^Ir.  B.  is  one  of  the  early  settlers  and  well  known  throughout  the 
Co.     Alfred  P.  and  Joseph  E.,  are  their  living  children. 

JoHcph  J.  Bayler,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  sec.  36 ;  P.  O.,  Wash- 
ington; born  in  Washington,  111.,  in  1849;  married  Lillie  Yoor- 
hees,  in  1876.  She  was  born  in  La  Salle  Co.,  111.,  in  1857  ;  they  have 
two  children  — Theodore  and  Celia;  settled  cm  his  present  estate  in 
1876.  Mr.  B.  has  for  years  been  extensively  engaged  in  taming 
and  training  horses,  of  which  he  has  a  fine  stock  and  is  successful 
in  the  business.     He  is  a  son  of  one  of  the  oldest  settlers. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  679 

Joseph  BcU'Iii,  farmer,  sec.  7 ;  P.  O.,  AVashiiigton  ;  })orn  in  Wood- 
ford Co.  in  1842.  His  parents  were  John  and  Barbara  (Ragy)  Bels- 
ly,  natives  of  France.  They  settled  in  Woodford  Co.  at  an  early 
day,  where  Mr.  B.  died  in  1 855,  His  motlier  is  still  living  at  a 
good  old  age.  In  18G-1  he  married  Miss  Susan  Imhotf,  a  native  of 
Butler  Co.,  where  she  was  born  in  1842;  came  to  this  Co.  in  the 
spring  of  1878  and  settled  on  his  present  estate,  consisting  of  100 
acres.  Mary,  John,  Barbara,  Bena,  Annie,  Katie,  Louisa  and  Peter 
are  their  living  children ;  are  members  of  the  Omish  Church. 

Elias  Benford,  retired,  born  in  Stark  Co.,  O.,  in  1819.  His 
l)arents  were  F.  Henry  and  ISIagley  Stael,  natives  of  Pa.,  both 
deceased;  married  Lavenia  Snyder  in  1843.  She  was  born  in  Som- 
erset Co., >  Pa.,  in  1825;  emigrated  to  this  Co.  in  1868  and  settled 
in  this  city,  where  he  engaged  in  the  livery  business,  and  in  1870 
became  the  proprietor  of  the  Sherman  iiouse,  which  he  conducted 
with  success  and  purchased  it,  retiring  from  the  active  pursuits  of  life 
in  1878.  Julia,  Arminta,  Sophia  K.,  Cyrus  I.,  John  H.,  Franklin 
A.  and  Hattie  M.,  are  their  living  children;  lost  three  children  — 
Jacob,  Mary  M.,  and  one  that  died  in  infancy.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  English  Lutheran  Church. 

Walter  T.  Berket,  farmer,  sec.  26 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  born  in 
Lancaster  Co.,  England,  in  1792,  and  in  1817  emigrated  to  America 
and  settled  in  A'ermont,  where  he  resided  12  years,  when  he  started 
for  the  AVest,  making  his  first  stop  at  Fort  Clark,  in  1831,  where 
he  remained  only  a  short  time,  when  he  came  to  this  township  and 
settled  on  his  present  estate,  and  erected  the  first  frame-house  built  in 
the  township.  Mr.  B,  was  married  in  1833  to  Miss  Dorothy  ^\"eth- 
erell,  a  native  of  England,  who  died  in  1856,  leaving  one  child, 
Walter,  Jr.,  who  was  born  in  this  township  in  1841,  and  was  mar- 
ried Sept.  19,  1878,  to  Miss  Mary  Beman,  a  native  of  London,  Eng., 
where  she  was  born  Dec.  25,  1842,  and  is  daughter  of  Jeremiah  and 
Susan  Beman,  who  were  banislied  from  I'russia  and  found  a  home 
in  the  broad  land  of  the  free,  and  number  among  those  of  the  county 
pilgrims.  Mr.  B.  has  always  clung  to  his  pioneer  home,  and  is  the 
oldest  man  in  the  township.  A  previous  record  predicted  his  early 
demise,  but,  though  in  the  88th  year  of  his  age,  his  eye  is  sharp  at 
long  range,  and  it  was  the  pleasure  of  the  writer  to  accompany  his 
elastic  footsteps  to  a  row  of  apple  trees  which  he  set  out  in  1832, 
all  of  which  are  in  a  fine  state  of  preservation,  and  have  grown  to 
an  immense  size. 

William  Berket,  farmer  and  dairyman,  sec.  26 ;  P.  O.,  Washing- 
ton;  born  in  Addison  Co.,  Vt.,  Jan.  21,  1818;  his  ])arents  were 
Thomas  and  Mary  (Field)  Berket,  who  came  from  England  and 
settled  in  that  State,  and  to  this  Co.  in  1831,  landing  at  Fort  Clark, 
now  Peoria,  in  Sej)t.  of  that  year,  and  alter  a  short  stop,  came  to 
this  township  and  made  a  claim  of  160  acres  in  sec.  26,  where  he 
erected  a  cabin  and  lived  until  his  deatii  in  1838.  On  May  12, 1842, 
Mr.  B.  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  J.  Keys,  daughter  of  Laban  Keys, 


680  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

a  native  of  N.  H.,  and  a  veteran  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  in  which 
he  enlisted  when  17  years  of  age;  was  the  first  settler  to  erect  a 
habitation  on  the  present  site  of  Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  from  which 
place  he  came  to  this  township  in  1837  and  purchased  of  John 
Lindly  200  acres  of  land  now  occupied  by  the  residences  of  J.  R. 
Crane  and  Ben.  Nichols.  He  died  at  his  home  in  Dec,  1865.  Mr. 
B.  carries  on  an  extensive  dairy  business,  manufacturing  an  average 
of  200  lbs.  of  butter  weekly ;  has  130  head  of  cattle,  many  of  them 
being  thoroughbred  Durhams  and  Jerseys.  Another  noticeable 
occupant  of  his  farm  is  a  large  pear  tree,  which  he  planted  when  a 
mere  switch,  and  it  has  grown  until  it  measures  over  six  feet  in  cir- 
cumference, bearing  yearly  from  40  to  80  bushels  of  its  fruit  —  the 
popular  Berket  jiear.  Mr.  B.  is  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  this 
township,  and  has  realized  all  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life.  The 
fine  impr(jvements  of  his  farm  attest  his  energy  and  perseverance. 
Of  his  children,  10  are  living.  David,  eldest  son,  enlisted,  in  1861, 
in  86th  I.  V.  I.,  Co.  G;  was  wounded  at  Goldsborough,  N.  C, 
and  died  at  Newburn,  April  12,  1864;  Clara  J.,  Annie  E.,  Charles 
L.,  Lafayette,  George,  William,  Ella,  Perry,  Hattie  and  Lester. 

William  A.  Berket,  farmer  and  brick-maker,  sec.  27 ;  born  in 
Peoria,  111.,  in  1836.  His  parents  were  John  and  Mary  (Thomas) 
Berket,  who  emigrated  from  England  in  1826,  and  settled  in  Peoria, 
(at  that  time  Fort  Clark,  there  being  but  one  house  there  at  that 
time,)  where  he  remained  until  1839,  when  he  removed  to  this 
county  and  purchased  320  acres  land,  where  he  lived  until  1849, 
when  he  returned  to  Peoria,  where  he  died  in  1875.  Married  Sarah 
J.  Wilson,  in  1860.  She  was  born  in  Drum  Lodge,  Ireland,  in 
1836.  Returned  to  this  county  in  1862,  and  settled  on  his  present 
estate.  Martha  A.,  Margaret  W.,  John  A.,  James  W.,  Frank, 
Samuel,  Edward  A.,  Lewis  C,  and  William  W.,  are  their  children. 

William  A.  Berket,  farmer,  sec.  26;  P.  O.,  Washington;  was 
born  in  England  Aug.  30,  1796,  and  is  the  second  son  of  John  and 
Ann  Berket,  who  emigrated  to  America  in  1816,  and  went  to  Ver- 
mont, where  he  engaged  in  farming,  and  in  1821  settled  at  Fort 
Clark,  now  Peoria,  there  being  but  few  cabins  erected  at  that  time. 
He  became  extensively  engaged  in  the  nursery  business  and  farm- 
ing, his  being  the  first  nursery  started  in  the  State  north  of  the 
Sangamon ;  was  also  engaged  in  farming  in  Greene  Co.,  and  spent 
one  winter  in  Madison  Co.,  and  in  1831  settled  in  this  township 
on  his  present  estate.  Here  he  erected  a  cabin  and  commenced  to 
improve  the  farm.  The  same  year  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mar- 
garet Barrick,  a  native  of  Ohio,  where  she  was  born  in  1816;  she 
died  in  1852.  Charles,  Ann,  Margaret,  Margy,  Eliza,  John  and 
Thomas,  are  his  living  children.  His  youngest  son,  Thomas,  re- 
sides on  the  homestead.  He  was  born  in  this  township  in  1847,  and 
in  1872,  married  Miss  Jennie  E.  Frances,  a  native  of  Ohio ;  Albert 
H.  and  Lillie  Bell  are  their  children.  The  life  of  this  aged  veteran 
of  four  score  years  has  been  one  of  industry  and  perseverance.     An 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  681 

early  pilgrim  to  this  townsliip,  he  lia.s  lived  to  see  his  sons  and 
daughters  grow  up  witli  their  families,  settled  on  the  land  that  was 
(in  his  prime)  a  dense  forest.  His  locks  are  silvered  with  the  frosts 
of  time,  but  he  has  been  spared  to  be  a  living  witness  of  the  great 
changes  which  have  taken  })lacc  in  this  township  and  county. 

James  Brown,  farmer,  sec.  12;  P.  O.,  Washington;  was  born  in 
Woodford  Co.,  111.,  in  1841,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Asa  and  Cath- 
erine (Kines)  Brown,  and  grandson  of  Amos  A.  and  Ruth  (Nelson) 
Brown,  natives  of  Conn,  and  Md.  His  father  was  born  in  Switzer- 
land Co.,  Ind.,  in  180(S,  and  came  to  the  West  in  1834,  settling  in 
Woodford  Co.,  and  numbering  among  the  early  pioneers  of  that 
county.  Came  to  this  county  in  1859  and  settled  on  his  present  es- 
tate, consisting  of  160  acres;  his  father  still  owns  120  acres  in 
AVoodford  county.  In  18(32  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Noel,  a  na- 
tive of  France,  where  she  was  born  in  1845.  Nellie,  Nettie,  Stella, 
Linda,  Ida,  and  George  are  their  living  children. 

James  Cameron,  stock  dealer,  was  born  in  Scotland  in  1834. 
In  1855  married  Plelen  Glegg,  a  native  of  Scotland,  where  she  was 
born  in  1824.  In  the  same  year  emigrated  to  America  and  settled 
in  this  city,  where  he  became  engaged  at  blacksmithing  for  eleven 
years,  and  after  two  years  in  the  lumber  business  with  F.  D.  Har- 
rington became  largely  engaged  in  stock  dealing,  which  business  he 
has  since  followed  with  success.  He  has  served  two  consecutive 
terms  on  the  old  Board  of  Trustees,  and  was  elected  to  the  City 
Council  at  the  first  election  for  city  officers  in  1878.  Ann  IL, 
Belle  E.,  Mary  and  liouisa  L.  are  their  living  children.  Members 
of  the  Christian  Church. 

Charles  A.  Crane,  jjostmaster,  Washington ;  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington, March  9,  1839;  married  Laura  L.  Parker,  March  4,  1864. 
She  was  born  in  Washington,  April  29,  1841 ;  have  two  children 
—  William  T.  S.  and  James  C  A.  He  is  a  descendant  of  Mathew 
and  Martha  (Rogers)  Crane,  natives  of  Pa.,  from  which  State  tlujy 
emigrated  to  O.  and  to  this  county  in  1835 ;  his  father  died  Sept.  28, 
1855.  His  wife  still  survives  him  at  the  age  of  77  years.  Mr.  C. 
engaged  in  teaching  until  his  ap{)ointment  as  P.  M.  in  March  1870, 
which  office  he  has  filled  to  the  present  time.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Church. 

James  H.  Crane,  general  broker,  residence  and  business.  Main 
street;  was  born  in  Zanesville,  O.,  Sept.  14,  1824;  came  to  this 
county  in  1835,  and  settled  in  this  city,  where  he  became  engaged  in 
carpentering  and  milling;  married  Leva  A.  Burton,  Sept.  13,  1855. 
She  was  born  in  Ky.  in  Oct.,  1835.  In  1854  he  opened  a  general 
brokerage  office  in  which  business  he  has  been  entirely  successful ; 
filled  the  office  of  School  Treasurer  for  16  years  and  is  well  known 
throughout  the  town  and  county. 

A.  G.  Danforth,  banker,  Washington ;  was  born  in  AVashington, 
111.,  Dec.  8,  1840,  and  is  eldest  son  of  Asa  H.  Danforth,  who  was 
born  in  Norton,  Mass.,  June  4,  1813.     His  jiarents  were  Asa  and 


682  HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Hanniih  (Walker)   Daufortli,  natives  of  Mass.,  where  they  died  at 
an  early  day ;  and  during  the  years  of  his  boyhood  worked   on  the 
farm   until   seventeen   years   of  age,  when   he  went  to   Fall   River, 
where  he  served  an  apprentieeship   at  cabinet   making  and   for  four 
years  after  became  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  furniture  at  Mil- 
ford,  Pa.     In  1835  he  removed  to  Coshocton,  O.,  where  he  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  wheat-mills,  and  in  the  following  year  settled 
in  Peoria  and   engaged   in   turning  and   planing   until   July,  1836, 
when  he  removed  to   this  city  and  became   extensively  engaged  in 
his  profession.     In  those  primitive  times  machinery  was  unknown, 
and  the  increasing  demand  for  his  goods  made  it  apparent  that  a 
power  to  turn  his" lathe  was   necessary  to   meet  the   requirments  of 
his  trade,  and  to   attain  this  desired   object   his   inventive   faculties 
were  brought  to  play,  and  the  problem  soon  solved.     He  owned 
two  large  dogs,  and  these  intelligent  noble  friends  were  brought  to 
take  an  active  part  in   his   success.     Accordingly,  he   constructed  a 
large  cylindrical  wheel  twenty  feet  in  diameter,  into  which  the  dogs 
were  placed  for   duty.     The  experiment  proved   an   entire   success, 
and  in  this   manner  he  w^as  enabled  to  turn  out   hundreds   of  bed- 
steads and   other  articles   of  furniture  which   found   its  way  to  the 
cabins  and  homes  of  the  pioneers.     He  erected  the  mill  now  occu- 
pied by  Andrew  Brothers,  in  1844,  and  has  in  various  ways  added 
to  the   growth  and  prosperity  of  the   city.     He  was   for  four  years 
Director  of  the  eastern  extension  of  the  Peoria  &  Otpunvka  R.  R., 
and  at  an  early  day  established  the  first  banking  institution  in  this 
city,  and  became  entirely  engaged  in  the  interests  and  development 
of  his  Western  home.     Of  him  we  may  say  he  is  a  self-made  man 
in  every  respect.     Beginning  without  capital,  but  with  a  determined 
will  and  ready  hands.     His  unquailing  purpose  and  tireless  indus- 
try,   making    every    opportunity  useful,    combined   wdth    scholarly 
enthusiasm,"  with   which   he   acquired   wealth.     He  w^as  married  in 
Feb.,  1839,  to   Miss  Catherine   Rupert,  a  native  of  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Va.,  where  she  was  born  in  1819  —  Almon  G.,  Henry  R.,  Harriet 
C,  Caroline  R.,  Catherine   M.,  are   their  living   children.     Mr.  D. 
retired  from  the  active  pursuits  of  life  in  1872. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  began  life  in  the  mercantile  business 
and  became  a  partner  in  the  banking  house  of  his  father,  w^here  he 
has  since  been  actively  engaged.  In  1872  the  firm  dissolved,  and 
Mr.  D.  assumed  control  of  the  institution.  Was  married  in  1861, 
to  Miss  Susan  A.  Burton,  a  native  of  this  city.  From  the  marriage 
five  children  are  growing  up  in  all  the  educational  advantages  of 
the  present  day.  They  are  George  C,  Jessie  M.,  Cassie  A.,  Asa 
H.,  and  Mary.  Mr.  D.  is  among  those  of  the  present  business  men 
of  the  city  and  a  social  genial  gentleman.  His  residence  stands 
upon  the  site  of  ground  historic  as  the  spot  where  the  palatial  log 
cabin  of  William  Holland  Sr.,  was  erected  in  1825.  Mr.  D.  takes 
a  just  pride  in  his  blooded  stock  of  horses,  prominent  among  which 
is  Fairy  Gift,  a  brown  stallion  of  Hambletonian  stock,  who  has  a 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  683 

record  on  private  trial  of  2  :38J  after  two  montlis  work  including; 
breaking;.  He  will  undoubtedly  rank  among  the  celebrities  of 
American  trotters.  Nellie,  grey"  marc,  Restless,  bay  mare,  Dolly, 
bay  filly,  and  a  thoroughbred  bay  mare,  all  Hambletonian  stock, 
also  bay  stallion.  Live  Oak,  bred  by  Col.  Peppers,  of  Ky.,  all  of 
which  promise  fair  records  and  are  valuable  stock. 

Robert  Davis,  ticket  agent  and  telegraph  operator  of  T.  P.  &  W. 
R.  R. ;  was  l^orn  in  Laiue,  county  of  Antrim,  Ireland,  in  1852; 
married  Martlia  Davis  in  June,  1876.  She  was  born  in  Laine  Co! 
in  1858;  emigrated  to  America  in  1871,  and  settled  in  Peoria, 
where  he  became  engaged  with  the  T.  P.  &  W.  R.  R.,  and  by  strict 
attention  to  duties  has  been  promoted  to  his  present  position,  which 
he  fills  with  satisiaction.     Are  members  of  Presbyterian  Church. 

Henvy  Iknhurt,  merchant  and  banker,  of  the  firm  of  Anthony  & 
Denhart;  was  born  in  Hessel  Kassen,  Dec.  8,  1842,  His  parents 
were  Andrew  and  Mariah  (Storner)  Denhart,  natives  of  Germany. 
They  emigrated  to  America  in  1853,  and  settled  in  this  city.  In 
June,  1866,  the  present  Partnersliip  was  formed  with  Mr.  A.,  which 
has  been  successfully  carried  on  to  the  present  time.  In  March 
1872,  he  was  married  to  Clara  S.Lawson,  a  native  of  Somerset  Co.,' 
Pa.,  where  she  was  born  in  1833.  Mr.  D.  has  always  taken  an  ac- 
tive part  in  the  interests  of  the  town  and  countv,  and  was  elected  to 
t\iG  City  Council,  March,  1877. 

John  W.  Douf/hcHy,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  New  Castle  Co., 
Del.,  in  1824.  His  parents  Avere  Dennis  and  Margaret  (Baldwin) 
Dougherty,  natives  of  Ireland  and  Pennsylvania.  They  emigrated 
to  Dayton,  ().,  in  1828,  thence  to  Centreville,  Ind.,  where  he  re- 
sided until  1857,  when  he  came  to  this  county  and  settled  in  this 
city  and  became  engaged  in  the  grocery  business.  He  then  com- 
menced tlie  study  of  law,  relying  upon  his  own  efforts  and  ambi- 
tion; he  was  admitted  to  the'  Bar  in  Jan.,  1874.  He  now  fills  the 
office  of  City  Attorney,  and  is  successful  in  his  profession.  In  1852 
he  married  Caroline  E.  Hornish,  who  was  born  in  Wayne  Co.,  Ind., 
in  1834.  William  J.,  ]\Iartin  D.,  Forest  and  Florence,  twins,  John 
B.,  Robert,  Edith  A.,  Martha  PI,  and  Laura  C.  are  their  living 
children. 

Reuben  W.  Dunningfon,  farmer,  sec.  30 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  was 
born  in  Putnam  Co.,  Ind.,  in  1836.  His  parents  were  Joshua  and 
Mary  (Spencer)  Dunnington,  natives  of  that  State,  and  who  emi- 
grated to  111.  in  1840,  and  settled  in  this  townshij)  one  mile  west  of 
AVashington.  From  that  place  he  moved  to  Walnut  Grove,  now 
Eureka,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  in  1844.  His  mother  died 
in  1876.  Mr.  D.  settled  on  his  present  estate  in  1848;  was  mar- 
ried in  1868  to  Miss  Catherine  Bayler,  daughter  of  John  Bavler,  an 
early  pilgrim  to  this  county.  She  was  born  in  this  town"ship  in 
1847.  They  have  six  children  — Mary  M.,  John  C,  George  E., 
Reuben  F.,  Cora  M.,  and  Catherine. 

Christian  Engel,  farmer,  sec.  5 ;  P.  O.,  Washington,  was  born  in 


684  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Woodford  Co.,  111.,  in  1840.  His  parents  were  John  and  Barbara 
(Detwilda)  Engel,  natives  of  France.  They  emioratod  to  America 
in  18.'j1  and  settled  in  Woodford  county,  where  his  father  is  still 
livinjy;  his  mother  died  in  1874.  He  came  to  this  county  in  187.3, 
and  settled  on  his  present  estate,  consisting  of  160  acres,  valued  at 
$65  per  acre.  The  same  year  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Nof- 
singer,  who  was  born  in  this  county  in  1848,  and  was  the  daughter 
of  John  Nofsinger,  an  early  settler  of  this  county.  Ida  E.,  John 
A.  and  Anna  M.,  are  their  living  children.  Members  of  the  Ornish 
Church. 

George  Ferner,  farmer,  sec.  25 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  born  in 
Somerset  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1815.  His  parents  were  Abraham  and  Bar- 
bara (Smith)  Ferner,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  He  married  Miss 
Catherine  Weyand,  in  1835.  She  was  born  in  Somerset  county,  in 
]812.  They  have  five  children — George  W.,  John  W.,  Sarah, 
Mary,  and  Elvina ;  lost  one,  Barbara.  He  came  to  this  county,  in 
1851,  without  means  and  rented  land  until,  by  frugality  and  indus- 
try, he  was  enabled  to  secure  40  acres  of  land,  where  he  lived  until 
he  purchased  his  present  estate.  He  is  a  Deacon  in  the  Evangelical 
Church,  of  which  the  family  are  members. 

3Iarii  A.  Field,  farmer,  sec.  34;  P.  O.,  Washington.  Mrs.  F.  is 
the  wadow  of  Anthony  Field,  who  was  born  in  Franklin  Co.,  Vt., 
Aug.  15,  1808.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Hathaway,  Aug. 
11,  1836,  a  native  of  Swanton,  Vt.,  where  she  was  born  April  17, 
1817.  Mr.  F.  came  to  this  county  in  1835,  and  settled  on  their 
present  estate,  consisting  of  260  acres,  where  he  resided  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  Dec.  19,  1878.  He  was  one  of  the  early  pio- 
neers to  this  county,  and  the  first  man  to  lay  out  the  roads  through 
this  section  of  the  township.  He  died,  l)eloved  and  res})ected  by  all 
who  knew  him.     He  was  a  mcml^er  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

Peter  Fifer,  grain  broker;  was  born  in  Rockingham  Co.,  Va.,  Jan. 
21,  1821,  and  emigrated  to  this  county  in  the  spring  of  1842,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  for  some  years,  when  he  commenced  buying 
grain  and  stock,  opening  the  grain  house  of  Fifer  &  Co.,  at  Peoria, 
in  1866,  which  is  still  in  successful  o})eration.  He  also  has  a  saw- 
mill in  operation  in  this  city,  where  he  is  extensively  engaged  in 
business.  He  was  married  in  1843,  to  Miss  Mary  J.  Curtis,  a 
native  of  Erie  Co.,  Pa.,  by  whom  he  has  four  children  —  Cordelia, 
Inez,  Charles  M.,  and  Ellie.  Mr.  F.  is  among  the  foremost  of  the 
business  men  of  this  city,  and  was  the  people's  choice  to  fill  the 
Mayor's  chair  in  March,  1877,  at  which  time  the  city  was  incorpo- 
rated;  was  also  elected  Supervisor  April  15,  1879,  and  has  always 
been  identified  with  the  interests  of  the  town  and  county. 

John  Frederick,  farmer,  sec.  7 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  was  born  in 
Germany,  in  1833,  and  emigrated  to  this  country  in  1855,  settling 
in  Butler  Co.,  where  he  resided  two  years,  when  he  removed  to  this 
county  and  settled  in  Morton,  where  he  lived  two  years.  He  then 
came  to  this  township  and  settled  on  his  present  estate ;  was  married 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEAVELL   COUNTY.  685 

in  1859  to  Miss  Nancy  Graves,  a  native  of  Ohio.  AVilson  Freder- 
ick is  their  only  child.  He  has  a  farm  of  80  acres,  and  10  acres  of 
timber,  valned  at  ^70  per  acre;  also  owns  100  acres  in  Fairbnry, 
Livingston  Co. 

C.  J.  Gibson,  of  the  firm  of  Gibson  &  Co.,  grocers,  Main  street; 
residence,  corner  Catharine  and  I^Ilm  streets.  He  Avas  born  in  Lan- 
caster Co.,  Pa.,  in  1823;  his  parents  were  Cyrus  J.  and  Margaret  C. 
(Canon)  Gibson,  natives  of  that  State,  who  emigrated  to  tiiis  county 
in  November,  1830,  and  settled  in  this  township,  where  he  purchased 
a  claim  and  erected  a  log  cabin,  where  he  died  in  1832.  His  son 
remained  on  the  homestead  until  1863,  and  moved  to  Woodford  Co., 
and  after  a  few  years  returned  to  Washington,  when,  after  some  years, 
he  embarked  in  his  present  business,  in  w^hich  he  has  been  success- 
ful. He  is  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  this  township,  and  expe- 
rienced all  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life. 

George  D.  Gibson,  farmer  and  dairyman,  sec.  34,  P.  O.,  Wash- 
ington;  born  in  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1810;  parents  were  John  and 
Nancy  (Mills)  Gibson,  natives  of  N.  J.  and  Pa.  He  worked  at 
home  until  he  had  saved  $100,  with  whi(;h  he  pui'chased  a  horse  and 
equipments  and  in  the  fall  of  1834  started  for  the  West,  and  made 
his  claim  on  the  site  of  his  present  estate  and  commenced  work  in 
Washington  at  wagon-making  with  Wm.  Spencer ;  the  same  winter 
split  5000  rails,  enduring  much  hardship  and  privation ;  has  hauled 
wheat  to  mill  that  weighed  60  lbs.  to  the  bushel  and  in  those  j)rim- 
itive  days  portage  was  paid  in  produce.  Some  years  later  he  became 
engaged  in  business  at  Pekin,  where  he  continued  until  he  was 
enabled  to  purchase  a  few  cows  and  commenced  on  a  small  scale  in 
the  dairy  business.  Mr.  G.  has  now  increased  his  farm  to  360  acres, 
which  he  has  gained  only  by  continued  perseverence  and  economy, 
and  all  the  privations  of  pioneer  life.  He  was  married  in  1836  to 
Miss  Alice  Berket,  a  native  of  Vt.,  where  she  was  born  in  1820. 
Sarah,  Elizabeth,  John,  Charles,  Martha,  George,  William  and 
Mary,  are  their  living  children.  He  is  an  Elder  in  the  Presbyteriau 
Church. 

U.  Z.  Gilmer,  D.D.,  pastor  Methodist  Church,  was  born  in  Brown 
Co.,  O.,  in  1846.  His  parents  were  Derrick  and  Margaret  (Strain) 
Gilmer,  natives  of  O.  and  Pa„  respectively,  who  emigrated  to  Put- 
nam Co.,  Iowa,  in  1850,  and  after  four  years'  residence  there, 
moved  to  Decatur  Co.,  Ind.,  where  they  resided  three  years,  and  re- 
turned to  Iowa,  where  they  lived  for  a  short  time;  thence  to 
Clinton  Co.,  111.,  where  his  father  died  in  1860.  He  commenced 
his  course  of  studies  at  the  Monmouth  Academy  after  his  removal 
to  that  place,  in  1865;  entered  college,  in  1869,  at  Oquawka,  Hen- 
derson county,  where  he  graduated  in  1872,  and  immediately  en- 
tered upon  his  duties  as  pastor  of  the  Methodist  Church  at  Milan ; 
after  which  he  became  engaged  as  teacher  in  Abingdon  College, 
Knox  Co.,  where  he  continued  until  three  months  prior  to  his 
Qoming  to  this  county,  which  he  spent  at  Chaddock  College,  Quincy, 


686  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

111.  Came  to  this  county  Nov.,  1878,  and  has  hckl  the  pastorate  of 
the  Methodist  Church  since  that  time  in  a  commendable  manner. 
In  1870,  he  married  Mary  McCullough,  a  native  of  Rush  Co.,  Ind., 
where  she  was  born  in  1852.  Emma,  Nellie  L.,  Nina  M.,  and  Carl 
R.  are  their  living  children. 

Jacob  Glebe,  farmer,  sec.  31 ;  P.  O.,  Farmdale ;  was  born  in 
Germany,  in  1815,  where  he  married  Catherine  Stein  in  1844.  She 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1816;  emigrated  to  America  in  1848,  and 
settled  on  his  present  estate,  consisting  of  120  acres,  80  acres  of 
which  he  entered.  He  is  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  township, 
and  well  and  favorably  known.  Henry,  John,  Caroline,  Jacob,  Jr., 
Levi  and  Sebasken  are  their  living  children.  They  are  members  of 
the  Evangelical  Church. 

Andrew  Gonglof,  farmer,  sec.  2 ;  P.  O.,  AVashington ;  was  born  in 
Tazewell  Co.,  in  1841 ;  is  son  of  John  B.  and  Mary  (Millei-)  Gong- 
lofP,  natives  of  France,  and  who  emigrated  to  America  in  1839,  and 
settled  in  Woodford  county,  and  after  a  residence  in  this  county,  re- 
turned to  that  county  where  he  still  resides.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  settled  on  his  present  estate,  in  1863.  He  was  married,  in 
1871,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Roth,  by  whom  he  has  four  children  — 
Mary,  Julia  E.,  Susannah,  and  Christena.  They  are  members  of 
the  Catholic  Church. 

John  G.  Gorin,  agent  T.,  P.  &  W.  R.R.  and  U.  S.  Express  Co., 
was  born  in  Vandalia,  Fayette  Co.,  Ill,  Feb.  28,  1835.  His  par- 
ents were  Sanford  P.  and  Jane  H.  (Gaunt)  Gorin,  natives  of  Ky. 
His  family  came  to  this  county  in  1839,  and  settled  on  a  farm  near 
this  city,  where  they  resided  until  1844,  when  they  moved  to 
Eureka,  and  after  a  few  years  returned  to  this  city.  In  1854,  he 
became  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business.  March  8,  1758,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Julia  A.  Wood,  a  native  of  Washington  city,  111. 
He  followed  mercantile  business  until  1860,  when  he  received  his 
appointment  to  his  present  position,  which  he  has  since  filled  with 
ability  and  satisfaction,  and  is  one  of  the  oldest  agents  in  the  State. 
Was  for  three  years  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  has 
always  bore  an  active  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  town  and  county, 
and  been  prominently  identified  with  its  interests.  Is  also  an  offi- 
cer in  the  Sunday-school  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  the 
family  are  members.  Josephine,  Elizabeth  W.,  Ellen  M.,  and 
Harry  W.  are  their  living  children. 

W.  T.  Griffith,  31.  D.,  residence,  Walnut  street ;  born  in  Sullivan 
Co.,  Ind.,  in  1833.  There  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine, 
and  in  1856  entered  upon  a  course  of  lectures  at  Cincinnati,  O.,  and 
the  folloAving  year  began  practicing  at  Washburn,  Woodford  Co. 
In  1858  he  moved  to  Shelby  Co.  where  he  attained  a  successful 
practice  and  was  married,  in  1859,  to  Miss  Lucy  A.  Applegate,  a 
native  of  Orange  Co.,  Ind.,  where  she  was  born  in  1838 ;  came  to 
this  county  in  1865  and  settled  in  this  city,  where  he  has  since 
made  it  his  home  and  been  successfully  engaged.     George  M.,  War- 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  687 

den  T.  and  Fiinnie  are  their  living  children ;  lost  two  —  Willie,  and 
one  that  died  in  infancy. 

Henry  Gulick,  physician,  east  side  of  the  square ;  was  born  in 
Northumberland  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1839;  parents  were  William  and 
Annie  Clark  Gulick,  natives  of  the  same  State ;  commenced  his 
studies  at   Jefferson   College,  Philadelphia,  where   he   graduated  in 

1865,  and  in  the  same  year  was  appointed  to  the  charge  of  a  post  at 
Fortress  Monroe  and  Lynchburgh,  where  he  was  engaged  until  July, 

1866.  Returning  home  he  began  practice  at  Mt.  Carmel,  Iowa,  and 
the  following  year  was  married  to  Miss  Lottie  Hay,  a  native  of 
Warren  Co.,  O. ;  came  to  this  Co.  in  the  spring  of  1876  and  settled 
in  this  city,  where  he  has  conducted  a  successful  practice.  Anna 
M.,  Charles  B.,  Agnes  W.  and  Frank  H.  arc  their  living  children ; 
a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

John  Guth,  farmer,  sec.  21 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  born  in  Wash- 
ington, 111.,  in  1839,  and  is  the  son  of  Peter  Guth,  an  early  pioneer 
of  this  township.  He  married  Mary  Cursman  in  1861.  She  was 
born  in  McLean  Co.,  in  1838;  settled  on  his  present  farm  in  1861, 
consisting  of  315  acres,  valued  at  $60  per  acre.  Annie,  Joseph, 
Katie,  John,  Jr.,  Barbara,  Peter,  Christian,  Samuel  and  Mary  are 
their  living  children ;  a  member  of  the  Omish  Church. 

Valentine  Gunthcrt,  farmer,  sec.  32 ;  P.  O.,  Washington  ;  born  in 
Bavaria,  Germany,  in  1828;  emigrated  to  America  in  1852,  and 
settled  in  Peoria,  w^iere  he  married  Miss  Anna  M.  Ucbel,  in  1855, 
a  native  of  Bavaria,  Ger.  Anna  M.,  Bonnie,  George,  William  C, 
Emma,  Valentine,  Jr.,  Adam,  Caroline,  Josephine  and  Louis  are 
their  living  children.  He  settled  on  his  present  estate  in  1863;  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

Henry  Harms,  proprietor  of  meat  market.  Main  street ;  born  in 
Germany,  in  1825;  and  emigrated  to  America  in  1852,  settling  near 
this  city,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  two  years,  when  he  worked 
at  milling  with  M.  Andrews  until  1859,  when  he  opened  his  pres- 
ent place  of  business,  where  he  has  since  carried  on  a  successful 
trade ;  same  year  married  Catharine  Denhard.  She  was  born  in 
Germany  in  1836.  Loney  W.,  Lizzie,  Katie  and  Henry  D.  are 
their  living  children  ;  are  members  of  the  liuthcran  Church. 

F.  D.  Harrington,  of  the  firm  of  Harrington  &  Bickman,  lumber 
merchants,  contractors,  builders  and  millers.  He  was  born  in  Ot- 
sego Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1830.  His  parents  were  John  J.  and  Lydia 
(Gallop)  Harrington ;  was  married  to  Mariah  Smith  Nov.  24,  '58. 
She  was  born  in  Province  of  Canada  in  1832;  came  to  this  county 
in  1855,  and  settled  in  this  city,  where  he  has  been  successfully  en- 
gaged in  his  present  business.  Frank  B.,  Nina  M.,  Chas.  E.  and 
John  G.  are  their  living  children. 

W.  B.  Harvey,  retired  farmer,  born  in  Licking  Co.,  O.,  in  1825. 
His  parents  were  James  and  Mary  (Billingsly)  Harvey,  natives  of 
Va.  and  Md.,  and  who  emigrated  to  this  county  in  1828,  and  settled 
pear  this  city,  there  being  only  six  families  in  the  township  at  that 


688  HISTORY  OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

time.  He  took  an  active  part  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and  numbered 
among  the  early  pioneers  of  this  county.  He  died  in  1859.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  united  in  marriage  with  Eliza  Barrett  in 
1849.  She  was  born  in  Saline  Co.,  111.,  in  1827.  Mr.  H.  has  been 
for  years  on  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  a 
participant  in  the  organization  of  the  town,  and  being  otherwise 
identified  with  the  interests  of  the  city  and  county.  Trustee  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  and  among  the  few  left  of  the  early  pioneers. 

Eli  E.  Heiplc,  grain  dealer,  P.  O,,  Washington ;  born  in  Somerset 
Co.,  Pa.,  in  1830;  was  married  to  Mary  E..  Snyder,  a  native  of 
Somerset  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1851.  Came  to  this  county  in  1857,  and  set- 
tled in  Washington,  and  became  engaged  with  Andrew  Miles  &  Co., 
in  the  dry-goods  business,  with  whom  he  remained  until  he  opened 
his  present  place  of  business,  where  he  has  since  been  actively  en- 
gaged. He  has  filled  the  office  of  Town  Clerk  for  fifteen  years  and 
was  the  first  City  Clerk  elected  in  the  spring  of  1877,  and  is  other- 
wise prominently  identified  with  the  interests  of  the  town  and 
county.  He  is  well  known  throughout  as  a  thorough,  live  business 
man.     Augustus  and  Frank  are  their  living  children. 

Israel  Hicks,  farmer,  sec.  30,  P.  O.,  Washington  ;  born  in  Bel- 
mont Co.,  O.,  July  15,  1816.  His  parents  were  Asa  and  Annie 
(Cox)  Hicks,  nativ^es  of  Va.  and  Ga.  The  family  started  from  Ohio 
in  Oct.,  1837,  in  wagons,  and  when  near  the  Wabash  river  in  Ind., 
the  horses  took  fright  and  ran  away.  His  father,  attempting  to  get 
out  of  the  wagon,  fell  under  the  wheels,  causing  almost  instant 
death.  This  was  a  terrible  blow  to  the  grief-stricken  family,  who 
after  a  reasonable  time,  resumed  the  journey  westward,  settling  on 
the  old  Dillon  farm  in  Tremont  township,  which  his  father  had 
rented  prior  to  his  coming.  He  had  but  fifty  cents  left  when  the 
family  arrived  at  this  place,  and  he  commenced  teaming,  splitting 
rails,  and  cheering  the  discouraged  and  broken-hearted  mother.  By 
constant  labor  and  untiring  industry,  in  a  few  acres  of  land,  which 
he  improved,  and  the  dark  clouds  of  adversity  were  soon  scattered 
from  his  home.  After  five  years  residence  at  Tremont,  he  moved 
to  Pleasant  Grove,  then  came  to  this  townshi}^  in  the  spring  of  1 843, 
and  settled  on  his  present  farm.  He  was  married,  Feb.  24,  1848, 
to  Miss  Susan  M.  Umphrey,  daughter  of  Luke  Umphrey,  and  who 
was  born  in  Tompkins  Co.,  N.  Y.,  June  8,  1825.  Her  father  was 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  county,  where  he  died  in  1878.  Julia 
E.  is  their  only  living  child.  His  mother  died  in  his  first  home  in 
1853.  Mr.  H.  has  experienced  the  roughest  side  of  pioneer  life, 
and  only  through  a  determined  will  has  attained  his  present  position 
in  life. 

Elo7i  E.  Hornish,  dry  goods  merchant.  Main  st.,  residence,  corner 
Main  and  Oakland  streets.  He  was  born  in  Wayne  Co.,  Ind.,  in 
1849.  His  parents  were  Martin  and  Elmira  (Rupert)  Hornish,  na- 
tives of  Penn.  and  Va.,  and  who'  emigrated  to  this  county  in  1858, 
and  settled  in  this  village  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  business. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  689 

where  he  died  in  1859.  Elon  engaged  with  Rupert  <&  Hornish  in 
the  dry  goods  business  in  1868,  and  this  firm  dissolved  in  July  of 
the  same  year,  when  he  went  to  New  York. city  and  engaged  as  a 
salesman.  On  Dec.  28,  1871,  he  married  Frances  L.  Sticklcy,  who 
was  born  in  Ohio  in  1849;  returned  AVest  in  1873,  and  formed  a 
partnership  with  C.  B,  Cummings  at  Pekin.  He  remained  one 
year  and  returned  to  New  York  in  1874,  and  to  this  city  in  1875, 
and  formed  a  co-partnership  with  M.  H.  Hornish,  and  in  July  of  the 
same  year  purchased  the  interest  of  M.  H.,  where  he  has  since  car- 
ried on  a  successful  and  prosperous  business.  Robert  S.,  George  B., 
Morris  E.,  and  Ella  R.  are  their  living  children. 

G.  R.  Hornish,  grocer.  Main  st.,  res.  cor.  Pine  and  Holland ;  born 
in  Wayne  Co.,  Ind.,  in  1839;  married  Mary  E.  Grady  April  1,  '61. 
She  was  born  in  Woodford  Co.  in  1838;  came  to  this  Co.  in  1857 
and  settled  in  this  city,  where  he  engaged  as  salesman  with  J.  W. 
Dougherty,  with  whom  he  remained  eight  years,  when  he  opened 
his  present  place  of  business,  where  he  has  since  carried  on  a  suc- 
cessful and  prosperous  trade.  Grant,  Joseph  G.,  Mary  H.,  and  Lulu 
E.  are  their  living  children. 

/.  T.  Hoover,  dentist,  north  side  Commercial  Square,  res.  High  st. ; 
born  in  Belmont,  O.,  in  1838.  Parents  were  Jacob  and  Phoebe 
(Frazier)  Hoover,  natives  of  Penn.  and  Va.  Emigrated  to  this 
State  in  1855,  and  settled  in  Peoria,  where  he  served  an  apprentice- 
ship and  opened  his  first  place  of  business,  and  in  1863  came  to  this 
city,  where  he  has  since  followed  his  profession  and  continued  in  a 
prosperous  and  successful  career.  Married  Emma  S.  Couch  a  native 
of  Peoria  in  1865,.  May  E.,  Abbie  E.,  and  Edna  E.  are  their  liv- 
ing children. 

Nicholas  Huguet,  Jr.,  farmer,  sec.  11 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  born  in 
France  in  1808.  His  parents  were  Nicholas  and  Maggie  (Chawry) 
Huguet,  native  of  that  country.  Was  married,  in  1830,  to  Miss 
Sophia  Cunig,  and  emigrated  to  America  in  1850,  and  settled  on  his 
present  estate  of  198  acres,  valued  at  $50  per  acre.  Julius,  Maurice, 
Charles,  Nicholas,  Jr.,  Peter,  Josephine,  Gabriel,  Annie,  Mary  and 
Julia  are  their  living  children.  Are  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church. 

JaclcHon  Hukkl,  retired  farmer ;  residence,  Washington ;  born  in 
Fayette  Co.,  O.,  Oct.  12,  1823.  At  20  years  of  age  he  left  home 
and  went  to  Champaign  Co.,  where  he  served  an  apprenticeship  at 
the  tanning  bwsiness,  and  engaged  in  that  business  for  seven  years  in 
Cass  Co.,  Mich.  Was  married,  in  1847,  to  Miss  Sarah  J.  Nicholson, 
by  whom  he  has  one  daughter,  Samantha  A.,  wife  of  S.  D.  Murphy, 
of  Chicago.  In  1855  he  moved  to  Atlanta,  111.,  and  became  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  business,  when  his  wife  died,  March  27,  '56. 
After  a  residence  of  one  year  in  Lincoln  he  became  extensively  en- 
gaged in  the  wool  trade  and  farming  implements,  and  for  ten  years 
dealt  largely  in  real  estate,  when  he  sold  his  proi)erty  and  moved  to 
McDonough  Co.,  and  in  Jan.,  1875,  settled  in  this  city,  where  he 


690  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

has  since  made  it  his  home.  His  present  wife,  Sarah  Kern,  daugh- 
ter of  Jacob  Kern,  was  born  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Pa.,  Dec.  28,  1829. 
They  were  married  in  this  city  Dec.  1,  1859.  James  H.,  Mary  C, 
Ida  Belle,  and  Gracie,  are  their  children.  Mr.  H.  is  Elder  and 
Sunday-school  Superintendent  in  the  Baptist  Church,  being  well 
known  throughout  the  town  and  county. 

S,  W.  Harkey,  D.  D.,  pastor  St.  Mark's  English  Lutheran  Church, 
born  in  Iredell  Co.,  N.  C,  in  1811.  His  parents  were  John  and 
Sarah  (Welcher)  Harkey,  natives  of  that  State.  He  commenced  his 
course  of  studies  at  Pennsylvania  College,  at  Gettysburg,  in  1830; 
graduated  from  that  institution  in  1834,  and  entered  upon  his  official 
duties  at  Philadelphia,  then  to  AVilliamsport,  Woodsborough,  Md., 
Frederick  City,  and  in  1852,  emegrated  to  the  West  and  entered 
the  State  University  at  Springfield,  111.,  as  professor,  at  which  place 
he  enlisted,  in  1864,  as  chaplain,  serving  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
when  he  went  to  St.  Louis  and  officiated  until  1871,  when  he  came 
to  this  city  and  became  pastor  of  the  German  lAitheran  Church  a 
short  time,  when  he  was  called  to  fill  the  pulpit  of  the  English 
Lutheran  Church,  where  he  is  still  occupied  in  his  professional 
calling. 

Rodger  Jenkins,  farmer,  sec.  29 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  born^  in 
South  Wales,  in  1811.  His  parents  were  John  and  Rachel  (Wal- 
kyns)  Jenkins,  natives  of  that  country.  Mr.  J.  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica in  1845,  and  settled  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  resided  five 
years,  when  he  came  to  this  county,  and  settled  in  Deer  Creek 
township,  and  in  1858  moved  to  this  township  and  settled  on  his 
present  estate  of  240  acres,  valued  at  ^65  per  acre.  Was  married, 
in  1848,  to  Miss  Elenor  Davis,  a  native  of  South  Wales,  where  she 
was  born  in  1817.  Margaret,  John,  and  Morgan  are  their  living  chil- 
dren ;  lost  two  —  George  B.,  and  Geo.  B.  2d.  Mr.  J.  is  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  the  county,  and  is  Trustee  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Deer  Creek,  of  which  the  family  are  members. 

Joseph  AWso,  farmer,  section  18;  P.  O.,  Washington;  born  in 
Venango  Co.,  Pa.,  July  27,  1805,  and  was  the  second  son  of  Robert 
and  Jane  (Mercer)  Kelso,  natives  of  New  Hampshire,  who  emi- 
grated to  the  West  in  1800,  and  after  an  eventful  life,  died  in 
Switzerland  county,  Ind.,  in  1835.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
started  from  Switzerland  county,  Ind.,  in  March,  traveling  by  ox 
teams  and  arriving  in  this  county  April  20,  1832.  After  looking 
the  county  through,  he  settled  on  his  present  farm,  where  he  entered 
80  acres  of  land".  Having  but  little  money,  he  commenced  the 
cultivation  and  improvement  of  his  place,  and,  by  continued  perse- 
verance and  industry,  has  made  an  entire  success.  The  land  sur- 
rounding his  fine  residence  now  numbers  over  320  acres  of  valuable 
land.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Nelson,  in  1829,  a  native  of 
Switzerland  county,  Indiana,  where  she  was  born  Dec.  25,  1811. 
Robert,  John,  Jane,  Joseph,  Jr.,  Wilson,  and  Matilda  are  their 
living   children;    lost   five,   Charles,  David,  William,   Sarah,  and 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  691 

Eliza.  There  were  five  families  who  accompanied  this  veteran 
pilgrim  to  his  Western  home,  some  of  whom  are  still  living.  Mr. 
K.  is  truly  a  self-made  man.  Commencing  life  with  no  advantages, 
but  by  his  indomitable  energy  he  has  acquired  his  well  earned 
wealth.  He  is  well  known  throughout  the  county,  and  honored  and 
respected  by  all. 

George  W.  Kingsbury,  merchant,  of  the  firm  of  Kingsbury  & 
Snyder.  Born  in  Steuben  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1827,  and  emigrated  to 
this  county  in  1840,  settling  in  Deer  Creek  township,  and  engaged 
in  farming,  where  he  married  Caroline  Harlan  in  1853.  She  was 
born  in  N.  Y.  in  1825.  Came  to  this  city  in  1857,  and  engaged 
as  clerk  with  Horton  &  Kingsbury  until  1866,  when  he  formed  the 
present  copartnership,  which  has  since  been  in  successful  operation, 
Florence,  Julia  and  Harlan  are  their  living  children.  Members  of 
the  Lutheran  Church. 

Conrad  Laiorentz,  Jr.,  farmer,  sec.  32,  P.  O.,  Washington.  Born 
in  Groveland  township  in  1853.  His  parents  were  Conrad  and 
Barbara  Lawrcntz,  who  emigrated  to  America  in  1830  and  settled  in 
Peoria,  and  two  years  afterward  moved  to  St.  Louis,  thence  to  this 
county,  settling  in  Groveland  township,  where  he  died.  Was  among 
the  early  pioneers  of  this  county.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
married,  in  1875,  to  Miss  Annie  C.  Friedinger,  a  native  of  Grove- 
land, where  she  was  born  in  1857.  George  E.  and  Christian  V.  are 
their  children.  In  1873  he  settled  on  his  present  estate,  which  con- 
sists of  115  acres,  valued  at  §40  i)er  acre, 

John  Loioman,  farmer,  sec.  31 ;  P.  O.,  Farmdale.  Is  the  oldest 
son  of  Martin  and  Elizabeth  (Howard)  Lowman,  natives  of  Lincoln 
Co.,  N.  C,  who  emigrated  to  this  county  and  settled  in  Holland's 
Grove,  near  Washington  City,  May  12,  1831,  where  father  and 
son  entered  a  quarter  section  of  land  and  were  three  days  erecting 
a  cabin  of  split  rails,  when  they  engaged  in  opening  and  improving 
a  farm.  In  1871  his  father  moved  to  Mo.,  where  his  mother  died, 
when  he  returned  and  is  now  living  in  Woodford  Co.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  married,  in  1 838,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Gordon, 
daughter  of  George  Gordon,  a  veteran  of  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and 
one  of  this  county's  early  pilgrims,  where  he  died  in  1853.  She 
was  a  native  of  Dearborn  Co.,  Ind.,  where  she  was  born  in  1821. 
Mr.  Lowman  served  as  a  scout  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and  has 
experienced  all  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life.  In  1845  he  settled  on 
his  present  estate,  consisting  of  over  300  acres  of  valuable  land, 
where  he  has  since  made  it  his  home.  His  collossal  frame  measures 
six  feet  eight  inches  in  his  stockings,  and  his  greatest  weight  is  255 
pounds.  Mary,  Hannah,  Rebecca,  Martin  H.,  John  W.,  James  C, 
Jane,  Elizabeth,  Henry  C.,  Samuel  M.,  Annie  and  Edward  W.  are 
their  living  children. 

Henry  Mahle,  grain  dealer;  residence.  Main  street.  Born  in 
ClaYion  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1832.  His  parents  were  Louis  and  Elizabeth 
(Lilly)  Mahle,  natives  of  Hesse  Cassel,  Germany.     Married  Sybilla 


692  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWEI,L   COUNTY. 

Lawson,  May  10,  1855.  She  was  born  in  Gettysburgh,  Pa.,  in  1834 ; 
came  to  this  county  in  1865  and  settled  in  the  city,  where  he  has 
been  engaged  principally  in  the  grain  business.  Has  filled  the  office 
of  Township  Trustee  for  many  years,  and  was  elected  to  the  City 
Council  after  its  incorporation  in  the  spring  of  1877.  Amanda  J., 
Charlotte  E.,  Lincoln  E.  and  John  W.  are  their  living  children. 
Members  of  English  Lutheran  Church. 

William  B.  Ilerchanf,  real  estate  and  insurance  broker,  Washing- 
ton city.  Born  in  Steuben ville,  Jefferson  Co.,  O.,  in  1830.  His 
parents  were  John  and  Margaret  (Sanonton)  Merchant,  natives  of 
Pa.,  who  at  an  early  day  emigrated  to  O.,  where  they  have  since 
died.  Mr.  M.  was  married,  in  1857,  to  Miss  Jane  H.  Eagleson, 
a  native  of  O.,  and  in  the  following  year  came  to  this  county  and 
settled  south  of  Washington,  and  became  extensively  engaged  in 
farming,  where  his  estimable  wife  died  in  1862.  Six  years  later  he 
removed  to  this  city  and  engaged  in  real  estate  and  insurance  busi- 
ness with  his  only  son,  Alvin  E.,  where  they  have  conducted  a  suc- 
cessful and  active  practice.  Mr.  M.  has  been  an  invalid  for  some 
months,  and  is  still  suffering  from  an  affection  of  the  lungs.  He  is 
held  in  high  esteem  and  respect  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  in  this 
community,  where  he  has  become  widely  known  and  appreciated. 
His  worthy  son,  possessed  of  excellent  business  abilities,  is  his  con- 
stant attendant,  and  we  know  of  no  young  man  who  has  more  warm 
friends  than  Alvin  E.  Merchant.  Are  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 

Joseph  B.  Miles,  Jr.,  farmer;  residence  Washington.  Born  in 
Athens,  Athens  Co.,  O.,  Oct.  11,  1828.  Is  the  son  of  Joseph  B. 
Miles,  Sr.,  who  was  born  in  Rutland,  Mass.,  June  21st,  1781,  and 
removed,  with  his  parents,  to  Ohio  while  very  young,  and  settled  at 
Belpre,  on  the  Ohio  river,  in  what  is  now  Washington  Co.  On 
reaching  his  majority  he  settled  in  Athens  Co.,  O.,  where  he  re- 
mained until  the  summer  of  1843,  when,  with  his  wife  and  seven 
children,  he  removed  to  this  county  and  settled  on  sec.  28,  where  he 
resided  until  1857,  when  he  removed  to  the  town  of  Washington, 
where  he  died  Aug.  18,  1860,  aged  seventy-nine  years,  one  month, 
and  twenty-eight  days.  Was  married  to  his  second  wife,  Elizabeth 
M.  Falton,  April  14,  1822.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  this 
county  in  Aug.,  1843,  settled  on  and  improved  the  S.  E.  quarter  of 
sec.  28,  where  he  resided  until  Oct.,  1857,  when  he  moved  into  the 
town  of  Washington,  where  he  still  resides.  Enlisted  in  the  Union 
Army  on  Aug.  16,  1861,  as  First  Lieut.,  Co.  B,  47th  Regt.,  Vol. 
Inf.  Commissioned  to  take  rank  as  First  Lieut,  from  the  25th  day 
of  Aug.,  1861.  Was  promoted  and  commissioned  to  take  rank  as 
Capt.  from  Sept.  2,  1861.  Promoted  to  take  rank  as  Major,  Aug. 
21,  1863.  Participated  in  the  battles  of  New  Madrid  and  Point 
Pleasant,  Mo.,  Island  No.  10,  luka.  Miss.,  Jackson,  Miss.,  seige  and 
assault  of  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  Mechanicsburg,  Miss.,  Richmond,  La., 
Fort   De    Russey,  La.,  Henderson    Hill,  La.,  Pleasant   Hill,  La., 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  693 

Monsura,  Yellow  Bayou  and  Lake  Chicot,  where  he  was  severely 
wounded  by  a  gunshot  through  the  neck  and  shoulders,  June  6, 
1864.  AVas  brought  home  to  Washington ;  returned  to  the  field 
and  joined  his  regiment  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  Sept.  2,  1864,  and  was 
mustered  out  of  the  service  Oct.  11th,  1864.  His  elder  brother, 
Daniel  D.  Miles,  enlisted  Aug.  16,  1861,  and  commissioned  to  take 
rank  as  Captain,  Aug.  16,  1861;  promoted  to  Lieut.  Col,,  Sept.  1, 
1861,  and  died  from  wounds  received  in  action  at  Farmington, 
Miss.,  May  9,  1862.  Deceased  was  a  native  of  Athens,  O.,  M'here 
he  was  born  Aug.  18,  1827;  was  married  Dec.  31,  1855,  to  Miss 
Ellen  Wood,  daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  G.  P.  AVood. 

Jacob  Minch,  farmer,  sec.  35;  P.  O.,  Washington.  Was  born  in' 
Washington  township  in  1840,  and  is  a  son  of  an  early  pilgrim. 
Was  married,  in  1861,  to  Miss  Anna  E.  Berket,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam Berket,  also  a  native  of  this  township.  They  have  four  chil- 
dren—  Mary  C,  Ella  V.,  Arthur  C,  and  Bessie  S.  Mr.  M.  resides 
on  the  homestead,  consisting  of  180  acres,  valued  at  $60  per  acre. 
He  enlisted  in  the  47th  I.  V.  Inf.,  Co.,  B,  and  served  three  years 
and  three  months.  Was  wounded  slightly  at  Yicksburg,  but  never 
missed  a  roll-call,  and  was  not  confined  during  the  time  of  his  ser- 
vice. Participated  in  battles  of  Point  Pleasant,  Mo.,  Island  No.  10, 
luka,  Miss.,  siege  and  assault  of  Yicksburg,  Richmond,  La.,  Fort 
De  Russey,  La.,  and  all  the  battles  tliat  regiment  was  in. 

Phillip  Moschel,  farmer,  sec.  21;  P.  O.,  Washington;  born  in 
Bavaria,  Germany  in  1833,  and.  emigrated  to  America  in  1853,  set- 
tling near  Groveland  township,  where  he  resided  six  years,  when  he 
moved  to  Woodford  county,  where  he  was  married,  in  1861,  to  Miss 
Mary  Centmeyer,  a  native  of  Bavaria,  where  she  was  born  in  1836. 
In  1866  he  returned  to  this  county,  and  settled  in  this  township  on 
his  present  estate  in  1875,  consisting  of  160  acres,  valued  at  $60 
per  acre.  Mary,  Carrie,  and  George  are  their  living  children. 
Members  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 

B.  F.  Myers,  farmer,  sec.  12;  P.  O.,  Washington;  born  in  Pick- 
away Co.,  O.,  in  1850,  and  emigrated  to  this  county  with  his 
parents,  Solomon  and  Mary  (Bufford)  Myers,  in  the  fall  of  1864, 
and  settled  in  \\'ashington.  The  following  year  he  removed  to  his 
present  estate  of  80  acres,  valued  at  $2,000.  '  Was  married,  in  1869, 
to  Miss  Mattie  Gibson,  who  was  born  in  this  county  in  1853. 
Carrie  V.  and  Mamie  A.  are  their  children. 

Henry  Myers,  farmer,  sec.  12;  P.  O.,  AVashington ;  born  in 
Pickaway  Co.,  O.,  in  1847.  His  parents  were  Solomon  and  Mary 
(Bufford)  Myers,  natives  of  O.  The  family  came  to  this  county  in 
1864,  and  after  one  year's  residence  in  Washington  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  settled  on  his  present  estate  of  80  acres,  valued  at  $65 
per  acre.  Same  year  of  his  coming  he  was  married  to  Miss  Barbara 
Puntches,  a  native  of  Pickaway  Co.,  where  she  was  born  in  1848. 
Time  and  Nellie  May  are  their  two  living  children. 

John  C.  Nof singer,  farmers,  sec.  5 ;  P.  O.,  AVashington ;  born  in 


694  HISTOEY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Tazewell  Co.,  111.,  in  1843.  His  parents  were  Christian  and  Bar- 
bara (Schetch)  Nofsinger,  natives  of  Germany,  who  were  early 
settlers  in  this  connty,  and  where  they  still  reside.  In  1868  he 
married  Catherine  Baughman,  a  native  of  Woodford  Co.,  where  she 
was  born  in  1852.  Peter,  Christian,  Joseph,  John,  and  Annie  are 
their  living  children.     Are  members  of  the  Ornish  Church. 

L.  8.  North,  dry  goods  merchant,  north  side  of  Commercial 
Square.  Has  occupied  his  present  place  of  business  since  1869. 
Is  a  thorough  business  man,  and  enjoys  the  confidence  of  the  com- 
munity at  large. 

Charles  Oesterley,  former,  sec.  32 ;  post-office,  Farmdale ;  born  In 
Germany  in  1820;  married  Catherine  Freibelin  in  1848,  who  was 
born  in  Germany  in  1826.  The  same  year  he  emigrated  to  America, 
and  resided  for  one  year  near  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  when  he  moved  to 
Pennsylvania,  and  six  years  after  came  to  this  county  and  settled 
on  his  present  estate,  consisting  of  105  acres,  valued  at  $35  per 
acre.  Fronecar,  John,  Henry,  Catherine,  and  Paulina  are  their 
living  children.     Are  members  of  the  Evangelical  Church. 

Phillip  Orth,  fiirmer,  sec.  4;  post-office,  Washington;  born  in 
Germany  in  1827,  and  emigrated  to  America  in  1849,  settling  in 
Jeffi^rson  county,  N.  Y.,  M'here  he  resided  until  1856,  when  he  came 
to  this  county  and  settled  on  his  present  estate  of  190  acres,  valued 
at  $50  per  acre.  He  was  married  in  1855,  to  Miss  Catherine  Shafer, 
who  was  born  in  Germany  in  1836.  John,  Theodore,  Emma, 
Lizzie,  and  Phillip,  Jr.  are  their  living  children.  Are  members  of 
the  Lutheran  Church. 

P.  H.  Parker,  grocery  merchant,  firm  of  C.  J.  Gibson  &  Co. ; 
residence  Church  street;  born  in  Woodford  county,  in  1854;  is  a 
son  of  Hiram  Parker,  who  settled  in  McLean  county  in  1837.  The 
family  moved  to  this  county  in  1870,  and  he  became  engaged  in  his 
present  business  in  this  city.  He  was  married,  in  1875,  to  Miss 
Mary  B.  Foster,  a  native  of  Peoria,  where  she  was  born  in  1850. 
In  the  spring  of  1878  he  formed  the  present  partnership,  where  he 
has  since  carried  on  a  successful  trade. 

Peter  Portman,  firmer  and  stock  dealer,  sec.  24  ;  P.  O.,  Washing- 
ton ;  born  in  Sanburgh,  France,  in  1822,  and  emigrated  to  America 
in  July,  1848,  and  settled  near  his  present  estate,  consisting  of  290 
acres,  valued  at  $100  per  acre.  He  was  married,  in  Woodford  Co., 
in  1853,  to  Miss  Josephine  Uqnat,  a  native  of  France,  by  whom 
he  has  ten  children  —  Nicholas  G.,  Emil  J,,  Rosa  M.,  Josephine 
G.,  Mary  F.,  Peter  N.,  Louisa  M.,  Frankie  J.,  Charles  L.,  and 
Clement  A.  In  1837  they  returned  to  their  native  country,  (after 
renting  the  farm,)  where  they  spent  four  years,  and  in  1861  he 
opened  a  livery  stable  in  this  city,  where  he  resided  until  1864, 
when  he  moved  again  on  the  farm,  where  he  has  since  made  it  his 
home.     Are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

Charles  Rapp,  jeweler,  north  side  of  the  square ;  born  in  Washing- 
ton, 111.,  in  1851 ;  is  a  son  of  Earnest  and  Christian  (Smith)  Rapp, 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  695 

natives  of  Germany.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  commenced  his 
apprenticeship  at  Fairbury,  in  1873,  and  the  following  year  engaged 
with  an  extensive  house  at  Peoria,  where  he  remained  two  years, 
when  he  returned  to  this  city  and  opened  his  present  place  of  busi- 
ness, where  he  entertains  his  customers  with  the  finest  and  best 
selected  stock  of  jewelry  in  the  city.  In  1877  he  married  Frances 
Miles,  a  native  of  this  city.     They  have  one  child.  Pearl  May. 

Joseph  Ropp,  farmer,  sec.  8 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  born  in  Alsace, 
France,  now  Germany,  in  1823.  His  parents  were  natives  of  same 
place,  and  emigrated  to  this  country  in  1836,  and  settled  in  Wood- 
ford county,  where  they  lived  a  short  time,  when  they  came  to  this 
county  and  settled  in  this  township,  where  he  lived  until  his 
removal  to  McLean  county,  where  he  died.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  then  moved  to  Elm  Grove  township  in  1839,  where  he  pur- 
chased and  resided  until  his  coming  to  Washington  township,  and 
settled  on  his  present  estate  of  156  acres,  valued  at  $70  per  acre. 
Married  Catherine  Burkey  in  1850,  a  nativs  of  Germany,  where 
she  was  born  in  1829.  Elizabeth,  Barbara,  Amos,  Phoebe,  Daniel, 
Katie,  and  Fannie,  are  their  living  children.  A  member  of  the 
Omish  Church. 

Frederick  Rickman,  firm  of  Rickman  &  Harrington,  Washington ; 
born  in  Germany  in  1834:  and  emigrated,  with  his  parents  to  Amer- 
ica in  1854,  stopping  one  year  in  Canada,  thence  to  Spring  Bay,  and 
after  a  few  years  moved  to  Peoria,  where  his  father  still  resides. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  this  city  in  1855,  and  engaged  in 
wagon  making  until  he  formed  the  present  copartnership,  where  he 
has  since  been  successfully  engaged.  Was  married,  in  1857,  to  Miss 
Sophia  Baker,  a  native  of  HI.  Frederick  N.,  Lizzie,  Loney, 
Frank,  Annie  D.,  Laura,  Hattie  and  Tilly  B.,  are  their  living  chil- 
dren, lost  one,  William. 

William  F.  Rochin,  boot  and  shoe  merchant,  S.  W.  cor.  Commer- 
cial Square;  residence.  High  st ;  born  in  Wurtemburgh,  Germany, 
in  1833.  Parents  were  David  and, Elizabeth  Roehm,  natives  of 
Germany.  Emigrated  to  America  in  1847,  and  settled  in  Detroit, 
Mich.,  where  he  resided  until  1855,  when  he  moved  to  Peoria. 
Was  married,  in  1856,  to  Miss  Catherine  Eantzi,  a  native  of 
Germany,  where  she  was  born  in  1831.  Came  to  this  county  in 
1865  and  opened  a  small  shoe  shop  on  Main  street,  forming  a  i)art- 
nership  with  Wm.  Fletmeyer,  which  was  dissolved  in  the  same  year. 
In  1869  he  was  enabled  to  open  his  j)resent  place,  where  he  has 
since  carried  on  a  large  trade.  Katie,  I^ouisa,  Mary,  Julius,  Theo- 
dore, and  Emil,  are  •  their  living  children.  Are  members  of  the 
German  Liberal  C'luirch. 

William  A.  Ross,  blacksmith,  firm  of  Ross  &  Zinscn,  north  side 
Commercial  Square;  born  in  Franklin  Co.,  O.,  in  1826.  His 
father  was  Hugh  M.,  a  native  of  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  where  he 
was  born  in  1791.  His  mother's  name  was  Nancy  Crosseta,  a 
native  of  N.  Y.  State,  and   the    family  moved   to    Maine,  on   the 


696  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Penobscot  river,  at  an  early  day,  and  to  this  county  in  1835,  settling 
in  Deer  Creek  township,  where  he  entered  land  and  resided  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  at  the  residence  of  Dewitt  Higgins  in 
1842.  He  was  a  land  surveyor  and  entered  largely  upon  the  inter- 
ests of  the  town  and  county,  being  among  those  of  early  settlers. 
After  his  fother's  death  the  subject  of  this  sketch  made  his  home 
with  Maj.  R.  N.  CuUom,  father  of  the  present  Gov.  of  the  State,  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  and  after  four  years  residence  came  to  this 
city,  and  served  an  apprenticeship  with  Brazilla  Alice,  with  whom 
he  formed  copartnership,  subsecpiently  going  into  business  for  him- 
self, where  he  continued  until  the  formation  of  the  present  firm  in 
active  operation.  Was  appointed  Deputy  Provost  Marshall  in 
June,  1862,  and  served  every  draft  notice  in  the  county,  until  the 
close  of  the  war.  His  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Church. 

Josiah  Snyder,  firm  of  Kingsbury  &  Snyder,  merchants.  Main 
street,  Washington;  was  born  in  Somerset  Co.,  Pa.,  Feb.  20,  1827, 
and  is  the  only  son  of  Jacob  and  Julia  (Woy)  Snyder,  natives  oJF 
Pa.,  where  his  father  died  in  1848,  leaving  his  wife  and  seven  daugh- 
ters and  only  son.  He  remained  on  the  farm  with  his  mother  and 
the  younger  sisters,  filling,  in  a  measure,  the  father's  chair,  in  the 
duties  which  were  before  him.  At  the  age  of  22  years  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Sarah  C.  Lawson,  daughter  of  Rev.  S.  B.  Lawson,  and 
in  Oct.,  1863,  left  Somerset  Co.,  with  his  wife  and  three  children, 
for  the  West,  and  settled  in  this  city,  where  he  became  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business,  and  two  years  later  associated  himself  with 
G.  W.  Kingsbury,  in  the  grocery  business,  where  he  has  since  been 
successfully  engaged.  This  firm  is  popular  among  all  classes  through- 
out the  surrounding  county  and  city.  Possessing  business  qualifi- 
cations and  experience,  they  control  the  immense  trade  that  is 
brought  to  this  thrifty  little  city.  Politically  Mr.  S.  is  Republican. 
Religiously,  has  been  a  consistent  member  of  the  Evangelical  Lu- 
theran Church  from  the  age  of  seventeen  years.  Is  strictly  tem- 
perate in  all  his  habits.  Being  in  the  prime  of  manhood,  he  may 
long  continue  a  useful  member  of  the  community  in  which  he  is 
highly  appreciated  and  respected.  Emma,  John  B.,  Frank  M., 
Charles  L.  W.,  Harvey  J.,  Clara  R.  and  Sarah  E.  are  their  children. 
T,  C.  Sotmemann,  hardware  merchant.  Main  street,  res.  cor.  Hol- 
land and  High  streets ;  born  in  Vandalia,  Fayette  Co.,  111.,  Feb. 
10,  1845.  His  parents  were  Jacob  and  Ann,  natives  of  Germany, 
who  came  to  this  State  in  1835  and  settled  in  Vandalia,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  harness  business,  removing  to  this  Co.  in  1848,  where 
he  fi)llowed  his  calling  until  1865,  when  he  retired  from  business, 
and  died  in  1866.  Mr.  S.  continued  the  business  until  1870,  when 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Tobias  &  Sons,  in  the  hardware  trade, 
where  he  remained  three  years,  when  he  retired  and  engaged  for 
three  years  in  the  lumber  business,  at  which  time  he  built  the  store 
he  now  occupies  as  a  hardware  store,  and  carries  on  a  successful 


HISTOEY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  697 

trade.  Was  elected  City  Treasurer  at  tlie  first  election  of  city  offi- 
cers after  its  incorporation  in  the  spring  of  1877.     Was  married,  in 

1866,  to  Miss  Mary  F.  Tobias.  She  was  born  in  Circle ville,  O.,  in 
1848.     Lewis  C.  and  George  T.  are  their  living  children. 

J.  W.  Sprif/gs,  D.  D.,  Pastor  Christian  Churcii ;  born  in  Noble 
Co.,  O.,  in  1847.  Parents  were  Morris  D.  and  Catharine  (Pool) 
Spriggs,  natives  of  Pa.,  who  emigrated  to  tliis  State  in  1867,  and 
settled  in  Wavne  Co.  Was  first  educated  for  the  law  in  Woodford, 
O.,  where  he  graduated  and  became  pastor  of  a  Christian  Church  in 
Minn.  In  1878  he  took  charge  of  the  Mission  Church  at  Pekin, 
and  in  Feb.  of  the  following  year  came  to  this"  city,  where  he  has 
filled  the  pulpit  of  the  Christian  Church.  V.  Winnie,  Flora,  Lotta 
and  Ednor  are  their  living  children. 

William  Sformcr,  firm  of  Stormer  Bros.,  south  side  of  the  square ; 
born  in  Frankenburgh,  Hesse  Cassel,  Germany,  in  1845.  Emi- 
grated with  his  parent  to  America,  in  1856,  and  settled  northeast  of 
this  city  on  a  farm,  where  he  resided  until  1874,  when  he  formed  a 
partnership  under  the  firm  name  of  H.  W.  &  W.  Stormer.  In  1875 
his  brother  John  purchased  the  interest  of  H.  AY.,  where  they  have 
since  conducted  a  thrifty  business.  He  was  married,  in  1876,  to 
Miss  Amelia  Bontz ;  slie  was  born  in  Peoria  county  in  1853.  They 
have  one  child,  Conrad  B.  John,  senior  member  of  the  firm,  was 
born  in  Hittenrod,  Germany,  in  1839.  He  married  Catherine  Keil 
in  the  spring  of  1868;  she  was  born  in  Holland's  Grove,  now 
Washington  city,  in  1847.  They  have  four  children  —  Charles, 
Julia,  Clara,  and  Mamy.  Are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran 
Church. 

Peter  Strubkr,  Jr.,  firmer,  sec.  30 ;  post-office,  Washington ;  born 
in  France,  in  1827,  and  emigrated  to  this  country  in  1835,  with  his 
mother,  and  settled  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  where  he  resided  until 
1845,  when  he  moved  to  McLean  county,  and  to  this   county  in 

1867,  and  settled  north  of  Washington.  He  was  married,  in  1850, 
to  Miss  Barbara  Switzer,  a  native  of  France,  where  she  was  born 
in  1830.  Joseph,  Christian,  Peter,  Jr.,  and  Valentine  are  their 
living  children;  lost  two  —  John,  and  Mary.  Moved  on  his  pres- 
ent estate  in   1871,  consisting  of  320  acres,  valued  at  $60  per  acre. 

Peter  K  Stitckei/,  farmer,  sec.  19 ;  post-office,  Washington ;  born 
in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  May  31,  1844;  came  to  this  county  in  1865, 
and  in  1866  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  Engle,  who  was  born  in 
AVoodford  county,  111.,  in  1842.  Mr.  S.  was  called  to  fill  the  pulpit 
of  the  Omish  Church,  soon  after  settling  on  his  present  estate,  in 
1871,  where  he  has  since  been  occupied.  Has  a  farm  of  80  acres, 
valued  at  $50  per  acre.  John  E.,  Wm.  A.,  Joseph  H.,  Charles  J., 
Barbara  E.,  Elvina  J.,  and  Theodore  T.  are  their  living  children. 

EdmiDtd  Sullivan,  fiwrncr,  sec.  27;  ])ost-office,  Washington;  born 
in  Ireland  in  1837.  He  married  Johanna  McCarty  in  1856;  she 
was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1839.  Mr.  S.  emigrated  to  America 
in  1857,  and  was  engaged  in  a  grocery  in  New  York  State  for  some 


698  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

months,  when  he  came  to  the  West  and  settled  in  Peoria,  where  he 
lived  nine  years,  when  he  moved  to  this  county  and  settled  on  his 
present  estate,  consisting  of  240  acres,  valued  at  $60  per  acre.  This 
home  he  has  accumulated  by  his  own  labors  and  toil,  and  is  a  pros- 
perous, active  farmer.  John  T.,  Daniel,  Ellen,  Edmund,  Jr.,  and 
Michael,  are  their  living  children. 

Adam  M.  Switzcr,  farmer,  sec.  24 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  born  in 
Hampshire  county,  Va.,  in  1810.  His  parents  were  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Kline)  Switzer,  natives  of  Germany.  They  emigrated 
to  Hennepin,  Putnam  Co.,  this  State,  in  1834,  where  he  remained  a 
short  time,  and  settled  in  this  village  the  same  year,  where  he 
engaged  at  his  trade,  tailoring,  a  few  years,  when  he  purchased  his 
present  estate,  consisting  of  100  acres,  valued  at  $100  per  acre.  In 
Nov.,  1835,  he  married  Harriet  A.  Heath,  who  was  born  in  Mus- 
kingum county,  O.,  Aug.  14,  1818.  Arabella  H.,  widow  of  John 
L.  Webster,  who  died  in  Carlisle,  Ark.,  in  1877,  is  their  only  living 
child ;  she  has  one  son,  Abel  M.  Webster,  of  the  firm  of  Voorhees 
&  Webster,  of  this  city.     Family  are  members  of  Methodist  Church. 

William  P.  Thompson,  farmer,  sec.  23 ;  P.  O.,  Washington ;  born 
in  Washington  county.  Pa.,  in  1816.  His  parents  died  when 
young,  and  when  four  years  of  age,  he  was  taken  to  the  home  of 
Eliza  Maxon,  in  Fayette  county,  with  whom  he  lived  many  years. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  went  to  Clinton  county,  Ohio,  where, 
in  1841,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  H.  Kizer,  a  native  of  Va., 
where  she  was  born  in  1821.  Came  to  this  county  in  1850,  and  set- 
tled one  mile  east  of  the  city,  where  he  lived  24  years,  when  he 
moved  on  his  present  estate  of  20  acres,  valued  at  $250  per  acre. 
Also  owns  the  homestead  of  200  acres.  Elizabeth  J.,  Eliza  M., 
Cclia  A.,  Lucinda  E.,  Louisa,  Ella,  tnd  Alice,  are  their  living  chil- 
dren, lost  three  —  Emma,  George  C,  and  one  died  iu  infancy, 

George  F.  Tobias,  furniture  dealer  and  manufacturer,  of  the  firm 
of  Tobias  &  Co.,  south  side  Commercial  square ;  born  in  Pickaway 
Co.,  O.,  in  1854.  Parents  were  Elijah  and  Sarah  (Moyer)  Tobias, 
natives  of  Pa.,  where  they  died  at  an  early  day.  Emigrated  to  this 
county  in  1870  and  settled  in  this  city,  where  he  engaged  at  his 
trade  of  wagon  manufacturing.  In  1875  was  married  to  Miss 
Sophia  Benford,  who  was  born  in  Somerset,  Pa.,  in  1354.  Formed 
the  present  co-partnership  in  1876,  where  he  has  since  continued  in 
a  successful  business.  Leroy  is  their  only  living  child.  Member 
of  the  Lutheran  Church. 

Benjamin  Tobias,  Jr.,  carriage  and  wagon  manufacturer.  Walnut 
and  Holland  sts. ;  born  in  Burks  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1829.  Parents  were 
Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  (Roth)  Tobias,  natives  of  that  State,  where 
he  married  Elizabeth  J.  Anderson  iu  1850.  She  was  born  in  Pick- 
away Co.,  O.,  in  1831.  Came  to  this  county  in  1855,  and  settled 
in  this  city,  when  he  commenced  the  manufacture  of  plows,  which  he 
conducted  for  several  years,  when  he  became  engaged  in  wagon 
manufacturing,  building  his  present  premises  in  1862,  and  a  black- 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  699 

smith  shop  connected  in  1874,  where  he  has  since  been  extensively 
engaged.  Has  two  extensive  farms  near  Gihiian,  conchictcd  by  his 
sons,  vahied  at  $40  per  acre.  AVas  Justice  of  the  Peace  twelve 
years,  Supervisor  a  short  time,  and  elected  Mayor  of  this  city,  April 
15,1879.  Denny,  Willis,  and  Sanford  are  their  living  children; 
lost  five  —  Alice,  Flora,  Charles  A.,  Harley  and  Florence. 

James  Trimble,  retired  farmer,  residence  and  P.  O.,  Washington  ; 
born  in  Highland  Co.,  O.,  in  1820.  His  parents  were  Thomas  and 
Margaret  (Kelley)  Trimble.  Came  to  this  county  in  1834,  and  set- 
tled near  this  city,  where  his  father  died  in  1856.  In  1839  or  '40, 
came  to  this  cify  and  engaged  at  his  trade,  wagon-making.  In 
1849  he  married  Mary  B.  Mcrris ;  she  was  born  in  Cecil  Co.,  Md., 
in  1820,  and  died  in  1871.  Of  their  several  children  two  are  liv- 
ing—  Chas.  E.  and  James  H. 

John  Watson,  Jr.,  proprietor  Tazewell  Co.  Mills ;  born  in  ISIont- 
goraery  Co.,  111.,  in  1836.  His  parents  were  John  and  Eliza  (Kelly) 
Watson,  the  former  a  native  of  Conn.,  and  mother  a  native  of 
Ireland.  His  parents  emigrated  to  this  State  in  1836  and  settled 
in  Hillsburough,  Montgomery  Co.,  where  he  engaged  in  milling 
eighteen  years,  when  he  built  a  mill  and  erected  the  Pilot  Knob 
Iron  Works  at  Pilot  Knob,  Mo.,  where  he  resided  five  years  when 
he  moved  to  St.  Louis,  and  after  a  few  years  residence  there  he 
returned  to  Hillsborough,  when  he  sold  his  milling  interest  and 
lived  one  year  at  Litchfield,  same  county,  thence  to  Morrissonville, 
where  he  leased  a  mill  under  the  firm  of  Frederick  &  Watson,  and 
continued  until  1878,  when  the  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  this 
city  and  leased  the  mill  where  he  is  now  conducting  a  successful 
trade.  Was  married,  in  1865,  to  Mary  Barefoot,  who  died  the  fol- 
lowing year.  His  present  wife,  Ella  R,  Hayes,  was  born  in  Pike 
Co.,  111.,  in  1856.  They  were  married  in  1874,  and  have  two 
children,  Fannie  M.,  born  May  3,  1875,  and  Mary  H.,  Oct.  17,  1878. 

George  C.  War/ncr,  fiirmer,  sec.  17;  P.  O.,  AVashington ;  born  in 
Germany  in  1838;  emigrated  to  this  country  with  his  parents  in 
1847,  and  settled  in  AYo()dfi)rd  county,  where  his  ])arents  died. 
Married  Catherine  Belchy,  in  1861,  a  native  of  Woodford  county, 
and  has  five  children  —  Lane,  John,  Barbara,  Samuel,  and  Susie, 
lost  three  —  Bena,  Joseph,  and  Emma.  Came  to  this  county  in 
1872,  and  settled  on  his  present  estate  of  154  acres,  valued  at  $70 
per  acre,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  Are  members  of 
the  Omish  Church. 

Harriet  Waughop,  farmer,  sec.  23  ;  P.  O.,  Washington  ;  widow  of 
James  Waughop,  a  native  of  Portsmouth,  Va.  Siie  was  born  in 
Bedfi)rd  county,  Ya.,  in  1814,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Abraham  and 
Nancy  Huddleston,  early  pioneers  of  this  county,  who  settled  iu 
this  township  at  an  early  day.  Mr.  Waughop  came  to  this  county 
in  1830,  and  settled  in  this  township,  where  he  lived  until  his  death 
in  1868.  Was  one  of  the  early  pioneers  and  was  well  known 
throughout  the  county.     They  were  married  in  1836,  and  of  their 


700  HISTORY   OF   TAZEAVELL   COUNTY. 

several  children  two  are  living  —  Martin  and  Joseph.     Settled  on 
the  present  estate  of  65  acres  in  1857. 

John  Weeh"^,  farmer,  sec.  12;  P.  O.,  AVashington ;  born  in  Wor- 
cester Co.,  Mass.,  in  1834;  married  Easter  Holland,  daughter  of 
AVilliam  Holland,  Sr.,  a  native  of  this  township.  Came  to  this  Co. 
in  1860  and  settled  in  Washington,  where  he  resided  with  his  father- 
in-law  until  his  death,  he  then  removed  to  the  east  side  of  the 
township,  where  he  lived  until  1877,  when  he  settled  on  his  present 
estate  of  84  acres,  valued  at  $70  per  acre.  Eliza  J.  and  William  A. 
are  their  living  children. 

Wm.  H.  Weirick,  31.  D.,  Physician,  north  side  Commercial  Square ; 
born  in  Union  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1841.  At  the  age  of  21  he  enlisted  in 
131st  Regt.  Pa.  nine  month's  men,  participating  in  the  battle  of 
Fredericksburgh.  Returning,  re-enlisted,  in  1863,  in  State  militia, 
serving  six  weeks,  when  he  returned  home,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1864  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  Samuel  Blair,  of 
Louisborg,  and  in  the  fall  of  same  year  entered  Lombard  Univer- 
sity of  Pa.,  and  the  following  spring  entered  the  service  in  the  213th 
Regt.,  as  Surgeon,  serving  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Returning, 
continued  the  course  of  lectures  until  the  spring  of  1866,  when  he 
commenced  practice  at  Montrose,  Henry  Co.,  Mo.,  remaining  until 
1875,  when  he  came  to  Peoria,  and  after  a  short  stay  there  returned 
to  Montrose,  where  he  remained  until  Feb.,  1876,  when  he  came  to 
this  city,  where  he  followed  his  occupation  for  one  year,  when  he 
engaged  with  Drs.  Wood  and  Wilson  as  assistant,  where  he  remained 
until  the  death  of  Dr.  AYilson,  on  Feb.  17,  1879,  at  which  time  he 
opened  his  present  place,  where  he  has  successful  practice.  He 
married,  in  1869,  Harriet  N.  Wilson,  who  was  born  in  Union  Co., 
Pa.,  in  1843.  Agues  B.,  Margaret  A.  and  Ralph  W.  are  the  living 
children. 

Jacob  L.  Wiko7i,  firm  of  Wilson  &  Shormaker,  livery  stable,  south 
side  of  Commercial  Square;  born  in  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  in  1817, 
and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Jacob  Wilson,  and  grandson  of  Isaac  Wil- 
son, who  owned  a  large  farm  on  the  present  site  of  Indianapolis, 
Ind.,  where  he  died  at  an  early  day.  In  the  fall  of  1823  his  father 
started  from  Wayne  county,  and  after  a  hard  journey,  landed  on  the 
flats  in  Fond  du  Lac  township,  in  February,  1824,  where  he  made 
his  claim  of  320  acres  of  land  on  sec.  14,  where  he  resided  until 
1828  or  1829,  when  he  sold  his  claim  and  went  to  the  lead  mines  at 
Galena,  and  after  one  year  returned  and  purchased  the  homestead 
claim,  where  he  lived  until  his  death  in  September,  1869,  and  was 
one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  the  town  and  county.  He  was  com- 
missioned by  the  Governor  to  act  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  several . 
years ;  also  County  Deputy,  which  office  he  held  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  married,  at  Indianapolis, 
Ind.,  March  25,  1841,  to  Miss  Martha  Evins,  a  native  of  Lexing- 
ton, Ky.,  where  she  was  born  in  1824.  Mr.  W.  moved  to  Wash- 
ington, 111.,  in  1874,  and  opened  his  present  business,  where  he  has 


WASHINGTON 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  703 

been  successfully  eno-ao-ed.  W^s  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  in 
1864,  to  fill  vacancy  of  C.  J.  Gibson  ;  re-elected  in  1866,  and  re- 
signed, and  again  elected  in  the  spring  of  1879.  Mr.  W.  is  the 
second  oldest  living  settler  of  Fond  du  Lac  township,  and  has  ex- 
perienced all  the  privations  of  pioneer  life.  To  Uncle  Jacob,  as  he 
is  familiarly  know,  the  writer  is  largely  indebted  for  many  valuable 
items,  and  the  interest  and  assistance  Avhich  it  was  his  pleasure  to 
bestow.  INIay  his  memory  through  life  keep  fresh  and  green  as  now, 
and  his  shadow  never  grow  less.  Mary  J.,  Sarah  F.,  Laura  C,  and 
Hattie  E.  are  their  living  children.  Family  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Church. 

R.  B.  M.  Wilson,  3I.D.,  deceased.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born  on  Island  Magee,  County  of  Antrim,  Ireland,  March  19,  1827. 
Was  the  eldest  child  of  Alex.  C.  Wilson,  and  grandson  of  Rev. 
John  Murphy,  who  was  for  fifty-three  years  jiastor  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Island  Magee,  the  church  with  which  the 
Doctor's  family  was  connected.  He  pursued  the  study  of  medicine 
and  surgery  at  the  Royal  College  in  Belfast,  Ireland,  also  at  the 
Glasgow  University,  and  the  Andersonian  University  in  the  city  of 
Glasgow,  Scotland.  He  took  his  degree  in  the  latter  University,  in 
March,  1847,  at  the  close  of  the  20th  year  of  his  age.  In  the  fol- 
lowing month  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  and  first  settled  in 
Metamora,  the  county  seat  of  Woodford  county,  in  this  State.  He 
was  married,  June  1,  1854,  to  Miss  Jane  F.  Anthony,  daughter  of 
the  late  Charles  S.  N.  Anthony,  of  this  place.  In  the  falfof  1848 
he  removed  to  this  place  and  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine, 
forming  a  co-partnership,  in  the  same  year,  with  the  late  Dr.  G.  P. 
Wood.  Being  worn  by  the  labors  of  a  large  practice,  and  desiring 
a  period  of  rest,  he  accepted  the  nomination,  and  was  elected  by  the 
people  in  1858,  to  serve  as  their  Representative  in  the  Legislature 
of  this  State.  He  was  also  chosen  a  member  of  the  convention 
which  met,  in  1862,  to  frame  a  new  constitution  for  the  State.  At 
the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service,  he  returned  to  the  practice  of 
his  profession.  By  success  in  his  labors,  he  accumulated  a  large 
landed  property,  which  he  improved  and  managed  with  executive 
ability.  In  1877  he  formed  a  co-partnership,  in  the  practice  of 
medicine,  with  Dr.  F.  F.  Wood,  the  son  and  successor  of  his  former 
partner,  and  entered  with  new  energy  upon  the  labors  of  the  phy- 
sician.. His  professional  reputation  extended  far  beyond  this  imme- 
diate vicinity.  His  services  were  in  demand  throughout  this  section 
of  the  country,  and  almost  every  incoming  train  brought  ])atients  to 
receive  the  benefits  of  his  skill.  He  had,  for  some  time,  been 
troubled  with  chronic  bronchitis,  which  was  at  last  renderecl  acute 
by  exhaustion,  over-exertion,  and  exposure  caused  by  these  large 
demands  upon  his  strength,  causing  his  death,  which  occurred  Feb. 
17,  1879.  His  wife  and  their  only  children,  two  sons,  survive  to 
mourn  his  death.     His  portrait  may  be  found  in  this  volume. 

E.  F.  Wood,  M.D.,  residence,  North  Main  street;  born  in  AVind- 
42 


704  HISTORY   OF   TAZEAYELL   COUNTY. 

sor  Co.,  Vt.,  in  1829,  and  son  of  the  late  Dr.  G.  P.  Wood,  a  native 
of  Windsor  Co.,  Vt.,  where  he  was  born  in   1800.     At  the  age  of 
eighteen  years  he  commenced  his  studies  at  Castleton,  Vt.,  when  he 
moved  to'  this  city  and  became  a  student  with  Dr.  Dundee,  a  pioneer 
physician  of  this  county,  with  whom  he  was  associated  several  years, 
afterwards  forming  a  business  relation  with  Dr.  Rogers,  and  in  1848 
formed  a  partncrshij)  with  the  late  Dr.  R.  B.  M.  Wilson,  which  was 
continued  until  185G,  when  he  made  a  professional  connection  with 
his  son,  and  followed  a  successful  practice  until  1864,  when  he  re- 
tired from  public  practice,  attending   only  to   private   cases  where 
his  services  were  deemed  a  necessity.     His  death  occurred  in  this 
city  in  Nov.,  1872.     The  subject  of  this  sketch,  whose  portrait  ap- 
pears in  this  work,  commenced  studying  with  his  father,  with  whom 
he  remained  until  1 849,  when  he  entered  the  State  University,  at 
St.  Louis,  through  the  sessions  of  '49,  '50,  and  '51,  in   which  year 
he  was  graduated,  and   returned  to  this   city,  forming  a   partnership 
with  Benjamin  Harris,  of  Groveland,  and  for  one  year  followed  his 
professional  calling  at  Morton,  111.,  when  he  returned  to  Washing- 
ton, and  entered  upon  an  extended  practice  in  connection  with  his 
father,  and  in  Feb.,  1877,  a  partnership  was  formed  with  the  late 
Dr.  R.  B.  M.  Wilson.     From  this  relation  sprang  the  deepest  feel- 
ings of  friendship  and  brotherly  love.      Having  a  large  field  of 
practice  it  was   often  the   cause  of  remark,  that  so   much  could  be 
accomplished   only   by   the   united   feelings  of  the   heart.     He   was 
married,   June   22,1852,  to  Miss   Lydia  A.  Lindley,   daughter  of 
John  Lindley,  an  early  pioneer  of  this  city.     She  died  in  this  city 
March    17,    1879,    leaving   four    children — Maria    E.,    Julia    E., 
Laura   L.,  and  Charles  E.     Dr.  W.  is  the  oldest  resident  physician 
of  this  township,  and  possesses  the  affable  and  gentlemanly  qualities 
that  endear  him  to  a  large  circle  of  friends,  to  whom  his  life,  for  a 
score  of  years,  has  been  devoted. 

William  B.  F«7c,  retired  farmer ;  res.  Peoria  st;  born  in  AVash- 
ington  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1820.  His  parents  were  Nira  and  Anna 
(Chase)  Yale,  natives  of  Mass.  Emigrated  to  this  county  in  1836 
and  settled  four  miles  south  of  this  city.  Was  engaged  at  his  trade, 
blacksmithing,  several  years,  and  in  the  spring  of  1840  moved  tAvo 
miles  north  of  the  city  and  engaged  in  farming.  Was  married  in 
1854,  to  Miss  Margaret  Bell,  a  native  of  Nelson  county,  Ky.,  who 
died  in  1875,  when  he  moved  to  his  present  residence,  which  he  has 
since  made  his  home.  Mr.  Yale  was  selected  as  the  people's  choice 
as  a  representative  of  the  city  fathers  April  15,  1879.  He  numbers 
among  those  of  the  early  county  pilgrims,  and  is  a  social,  genial 
gentleman. 

Israel  Zinscr,  druggist.  Main  street,  Washington ;  born  in  Picka- 
way Co.,  O.,  in  1844.  His  parents  were  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Lin- 
ter)  Zinser,  natives  of  Germany  and  Pa.  The  family  came  to  this 
county  in  1851,  and  settled  near  Washington.  Subsequently  re- 
moved   to    Henry    Co,    in    1868,  they   moved    to   ElPaso,   where 


HISTORY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  705 

his  father  died  in  1870.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  enlisted,  in 
Feb.,  1865,  in  the  lOoth  I.  V.  I.,  Co.  K  ;  was  sent  to  Nashville 
and  Murfreesboro,  where  he  was  mustered  out  in  Sept.  and  returned 
home,  and  after  one  term  at  school  engaged  in  the  grocery  business 
one  year,  when  he  -went  to  Plainficld,  returning  to  Washington  in 
1868,  where  he  married  Miss  Martha  Tobias,  and  formed  a  ])artner- 
ship  with  Solomon  Sonneustein  in  the  drug  business,  which  was  con- 
tinued until  1871,  when  he  sold  out  and  returned  to  Plainficld, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  same  business  until  1873,  at  which  time  he 
returned  to  this  city,  forming  a  ])artncrship  business  which  was  con- 
tinued until  1876,  when  he  purchased  the  whole  interest  of  the  con- 
cern, where  he  has  since  carried  on  a  successful  trade.  Mr.  Z.  is  one 
of  the  growing  young  merchants  of  the  city,  is  popular  with  all 
classes,  and  a  social,  genial  gentleman.  Elmer  F.,  Harley  A.  and 
Royal  are  their  living  children. 

SUPERVISORS. 

James  W.  AVather 1850-51  John  W.  Daugherty 1865-66 

Lawson  Holland 1852-53  Benj.  Tobias 1S6G-68 

W.  A.  Ross 1854  Richard  D.  Smith 1869 

J.  S.  Marsh 1855-58  Peter  Fifer 1870 

D.  L.  Miles 1859-60  John  H.  Anthony 1871-79 

Elias  Wenger 1863  Wesley  B.  Harvey,  city 1873-78 

Richard  C.  Dement 1864 

TOWN-CLERKS. 

J.L.Bell 1854-60  Eli  Heiple 1S67 

Thomas  Taylor 1861-64  Simeon  Miller 1868 

Eli  Heiple 1865  Eli  Heiple 1869-79 

Jonathan  H.  Myers 1866 

ASSESSORS. 

J.  L.  Bell 1854-60      Charles  T.  Moore 1868 

Jonathan  H.  Myers 1863-66      Eli  Heiple 1869-79 

Eli  Heiple 1867 

COLLECTORS. 

J.  B.  McCorkle 1854  Thomas  Cress 1855-79 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

COUNTY  OFFICIALS  AND  POLITICAL  HISTORY. 

« 
COUNTY   OFFICIALS. 

Dr.  Flavd  Shurflef,  County  Clerk,  was  elected  in  1877.  He  is  a 
son  of  Milton  Shurtleff,  a  native  of  Plymouth,  Mass.,  and  Mary  F. 
Berry,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire.  They  came  to  Tazewell  county 
at  a  time  when  Central  Illinois  was  but  little  inhabited.  Dr.  D. 
was  born  in  Groveland,  Tazewell  Co.,  Jan.  6,1842;  was  sent  to 
the  common  schools,  and  later  attended  Rush  Medical  College, 
Chicago,  where  he  graduated  with  honor,  and  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  medicine  in  his  native  place.  He  owns  a  large  and  valuable 
farm  in  Groveland  township.  The  Doctor  served  in  the  war  for 
the  Union  as  Assistant  Surgeon  of  the  154th  111.  Inf.,  a  position  he 
was,  in  an  eminent  degree,  qualified  to  fill,  he  being,  by  education 
and  practice,  a  skilled  "surgeon.  The  Doctor's  political  views  con- 
form to  those  of  the  Democratic  i)arty,  by  whose  suffrage  he  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  Clerk  of  this  county.  He  was  also  Super- 
visor of  Groveland  from  1872  to  1875.  A  full-page  portrait  of  Dr. 
Shurtleif  will  appear  in  this  volume. 

Andrew  Jackmn  Kinsey,  Sheriff  of  Tazew^ell  county,  is  a  native 
of  Culpepper  Co.,  Virginia,  born  Oct.  8,  1831.  He  has  been  a  res- 
ident of  this  county  for  twenty-six  years,  and  during  all  these  years 
has  always  been  keenly  alive  to  every  movement  looking  toward  the 
development  of  her  resources.  His  parental  ancestors,  James  and 
Ann  Kinsey,  were  also  of  Virginian  birth,  and  hard-working, 
honest  people.  Mr.  Kinsey  lived  in  his  native  State  until  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  when  he  married  Miss  Lucy  Brown,  and  came, 
one  year  later,  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Tazewell  county.  They  have 
been  blessed  wath  ten  children,  whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are 
as  follows:  Ann  Eliza,  Nov.  27,  '53;  Charles  M.,  June  14,  '55; 
Stephen  D.,  Nov.  1,  '58;  Martha  N.,  May  18,  '61;  Turner  L., 
April  8,  '63;  John  F.,  Oct.  27,  '64;  Lina  J.,  June  15,  '66;  James 
W.,  Jan.  8,  '69;  AVilliam  W.,  Dec.  8,  '70,  and  Harry  B.,  April  1, 
'74.  Their  household  has  been  saddened  by  four  deaths:  Ann 
Eliza,  Sept.  11,  '54;  Martha  N.,  Sept.  3,  '62;  Turner  L.,  Aug.  15, 
'64,  and  John  F.,  Oct.  18,  '65. 

William  L.  Prettyman,  States  Attorney,  is  a  native  son  of  Taze- 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  707 

well  county,  having'been  born  in  Pekin,  Feb.  17,  1850.  He  is  the 
son  of  Benjamin  S.  and  Sarah  A.  (Haines)  Prettyman,  both  of  whom 
came  to  the  county  in  an  early  day,  and  are  well  and  favorably 
known.  States  Attorney  Prettyman  passed  his  boyhood  days  in 
attendance  upon  the  public  schools  of  Pekin,  and  passed  one  year  in 
school  at  Worcester,  Mass.  He  finished  his  education  at  Chicago 
University,  Chicago,  at  which  institution  he  spent  two  years.  He 
returned  to  his  native  town  and  engaged  in  the  ])raetice  of  law,  and 
in  1876  was  elected  to  the  office  of  States  Attorney,  running  on  the 
Democratic  ticket.  He  has  served  his  ward,  the  third,  as  Alderman 
in  the  City  Council,  He  fills  his  present  official  position  with 
credit  to  himself,  and  as  far  as  we  can  learn  with  general  satisfaction 
to  all.  He  is  First  Lieutenant  ofCo.  G,  7th  Regt.,  I.  N.  G.  July 
21,  1871,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Fannie  Yandervort;  they 
have  two  children  —  Fannie,  born  July  8,  1873,  and  John  B.,  born 
Oct.  19,  1875. 

Alfred  ]V.  Eodecker,  County  Judge,  was  born  in  Peoria,  May  15, 
1844,  and  received  his  education  in  Eureka  College,  Eureka,  111. 
He  came  to  the  county  in  the  spring  of  1856,  at  the  age  of  12  years, 
and  in  1862  settled  in  Pekin,  where  he  was  afterwards  admitted  to 
to  the  Bar,  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law.  In  addition  to  the 
office  of  County  Judge,  Mr.  Rodecker  has  been  School  Inspector 
for  seven  years.  He  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Ida  Fenner, 
and  on  June  8,  1871,  was  united  to  her  by  the  bonds  of  matri- 
mony, and  their  home  was  brightened  by  one  son  of  promise, 
Thaddeus,  who  was  born  June  22,  1872. 

Henry  C.  Sutton,  present  Circuit  Clerk,  has  been  a  resident  of  this 
county  since  1855  ;  is  a  son  of  Samuel  C.  Sutton  and  Susan,  his  wife, 
who  lived  in  New  York  city,  where  Henry  was  born  Sept.  23,  1828. 
He  has  held  many  of  the  most  important  offices  of  Tazewell  Co., 
and  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  twenty  years.  Pie  is  a  conscientious 
Christian,  and  member  of  the  j\I.  E.  Church.  Dec.  31,  1849,  at 
Martin vi lie,  Somerset  Co.,  N.  Y.,  he  married  Miss  Jane  McCord, 
and  from  the  union  sprang  six  children,  to  gladden  the  home  and 
lessen  the  cares  during  the  evening  of  their  peaceful  lives. 

George  Henry  Harlow,  former  Circuit  Clerk,  and  now  Secretary 
of  State,  was  born  Sept.  5,  1830,  at  Sacket's  Harbor,  Jefferson 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  is  the  son  of  Daniel  Harlow  and  Mercy  nee  Austin. 
At  the  age  of  13,  he  spent  one  year  on  a  farm,  and  then  engaged  in 
a  dry  goods  and  grocery  store,  at  Belleville,  X.  Y.  At  the  age  of 
18  he  engaged  himself  to  Lewis  Chambers,  of  Deer  River,  N.  Y., 
to  learn  the  carpenter's  and  joiner's  trade.  Mr.  C.  was  a  most 
exemplary  man,  and  a  devoted  Methodist.  It  was  his  custom  at 
morning  prayers,  to  ask  that  "liberty  and  universal  freedom  might 
cover  this  land  as  the  waters  cover  the  great  deep,  and  that  every 
chain  might  be  broken,  and  every  slave  set  free."  At  his  majority, 
he  entered  the  office  of  O.  L.  Wheelock,  now  of  Chicago,  for  the 
purpose  of  learning  the  art  of  designing  and  drafting.     In  March, 


708  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

1854,  having  attained  considerable  proficiency  as  an  architect,  and 
wishing  a  more  extended  field  in  which  to  start  in  his  chosen  pro- 
fession, he  removed   to   Illinois,  and   located   in  Pekin.     He   soon 
found,  however,  that  there  was  little  demand  for  fancy  architecture, 
and  was  compelled  to  lay  aside  his  T  square  and  pencil,  and  take  up 
his  jack  plane  and  hammer.     For  fifteen  months  he  worked  steadily 
at  $1.75  per  day.     In  1855,  accepted  a  position  as  clerk  in  the  store 
of  James  Milner,  at  Pekin.     Soon  after  entering  the  office  of  Mr. 
Gill,  which  he  did  in  1857,  he  entered  into  a  partnership  with  him, 
to  conduct  a  general  merchandising  business  at  Delavan.     In  1858, 
Mr.  H.  began  business  in  his  own  name,  as  a  forwarding  and  com- 
mission merchant  and  grain  buyer.     He  shortly  afterwards  associated 
with  himself  L.  B.  Chambers,  and  were  doing  a  prosperous  business, 
when,  in  1859,  they  were  burned  out,  without  a  dollar  of  insurance. 
The  blow  was  a  severe  one,  but,  undaunted,  the  young  firm  rallied 
their  energies  and  again  established  themselves.     In  a  few  months 
Mr.  Harlow  purchased  his  partner's  interest. 

In  politics  Mr.  Harlow  always  took  an  active  interest,  and  was 
formerly  a  Whig.  During  the  political  campaign  of  1858,  he  be- 
came greatly  interested  in  building  up  the  Republican  party,  and 
his  place  of  business  became  the  headquarters  whence  the  Republi- 
can documents  were  distributed  throughout  Tazewell  county.  In 
1860,  he  was  nominated  for  the  office  of  Circuit  Clerk,  and  was 
elected,  being  the  only  Republican  elected  in  the  county  on  the 
ticket.  One  of  the  important  events  in  which  Mr.  H.  took  an 
active  part,  was  the  organization  of  the  ''  Union  League  of  Ameri- 
ca," an  institution  that  originated  in  the  city  of  Pekin,  and  spread 
with  unparalleled  rapidity,  into  every  loyal  State  in  the  Union. 
Associated  with  him  in  this  patriotic  work,  were  the  following  old 
and  well  known  citizens  of  Tazewell  county :  John  W.  Glassgow, 
Esq.,  Dr.  B.  A.  Cheever,  Hon.  Chas.  Turner,  Hart.  Montgomery, 
Maj.  R.  N.  Cullom,  Col.  Jonathan  Merriam,  Capt.  Henry  Pratt, 
Alexander  Small,  L.  F.  Garrett,  and  Rev.  J.  W.  M.  Vernon. 

From  this  organization,  on  Sept.  24th,  1862,  a  State  Council  was 
organized,  and  George  H.  Harlow  elected  Grand  Secretary  thereof. 
The  order  grew  rapidly,  and  in  1863  the  office  of  the  State  Council 
was  located  at  Springfield,  where  Mr.  H.  spent  most  of  his  time  in 
the  interest  of  the  order,  and  working  in  conjunction  with  that  old 
(  war  Governor,  Richard  Yates,  who  was  not  only  a  member  of  the 
I  order,  but  also  one  of  the  advisers  and  counsellors  in  carrying  on  its 
work.  At  the  meeting  of  the  24th  General  Assembly,  held  Jan.  2, 
1865,  he  was  elected  first  assistant  secretary  of  the  Senate.  He  held 
this  position  until  Jan.  17,  when  Governor  Oglesby  appointed  him 
his  private  secretary.  He  filled  this  position  four  years,  and  was, 
at  the  same  time,  assistant  inspector-general,  and  commissioned  with 
rank  of  Colonel  of  the  State.  He  accepted  the  position  of  Asst. 
Sec'y  of  State,  in  1869.  In  April,  1872,  he  resigned  his  position 
at  the  request  of  Mr.  Rummel,  who  saw,  from  the  complimentary 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  709 

notices  in  the  papers  throughout  the  State,  that  Mr,  Harlow  was 
growing  in  favor,  and  would  probably  be  the  next  nominee  for  the 
office  of  Secretary  of  State.  He  was  nominated  in  INIay,  and  one 
month  later  Mr.  Rummol  joined  the  Liberal  or  Democratic  party, 
and  on  its  ticket  was  nominated  for  the  same  office.  The  result  of 
the  election  was,  Mr  H.  defeated  him  by  47,942.  He  entered  upon 
the  duties  of  his  office  Jan.  13,  1873,  and  performed  its  duties  with 
honor  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  his  constituents,  as  was  demon- 
strated by  his  re-nomination  in  the  convention  held  May  24,  1S76, 
and  his  re-election  in  the  following  November.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Episcopal  Church,  and  is  now  a  vestry-man  of  St.  Paul's  Church, 
Springfield,  and  Supt.  of  the  Sunday-school.  He  was  married  Oct. 
1st,  1850,  to  ^liss  Susan  M.  Baily,  daughter  of  Hon.  Samuel  P. 
Baily,  of  Tazewell  Co.  Mrs.  Harlow  is  a  member  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Penn.  He  married 
Mary  Dorsey,  of  Elk  Ridge  landing,  Maryland,  and  shortly  after 
moved  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  From  here  he  returned  to  Pekin, 
where  he  was  for  thirty  years  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law,  and 
occupied  many  positions  of  honor  and  trust.  Mrs.  Baily  was  a  lady 
of  culture  and  fine  accomplishments,  and  greatly  beloved  by  a  host 
of  friends.  Mr.  Harlow  has  had  born  to  him  seven  children  — 
George  Dorsey,  who  died  at  the  age  of  one  year  and  four  months ; 
Richard  Austin,  now  twenty  years  of  age;  Bessie  Baker,  Georgia 
Clarissa,  Kate  Louise  (who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years),  Howard 
Bernard  (who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years)  and  Susanna  Baily. 

Thomas  Cooper,  County  Treasurer,  and  a  pioneer  of  Tazewell  Co., 
was  born  Feb.  2,  1830,  in  Hamilton  Co.,  Ohio,  and  came  to  this 
county  way  back  in  the  early  days  of  the  county's  history,  in  1844, 
when  but  a  lad  of  fourteen  years.  His  parents,  William  and  Mary 
(Beal)  Cooper,  were  natives,  the  former  of  Virginia,  and  the  latter 
of  Pennsylvania.  At  the  rather  tender  age  of  19,  Mr.  Coo})er,  in 
compliance  with  the  scriptural  injunction,  "took  unto  himself  a 
wife,"  and  in  1849  was  bound  in  the  bonds  of  matrimony  to  Miss 
M.  A.  Strickland.  Five  children  blessed  the  union.  Mr.  Cooper 
at  the  age  of  16,  enlisted  in  the  Mexican  War,  in  which  he  did 
gallant  service,  and  fought  under  that  brave  old  hero  Gen.  Winfield 
Scott.  In  January,  1879,  he,  as  a  delegate,  accompanied  the  "  Mer- 
chant's and  Manufacturer's  Industrial  Deputation  of  the  Northwest," 
to  Mexico,  thereby  giving  him  an  opportunity  to  see  that  land, 
where  thirty-three  years  before  he  liad  helped  to  vanquish  that  great 
Mexican  chieftain,  Santa  Anna. 

A.  R.  Warren,  M.  D.,  Coroner  of  Tazewell  Co.,  is  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  and  was  born  in  1841.  His  father,  an  attorney  at  law 
and  Judge  of  the  Surrogate  Court  in  Canada,  was  a  man  of  fine  legal 
mind,  and  his  mother,  Eliza  (Bordridge)  \\'arrcn,  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, was  a  woman  of  high  culture  and  fine  education.  The 
Doctor  received  his  medical  education  at  the  E.  M.  Institute,  Cin- 
cinnati, and   came    to   this    county   four    years  ago,   where   he  has 


710  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

established  a  fine  practice.  While  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  Elgin,  111.,  he  became  acquainted  with  Miss  Mary 
Kizer,  of  that  city,  whom  he  won  and  wed  in  October,  1863. 
He  grew  up  in  the  Episcopal  faith,  to  which  he  still  adheres. 

Benjamin  C.  Allensworth,  County  Superintendent  of  schools,  P. 
O.,  Minier;  was  born  in  Little  Mackinaw  township,  this  county, 
Oct.  27,  1845.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  township  and 
then  entered  the  State  Normal  University,  from  which  he  graduated 
June,  1869,  and  was  elected  to  the  office  he  now  holds  at  the  reg- 
ular November  election,  of  1877,  on  the  Democratic  ticket.  He 
was  also  elected  Assessor  at  the  April  election  of  the  present  year, 
(1879).  His  parents,  William  P.  and  Arabella  Allensworth,  were 
natives  of  Kentucky.  Supt.  Allensworth  is  well  informed  on 
school  matters  having  made  educational  questions  a  special  study. 
He  resides  on  section  3. 

His  father,  William  P.,  was  born  in  Mulilenburg  county,  Ken- 
tucky, Sept.  25,  1820.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1830,  and,  con- 
sequently, is  remembered  as  one  of  the  early  settlers.  His  father's 
family  lived  at  the  head  of  Little  Mackinaw  timber,  and  Mr.  Allens- 
worth made  his  permanent  home  in  Little  Mackinaw  township. 
On  the  13th  of  March,  1844,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Arabella 
Waggenner,  who,  together  with  seven  children,  three  sons  and  four 
daughters,  still  survive  his  death,  which  occurred  at  Minier,  the 
10th  of  May,  1874.  Politically  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  first 
a  Whig,  and  then,  to  the  close  of  his  life,  was  identified  with  the 
Democratic  party.  In  1868  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  Circuit 
Clerk  of  Tazewell  county,  which  position  he  held  for  four  years. 
In  his  private  relations  he  possessed  qualities  of  heart  and  mind 
which  endeared  him  to  his  family  and  a  large  circle  of  devoted 
friends.  Although  cut  down  in  the  prime  of  his  manhood  and  use- 
fulness, he  is  kindly  remembered  by  those  who  knew  him  best,  as 
one  who  lived  long  by  living  well.  A  portrait  of  Mr.  Allensworth 
may  be  found  in  this  work. 

Leander  King,  County  Surveyor ;  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  born  in 
1838.  Thomas  King,  his  father,  was  a  Pennsylvanian,  while  his 
mother,  Elizabeth  Bunniuger,  was  born  in  Maryland.  Mr.  King 
early  learned  surveying  and  civil  engineering,  which  he  has  followed 
with  good  success,  having  held  the  office  of  County  Surveyor  of 
Tazewell  Co.  for  10  years.  He  came  here  in  1845,  when  but  seven 
years  of  age,  and  has  been  identified  with  the  county  since ;  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  for  the  Union,  serving  as  orderly  sergeant  in  the 
47th  111.  Inf,  in  which  he  enlisted  in  Aug.,  '61,  and  served  with 
credit  for  3  years.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war,  in  Jan,  'QQ,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Helen  F.  Foster. 

William  H.  Hodge.  The  first  Sheriff  and  Surveyor,  and  one  of  the 
active  men  who  parti(U])ated  in  the  organization  of  Tazewell  county, 
was  William  Herron  Hodge.  He  has  aided  in  organizing  three 
counties.     He  was  born  Jan.  4,  1794,  in  North  Carolina.     He  came 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  711 

to  Illinois  in  1820,  and  to  Bloomino;  Grove,  McLean  county,  in 
1824.  At  that  time,  however,  that  was  within  the  boundary  of"  this 
county.     He  was  Sheriff,  Collector  and  Assessor  from  1827  to  '31. 

John  Bciif^on,  the  first  County  Treasurer,  was  born  in  Pennsylva- 
nia, March  I,  1778.  He  came  to  Illinois  in  1820  and  in  1823  to 
Blooming  Grove.  He  was  in  the  war  of  1812  and  fought  at  Tippe- 
canoe under  Harrison.  Mr.  Benson  was  living  up  to  1874,  whether 
he  has  lived  to  see  his  hundredth  birth-day,  we  do  not  know. 

Thomas  Orendorf,  the  first  Coroner  of  Tazewell  county,  was  born 
Aug.  14,  1800,  in  Spartanburg,  S.  C.  He.  came  with  his  father  to 
Illinois  in  1817  and  in  1819  came  to  Sangamon  county,  which  was 
called  the  Saint  Gamy  country,  but  the  words  were  afterwards  unit- 
ed by  common  usage,  and  became  Sangamon.  In  1823  he  came, 
with  his  brother  William,  to  Blooming  Grove,  then  in  Fayette 
county,  but  afterwards  in  Tazewell,  and  now  in  McLean,  where  he 
became  a  well  known  and  respected  citizen. 

POLITICAL    HISTORY. 

"As  early  as  1821,"  says  Nathan  Dillon,  in  an  article  written 
several  years  before  his  death,  "a  few  log  cabins  were  already  built  in 
Sangamon  county,  which  at  that  date  embraced  all  the  northern  part 
of  the  State.  The  cabins  were  filled  to  overflowing  with  the  fami- 
lies, the  pioneers  of  the  country,  my  family  being  among  the  num- 
ber. I  was  present  at  the  election,  August,  1822,  held  at  Springfield 
(the  election  precinct  extending  many  miles  east  and  west,  and  north, 
to  the  State  line),  and  saw  all  the  voters  who  could  come  to  vote  in 
that  wide  scope  of  uninha))ited  country.  Most  of  the  voters  re- 
siding in  the  precinct  attended  the  election,  though  many  of  them 
had  miles  of  wild  country  to  travel  in  order  to  do  so. 

"  The  voters  were  mostly  immigrants  from  the  East  and  South, 
though  a  large  portion  of  the  men  present  were  Indians  and  darkies, 
they  of  course  not  being  allowed  the  right  of  suffrag(\  The  voting 
portion  of  the  community  were  then  called  the  Yankees  and  white 
men.  Three  men  named  Kinney,  Parkinson  and  Edwards,  had  a 
long  bench  ranged  along  side  of  the  court-house,  on  which  they  set 
their  liquors.  The  j)olls  were  held  in  the  interior.  We  all  got 
plenty  to  drink.  The  white  men  sang  songs,  the  Indians  and  dark- 
ies danced,  and  a  general  frolic  occurred  ;  but  what  has  surprised 
me  as  I  have  reflected  upon  these  early  days,  we  had  no  fighting. 
The  great  evil  was,  that  every  candidate  had  to  fill  his  jiortmanteau 
with  whisky,  and  go  around  and  see  and  treat  every  v(jter  and  his 
wife  and  family  with  the  poisonous  stuff,  or  stand  a'chance  of  being 
defeated.  John  Reynolds  was  our  Circuit  Judge.  He  held  his 
court  at  Springfield,  in  a  log  cabin  built  of  round  logs,  the  walls  of 
which  were  only  six  feet  high;  it  was  also  destitute  of  a  floor;  yet 
we  continued  to  get  along  very  well.  The  jury  had  to  retire  to  the 
jail,  another  such  building  as  I  have  described.  Such  are  the  outlines 
of  those  happy  days. 


712 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


"  In  the  winter  of  1 823, 1  emigrated  to  what  is  now  called  Dillon 
Settlement,  in  this  county,  10  miles  from  Pekin,  and  17  miles  from 
Peoria,  where  I  spent  the  season  in  quietude ;  ray  nearest  neighbor 
living  in  Peoria,  except  one  by  the  name  of  Avery,  who  had  raised 
his  cabin  at  Funk's  Hill.  But  things  did  not  remain  in  this  condi- 
tion long ;  for  during  the  same  winter  the  Legislature  made  a  new 
county,  with  Peoria  for  the  county-seat,  embracing  all  the  country 
north  of  Sangamon  county.  Phelps,  Stephen  French  and  myself 
were  appointed  Justices  of  the  Peace,  for  the  new  county,  which  ex- 
tended east  as  far  as  Bloomington  and  north  and  west  to  the  State 
line.  We  sent  our  summonses  to  Chicago  and  Galena,  and  they 
were  promptlv  returned  by  our  constables. 

"  March,  1824,  we  held  an  election  at  Avery's,  Wm.  Holland, 
Joseph  Smith  and  myself  were  elected  County  Commissioners.  The 
whole  county  was  embraced  in  one  election  district.  The  number 
of  votes  polled  was  20 ;  had  some  whisky  on  the  occasion,  but  it 
was  well  tempered,  having  been  imported  a  long  way  by  water ;  and 
we  did  not  succeed  in  getting  on  as  great  a  spree  as  we  did  at  Spring- 
field. " 

On  the  first  Monday  in  August,  1826,  an  election  was  held  at  the 
house  of  Nathan  Dillon.  This  was  the  year  previous  to  the  organ- 
ization of  Tazewell  county.  The  election  was  for  Governor  and 
other  officials.  We  are  not  informed  who  received  a  majority  of  the 
votes  nor  the  number  polled,  but  the  day  was  a  gala  one^  and  of 
sufficient  importance  to  be  commemorated  by  a  banquet.  When  the 
voting  was  concluded  Jesse  Dillon  went  to  a  neighboring  corn-field 
and  procurred  an  arm-full  of  roasting-ears,  they  were  boiled  together 
with  a  ham  in  a  fifteen  gallon  iron  kettle,  then  served  to  the  assem- 
bled crowd  of  pioneers.  This  constituted  an  out-door  feast  worthy 
the  occasion  and  heartily  and  thankfully  partaken  of  by  the  people, 
nor  do  we  know  that  whisky  was  served,  yet  we  cannot  say  it  was 
not. 


COUNTY  COMMISSIONERS. 


George  Hittle 1827—29 

Benjamin  Bnggs 1S27 — 30 

James  Latta 1827 

Ephraim  Stout 1828 

Nathan  Dillon  1829-32 

Timothy  B.  Hoblet  1830 

Isaac  Baker 1830 

Benjamin  Briggs 1831 

William  Holland 1831 

George  Havenhill 1832 

James  Harvev  1832 — 34 

William  Brown 1832— 34 

Thomas  F.  Raileback 1833—38 

Benjamin  Mitchell 1834 


L.  P.  Fletcher 1834—36 

Richard  N.  Cullom 1835 

James  Fisher 1836—39 

AldenHull 1836—38 

Abraham  Bowman 1838 — 41 

Joshua  Woolev 1838—40 

Robert  Bradshaw 1839—42 

Durrett  Higgens 1840—43 

Williams.  Rankin 1841—47 

Able  Kingman 1842 — 48 

Elias  Ogden 1843—49 

James  Brovhill 1846-50 

Joshua  Stewart 1847—50 

Lawson  Holland, 1847—50 


HISTORY    OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY. 


713 


COUNTY  CLERKS. 


Mordeoai  Mobley 1827—28 

John  C.  Morgan 1828—36 

John  H.  Morrison 1836—47 

William  Cromwell. 1847—49 

Richard  W.  Ireland 1849—53 


John  Gridley 1853—65 

William  W.  Clemens 1865—69 

R.  D.  Smith 1869-77 

Flavel  Shurtleff 1877 


SHERIFFS. 


William  H.  Hodge 1827—30 

Philip  B.  Mile.s 1830—32 

James  Srott 1832—35 

Alfred  Phillips 1835—36 

William  A.  Tinney 1836—40 

Benjamin  Briugs 1840 — 44 

Rol)ert  W.  Briggs 1844—48 

R.  T.  Gill. 1848—50 

William  Gaither 1850—52 

David  Kves 1852—54 

Thomas  C.  Reeves 1854—56 


Chapman  Williamson 1856 — 58 

Thomas  C.  Reeve.s 1858—60 

Chapman  Williamson 18()0— 62 

James  S.  Hawkins 1862—64 

James  Hamson 1864 — 66 

Jonathan  H.  Myers 1866-68 

P:dward  Pratt 1868—70 

Thomas  C.  Reeves 1870—74 

Edward  Pratt 1874—78 

Andrew  J.  Kinsey 1878 


STATES  ATTORNEYS. 


Chas.  Turner 1860 

C.  A.  Roberts 1864 

Chas.  Parker 1868 


W.  F.  Henry 1872 

Wm.  L.  Prettyman 1876 


COUNTY  JUDGES. 


Joel  W.  Clark 1860 

M.  Tackaberrv 1861 

Wm.  Don  Maus 1862 


David  Kyes 1865 

Alfred  W.  Rodecker 1877 


CIRCUIT  CLERKS. 


Mordecai  Moblev 1827—28 

John  C.  Morgan 1828—34 

Edward  Jones. 1834 

John  A.  Jones 1842—56 

Merrill  C.  Young 1856—60 


George  H.  Harlow 1860- 

Henry  P.  Finigan 1864- 

Wni.  P.  Allensworth 1868- 

Simeon  R.  Drake 1872- 

Henry  C.  Sutton 1876 


COUNTY  TREASURERS. 


John  Benson 1827—29 

Abraham  Carlock 1829—30 

Philip  B.  Miles 1830 

Anson  Demming 1830 — 32 

Benj.  Doolittle 1832 

George  W.  Miles 1832—33 

Thomas  Snell 1833—35 

Benjamin  Briggs 1835 — 36 

David  Travis 18.36—37 

Benjamin  Briggs 1837—39 


James  Wibray 1839- 

A.  B.  Davis 1843- 

James  R.  Babcock 1849- 

William  S.  Maus 1860- 

Peter  Weyhrich 1861- 

Charles  Turner 1865- 

John  Gridley 1867 

Samuel  E.  Barber 1867- 

William  Gaither 1869- 

Thomas  Cooper 1873 


CORONERS. 


Thomas  OrendorfF. 1827 

Thomas  Dillon 1828 

Nathan  Dillon 1829 

Timothy  B.  Hoblet 1830 

Isaac  Baker 1830 

Benjamin  Briggs 1831 

William  Holland 1831 

David  H.  Holcomb 1831 

Andrew  Tharp 1832 

John  A.  Brovhill 18.39- 


-42 


Nathan  B.  Kellogg 1842—48 


David  Bailey 1848- 

Joseph  B.  Worley 1852- 

David  M.  Bailey 1854- 

William  A.  Tinney 1856- 

John  Wildhack 1S60- 

Henry  Sage 1862- 

William  Diviney 1864- 

A.  Culver 1868- 

Jf)lin  M.  Tinney 1872- 

Henry  Gulon..! 1874- 

Albert  R.  Warren 1878 


-64 

-68 
-72 
-76 


-43 
-49 
-60 
-61 
•65 
-67 

-69 
-73 


-52 
-54 
-56 
-60 
-62 
-64 
-68 
-70 
-74 
-78 


714 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


SURVEYORS. 


William  H.  Hodge 1827—31 

Park  Woodrow 1832 

Lewis  Prettyman 1833 

Thomas  C.  Wilson 1836 

Lewis  Prettyman 1840 

Wm.  Mooberry 1843 

Jesse  A.  Nason 1848—53 


Thomas  King,  Jr 1853—61 

Wm.  R.  Kellogg 1861 

Wm.  D.  Cleveland 1863 

Leander  King 1865—71 

B.  C.  Smith 1871—73 

J.  L.  Hayward 1873—75 

Leander  King 1875 


SCHOOL  COMMISSIONERS. 
Lemuel  Allen 1859—63        John  W.  Moreland 1863—65 

SUPERINTENDENTS  OF  SCHOOLS. 


S.  K.  Hatfield 1865 

M.  E.  Pomfret 1873 


B.  C  Allensworth 1877 


ELECTION  RETURNS. 


ELECTION  NOV.  7,  1858. 

VOTE. 

CONGRESS. 

William  Kellogg,  rep 1783 

James  W.  Davidson,  dem...l860 
Jacob  Gale 9 

ELECTION  NOV.  8,  1859, 

SCHOOL    COMMISSIONER. 

Lemuel  Allen,  rep...  460 

J.  C.  Rybolt,  ind 416 

A.  Lloyd,  dem 151 

COUNTY  TREASURER. 

J.  R.  Babcock,  rep 984 

COUNTY  SURVEY'OR. 

Thomas  King,  Jr 962 

ELECTION  NOV.  6,  1860. 

PRESIDENT. 

Abraham  Lincoln,  rep 2348 

Stephen  A.  Douglas,  dem. ..2169 

John  Bell,  union 26 

J.  C.  Breckenridge,  dem....       3 

GOVERNOR. 

Richard  Yates,  rep 2344 

J.  C.  Allen,  dem 2186 

CONGRESS. 

William  Kellogg,  rep 2.345 

Robt.  G.  Ingersoll,  dem 2184 

STATES  ATTORNEY. 

Charles  Turner,  rep 2347 

Hugh  Fullerton,  dem 2190 

STATE  SENATOR. 

Henry  E.  Dummer,  rep ..-.•2355 
Benj.  S.  Prettyman,  dem. ..2157 


MAJ. 


177 


44 


179 


158 


161 


157 


198 


VOTE.      MAJ. 
REPRESENTATIVE. 

David  Kyes,  rep 2361       191 

S.  R.  Saltonstall,  dem 2170 

COUNTY  JUDGE. 

Joel  W.  Clark,  rep 2316      106 

C.  A.  Roberts,  dem 2210 

CIRCUIT    CLERK. 

George  H.  Harlow,  rep 2294        60 

Merrill  C.  Young,  dem 2234 

SHERIFF. 

Chapman  Williamson,  rep..2306      108 

Aquilla  J.  Davis,  dem 2198 

John  Shellenberger 32 

CORONER. 

John  Wildhack,  rep 2265        64 

William  Divinney,  dem 2201 

ELECTION   NOV.  5,  1861. 

COUNTY  JUDGE. 

M.  Tackaberrv,  dem 1478      351 

Joel  W.  Clark,  rep 1127 

COUNTY  CLERK. 

John  Gridley,  dem 1249      657 

I.  Newkirk,  rep 592 

A.  P.  Griswold,  dem 485 

Charles  W.  Green,  rep 211 

H.  K.  Alexander,  dem 74 

COUNTY  TREASURER. 

P.  Weyhrich,  dem 1296 

J.  W.  Glassgow,  rep 678 

H.  Riblet,  rep 581 


HISTOEY  OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY, 


715 


VOTE.      MA.I. 
SCHOOL  COMMISSIONER. 

Lemuel  Allen,  rep 1249      134 

W.  A.  K.  Cowdrey,  dem....lll5 
James  K.  Kellogg,  rep 197 

COUNTY  SURVEYOR. 

Thomas  King,  Jr.,  rep 845 

William  R.  Kellogg,  (lem...l702      857 

ELECTION   NOV.  4,  1862. 

CONGRESS. 

John  T.  Stuart,  dem 1971       339 

Leonard  Swet,  rep 1632 

ST.\TE  SENATOR. 

Colby  Knapp,  dem 1972      34G 

S.  M.  Cullom,  rep 1626 

REPRESENTATIVE. 

Ellas  Wenger,  dem 1975      348 

David  Kyes,  rep 1627 

SHERIFF. 

James  S.  Hawkins,  dem 1957      317 

William  Gaither,  rep 1640 

CORONER. 

Henrv  Sage,  dem 1990      378 

John"Wildhack,  rep 1612 

SPECIAL  ELECTION  JULY  30,  1863. 

COUNTY  JUDGE. 

William  Don  Mans,  dem...  1854      221 
Joel  W.  Clark,  rep 1633 

ELECTION  NOV.  3,  1863. 

COUNTY  TREASURER. 

Peter  Weyhrich,  dem 1735      227 

Geo.  Tomm,  rep 1503 

SCHOOL  COMMISSIONERS. 

John  W.  Moreland,  dem....  1688      137 
Josiah  Wood,  rep 1551 

SURVEYOR. 

Wm.  D.  Cleveland,  dem 1703      164 

J.  L.  Hayward,  rep 1539 

ELECTION  NOV.,  1864. 

PRESIDENT. 

Abraham  Lincoln,  rep. 2147 

Geo.  B.  MoClellan,  dem 2307      160 

CONGRESS. 

S.  M.  Cullom,  rep 2162 

John  T.  Stuart,  dem 2302      140 

STATE  SENATOR. 

Geo.  W.  Minier,  rep 2166 

John  B.  Cohrs,  dem 2302      136 

STATES  ATTORNEY. 

Thomas  A.  Carter,  rep 2145 

C.  A.  Roberts,  dem 2324      179 


VOTE.      M.\J. 
REPRESENTATIVE. 

John  Wildhack,  rep 2157 

S.  R.  Saltonstall,  dem 2287      130 

CIRCUIT  CLERK. 

Geo.  H.  Harlow,  rep 2159 

H.  P.  Finigan,  dem 2308      149 

SHERIFF. 

AVilliam  A.  Ross,  rep  2176 

James  Hamson,  dem 2287      111 

CORONER. 

Henry  Riblet,  rep 2139 

William  Divinney,  dem 2329      190 

ELECTION  NOV.  7,  1865. 

COUNTY  JUDGE. 

W.  Don  Maus,  dem 1756 

David  Kyes,  rep 1903      147 

COUNTY  CLERK. 

John  Gridley,  dem 1796 

W.  W.  Clemens,  rep 1878        82 

COUNTY  TREASURER. 

Peter  AVevhrich,  dem 1817 

Charles  Turner,  rep 1842        25 

SCHOOL  SUPERINTENDENT. 

John  W.  Moreland,  dem  ...1793 

S.  K.  Hatlield,  rep 1875        82 

SURVEYOR. 

J.  M.  Miller,  dem 1760 

Leander  King,  rep 1908      148 

ELECTION  NOV.  6,  1866. 

CONGRESS  AT  LARGE. 

John  A.  Logan,  rep 2312 

T.  Lyle  Dickey,  dem 2399        87 

CONGRESS. 

Shelby  M.  Cullom,  rep 2.307 

Edwin  S.  Fowler,  dem 2406        99 

REPRESENTATIVE. 

William  W.  Sellers,  rep .....2335 

S.  R.  Saltonstall,  dem 2361         26 

SHERIFF. 

John  Reardon,  rep 2295 

J.  H.  Myers,  dem 2395      100 

CORONER. 

Richard  B.  Howell,  rep 2302 

William  Divinney,  dem 2392        90 

ELECTION   NOV.  3,  1868. 

PRESIDENT. 

U.  S.  Grant,  rep 2728 

Horatio  Seymour,  dem 2735  7 

CONGRESS. 

S.  M.  Cullom,  rep 2655 

B.  S.  Edwards,  dem 2759      104 


716 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL,   COUNTY. 


VOTE.     MA.T. 
STATES  ATTORNEY. 

Charles  Parker,  rep 2699        14 

C.  G.  Whitney,  dein 2685 

STATE  SENATOR. 

Nicholson,  rep 2670 

J.  B.  Cohrs,  dem 27-16        76 

REPRESENTATIVE. 

J.  Merriam,  rep 2683 

S.  R.  Saltonstall,  dem 2725        42 

CIRCUIT   CLERK. 

Eli  Heiple,  rep 2700 

W.  P.  Allensworth,  dem.... 2714        14 

SHERIFF. 

John  Puterbaugh,  rep 2647 

Edward  Pratt,  dem 2763      116 

CORONER. 

A.  Culver,  rep 2704        46 

W.  A.  Tinney,  dem 2658 

ELECTION  NOV.  5,  1872. 

PRESIDENT. 

U.S.  Grant,  rep. 2360      268 

Horace  Greeley,  dem 2092 

Charles  0.  Connor,  dem 221 

GOVERNOR. 

Richard  J.  Oglesby,  rep 2346      168 

Gustavus  Koerner,  dem 2178 

Benjamin  G.  Wright,  dem..  247 

CONGRESS. 

JohnMcNulta,  rep 2350      203 

Clifton  H.  Moore,  lib 2147 

S.  S.  Seeds,  dem 285 

STATE  SENATOR. 

Aaron  B.  Nicholson,  rep.. ..2365      212 

Edmond  Syrich,  Ub 2153 

Ezra  Davis,  dem 284 

STATES  ATTORNEY. 

W.  F.  Henry,  rep 2386      246 

A.  W.  Rodecker,  lib 2140 

Benj.  F.  Baker,  dem 233 

REPRESENTATIVE. 

Herman  W.  Snow,  rep 3677 

Peter  J.  Hames 3315 

Laban  M.  Stroud 3134 

Jacob  W.  Noel 2782J 

John  N.  Snedeker 1236 

CIRCUIT  CLERK. 

Simon  R.  Drake,  rep 2372      120 

Samuel  G.  Puterbaugh,  lib.2252 
Wm.  P.  Latham,  dem 217 

SHERIFF. 

T.  C.  Reeves,  rep ..2545      604 

J.  S.  Briggs,  lib 1941 

Wm.  Knott,  dem 262 


VOTE.      MAJ. 
CORONER. 

John  M.  Tinney,  rep 2530      643 

James  Milner,  lib 1887 

Lyman  Evans,  dem 264 

ELECTION  NOV.   4,  1873. 

COUNTY  JUDGE. 

David  Kyes,  dem 2055      991 

J.  W.  Glassgow,  rep 1064 

COUNTY  CLERK. 

James  Claton,  dem 1276 

R.  D.  Smith,  rep 1799      520 

COUNTY  TREASURER. 

Thomas  Cooper,  dem 1649      205 

Thomas  J.  Brown,  rep 1444 

SCHOOL  SUPERINTENDENT. 

M.  E.  Pomfret,  dem 1853      825 

Miss  Mary  Fuller,  rep 1028 

ELECTION  NOV.  3,  1874. 

CONGRESS. 

John  McNulta,  rep 1834 

A.  E.  Stevenson,  dem 2210      376 

STATE  SENATOR. 

James  W.  Robison,  rep 1376 

D.  G.  A.  Railsback,  dem 1640      264 

J.  H.  Anthony,  ind 1008 

REPRESENTATIVE. 

H.  L.  Sill,  dem 4606| 

Richard  Holmes,  rep 5986 

G.  W.  Middlecoff,  dem 1016J 

Thomas  Windle,  dem 440^ 

R.  A.  Talbot,  rep 29 

SHERIFF. 

Edw^ard  Pratt,  dem 2307      529 

William  Cobean,  rep 1778 

CORONER. 

Hiram  Vandervoort,  rep.. ..1879 
Henry  Gulon,  dem 2261      382 

ELECTION  NOV.  2,  1875. 

TREASURER. 

Thomas  Cooper,  dem 1794      700 

John  F.  Beezley,  rep 1094 

SURVEYOR. 

Leander  King,  dem 1728      627 

J.  L.  Hayward 1101 

ELECTION  NOV.  7,  1876. 

PRESIDENT. 

R.  B.  Haves,  rep 2850 

S.  J.  Tilden,  dem 3174      316 

CONGRESS. 

Adlai  E.  Stevenson,  dem  ...3247      412 
Thomas  F.  Tipton,  rep 2835 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWF:LL   COUNTY. 


717 


VOTE,      MA  J, 
BOARD  OF  EQUALIZATION. 

John  H.  Anthony,  rep 2800 

W.  Don  M;ius,  dein ;n42      246 

REPRESENTATIVE. 

D.  C.  Smith,  rep 84G4i 

C.  A.  Moore,  dem 9514.^ 

Thomas  Wemlle,  dem lOS' 

STATES  ATTORNEY. 

W.  F.  Henry,  rep 2832 

W.  L.  Prettyman,  dem 3215      383 

CIRCUIT  CLERK. 

R.  R.  Drake,  rep  2962 

H.  C.  Sutton,  dem 3091       129 

SHERIFF. 

PhilHp,  rep 2774 

Edward  Pratt,  dem 3289      515 

CORONER. 

Jacob  Mueller,  rep 2837 

Henry  Gulon,  dem 3219      382 

ELECTION  NOV.  6,  1877. 

COUNTY  JUDGE. 

Wilbur  F.  Henry,  rep 1400 

Alfred  W.  Rodecker,  dem...  1961       561 
David  Kyes,  ind 1050 

COUNTY  CLERK. 

Flavel  Shurtleff,  dem 2151       204 

Simeon  R.  Drake,  rep 1953 

WelUngton  King,  greenb'k  301 


A'OTE.      MAJ. 
COUNTY  TREASURER. 

Thomas  Cooper,  dem 2477      927 

Will.  Moorhead,  rep 1550 

Wm.  P.  Latham,  greenb'k..  374 

SCHOOL  SUPERINTENDENT. 

B.  C.  Allensworth,  dem 2236      425 

Josiah  P.  Wood,  rep 1811 

Daniel  S.  Elliott,  greenb'k..  373 

ELECTION  NOV.  5,   1878. 

STATE  SENATOR. 

Abrani  Mayfield,  dem 2380      282 

James  W.  Robison,  rep 2098 

George  W.  Minier 503 

REPRESENTATIVE. 

Green  P.  Orendorfl;  dem  ...3533^ 

Wm.  R.  Hall,  dem 3858^ 

Josiah  Snyder,  rep 6185 

Chas.  C.  Brackett 1409J 

SHERIFF. 

Andrew  J.  Kinsey,  dem 2340      298 

Wm.  Cobean,  rep 2042 

N.  F.  Smith 539 

CORONER. 

Albert  R.  Warren,  dem 2340      203 

Robert  D.  Bradley 2137 

Chas.  E.  Hayward 466 

H.  J.  Puterbaugh 64 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  PRESS. 

The  printing-press  is  everywhere  recognized  as  one  of  the  most 
important  factors  in  shaping  and  moulding  the  character  and  destiny 
of  communities,  and,  perhaps,  among  the  least  appreciated  by  the 
people  called  upon  to  sustain  it.  Printing  presses  are  continually  at 
work  in  many  towns  of  this  county  preparing  the  news  aud  gen- 
eral information  to  be  circulated  in  almost  every  home  in  the 
county,  and  then  almost  every  train  that  crosses  the  borders  of  the 
county  carries  the  newspapers  fresh  from  the  press.  Contrast  this 
state  of  affairs  with  that  of  half  century  ago  when  the  pioneer 
came  to  found  homes.  They  had  no  local  weekly,  no  steam-engine 
to  bring  in  foreign  papers,  yet  damp  from  the  press,  but,  in- 
stead, the  mail  boy  at  long  intervals  would  bring  a  paper  or  two, 
some  religious  paper  or  Eastern  journal,  into  the  neighoorhood. 
This  supplied  all  the  news  for  the  entire  settlement. 

At  the  present  there  are  nine  regular  publications  in  this  county. 
During  the  year  from  the  time  the  first  paper  was  struck  off  till 
1879,  the  newspaper  enterprises  have  been  numerous,  and  the 
number  of  editors  counted  by  the  score.  Among  the  gentlemen 
who  drove  the  quill  for  these  publications,  were  some  talented, 
graphic  and  cultured  writers,  some  of  whom  wielded  a  salutary  influ- 
ence in  the  county,  while  others  won  reputations  not  enviable.  The 
editorial  staff  of  the  various  papers  represent  pleasant,  forcible  and 
pointed  writers  and  advocate  their  various  theories,  principles  and 
political  views  with  much  ability  and  effect. 

PEKIN    TIMES. 

The  Times  is  one  of  the  leading  journals  of  Central  Illinois,  and, 
indeed,  takes  rank  with  the  larger  and  more  prosperous  papers  of 
the  Northwest.  It  is  uncompromisingly  Democrat  in  politics.  In 
its  management  is  displayed  considerable  enterprise,  tact,  energy, 
and  superior  business  ability.  Its  editorials  are  able,  and  its  local 
columns  are  generally  full,  well  arranged,  and  embrace  all  the  hap- 
penings of  the  city,  and,  indeed,  of  the  entire  county.  Its  list  of 
regular  correspondents  in  various  parts  of  the  county  contribute 
well-prepared  articles  of  the  news  of  their  district  each  week.     The 


-drffp^5^^*^«=sto. 


EDITOR  PEHIN  TIMES 


HISTORY   OP   TAZEAVELL   COUNTY.  721 

Times'  office  is  furnished  with  the  best  material  and  presses,  and  for 
mechanical  execution,  the  work  turned  from  it  will  compare  favor- 
ably with  that  of  the  largest  printing  establishments  in  the  West. 
The  foreman  and  men  of  this  department  are  fine  executors  of 
the  art.  The  general  office  is  provided  with  a  library,  and  the 
sanctum  sa)ictorum,  the  place  where  ye  editor  sits  in  his  easy  chair, 
is  not  only  finely  fitted  and  furnished,  but  elegantly  so,  and  for  an 
equal  we  must  go  to  some  of  the  largest  establishments  in  the  State. 
The  Pekin  Times  is  the  oldest  paper  in  the  county,  and  we  labored 
quite  assiduously  for  weeks  to  get  its  early  history,  and  only  par- 
tially succeeded.  In  1850,  the  only  newspaper  published  in  the 
county  was  the  Tazewell  County  Mirror.  It  was  published  by 
John  Smith,  who  at  present  resides  at  Princeton,  where  he  is  pub- 
lishing a  paper.  It  was  Whig  in  politics.  In  the  fall  of  1850,  a 
Democratic  paper,  the  Pekin  Weekly  Reveille,  was  started  by  James 
Shoaf  and  E.  S.  Rogers.  The  former  subsequently  won  great 
reputation  as  a  newspaper  man,  at  Decatur.  He  died  some  years 
ago.  The  latter  was  a  lawyer,  and  at  present  lives  at  Omaha,  Neb. 
They  sold  to  J.  C.  Thompson  in  1851.  He  was  a  young  lawyer 
from  Ohio,  went  to  Kansas,  in  1854,  and  died.  He  published  the 
Reveille  until  the  winter  of  1853  and  '54,  when  he  sold  to  Merrill 
C.  Young,  who,  also,  in  the  fall  of  1854,  bought  the  Mirror,  and 
consolidated  them,  and  called  it  the  Pekin  Weekly  Plaindealer. 
This  paper  was  published  by  Young  &  Underwood.  It  was  inde- 
pendent or  neutral  in  politics,  with  Democratic  tendencies.  These 
gentlemen  ran  it  till  the  fall  of  1856,  when  Young  was  elected  Cir- 
cuit Clerk  and  Underwood  moved  to  Charleston,  111.,  where  he  is  own 
running  a  paper.  During  the  winter  of  1856  Young  sold  to  Thos. 
J.  Pickett.  He  had  published  the  Palladium  here  in  1840,  and  in 
1838  the  first  paper  was  started  by  Jesse  Nason.  Pickett  turned 
the  Plaindealer  into  the  Register,  a  paper  whicih  enjoyed  a  long  and 
varied  run.  It  was  independent  with  Republican  tendencies.  In 
the  spring  of  1858,  about  the  time  the  Lincoln  and  Douglas 
Senatorial  campaign  began,  John  McDonald  bought  it  and  pub- 
lished it  as  a  Democratic  paper.  He  ran  it  till  1868,  when  Wm.  T. 
Meads  bought  it  and  conducted  it  till  1872.  B.  C.  AUensworth 
then  went  in  partnership  with  him.  Then  John  Mounts  went  in 
with  AUensworth.  He  now  publishes  the  Havana  Democrat.  They 
ran  the  Register  a  while,  then  AUensworth  drew  out  and  Mounts  ran 
it  until  it  failed,  when  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  Wm.  P.  AUensworth. 
It  did  not  appear  for  a  while  in  1873,  when  a  man  named  Wilkes 
got  hold  of  it  and  ran  it  till  Oct.,  '73.  Then  \V.  T.  Dowdall  and  J.  B. 
Irwin,  of  Peoria,  became  its  possessors,  when  it  was  christened  the 
Pekin  Times.  Irwin  soon  bought  Dowdall  out,  and  by  untiring 
energy  and  rare  business  tact,  built  up  a  larger  circulation  than  it 
ever  enjoyed  before.  In  July,  1877,  Geo.  E.  Schaumleffle  pur- 
chased a  third  interest  of  the  paper,  and  the  firm  name  is  now  J. 
B.  Irwin  &  Co. 
43 


722  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Joseph  B.  Irwin  was  born  in  Circlevillo,  Ohio,  Oct.  11,  1849. 
His  parents,  John  E.  and  Catharine  (Tobias)  Irwin,  were  natives  of 
Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Irwin  passed  his  boyhood  days  in  his  native 
town  and  attended  the  common  schools  and  Circleville  Academy, 
where  he  received  a  good  education.  In  January,  1872,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Inez  M.  Fifee.  They  have  had  born  to 
them  two  children,  neither  of  whom  are  now  living.  Before  leav- 
ing the  Buckeye  State  Mr.  Irwin  held  the  position  of  City  Clerk  of 
Portsmouth  for  one  year,  and  since  residing  in  Pekin  has  been 
School  Inspector  for  three  years.  He  came  from  Portsmouth,  O.,  to 
Peoria  and  engaged  in  the  printing  business  on  the  Peoria  Democrat. 
In  1873  he  came  to  Pekin  and  in  company  with  W.  T.  Dowdall,  of 
Peoria,  purchased  the  effects  of  the  Pekin  Register  of  W.  P.  Aliens- 
worth  and  started  the  Pekin  Times.  When  he  first  issued  the 
Times  there  was  no  subscription  list,  the  paper  had  changed  hands 
often,  its  reputation  was  gone  and  everything  was  discouraging,  but 
by  much  hard  work,  perseverance  and  both  business  and  editorial 
ability  he  has  placed  the  Times  on  a  solid  financial  basis,  and  as  a 
news  and  literary  production  ranks  among  the  leading  weeklies  of 
the  Northwest.     We  give  his  portrait  in  this  volume. 

George  E.  Schaumleffle,  junior  member  of  the  firm  of  J.  B.  Irwin 
&  Co.,  and  the  literary  man  of  the'  Times,  was  born  in  Pekin,  111., 
March  1,  1854.  His  parents  are  P.  and  Lizzie  (Volk)  Shaumleffle, 
the  former  a  native  of  Bavaria,  the  latter  of  Hess  Darmstadt,  Ger- 
many. George  attended  the  public  schools  of  Pekin  and  at  six- 
teen entered  the  printing  office,  the  best  of  all  schools.  July  28, 
1877,  he  bought  an  interest  of  the  Times  and  since  has  conducted 
its  columns  with  marked  ability.  During  the  two  years  preceeding 
he  was  local  editor  of  this  paper.  As  a  writer  Mr.  S.  is  forcible  and 
pleasing.  His  editorials  show  him  to  have  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  the  great  questions  of  the  day ;  his  local  squibs  are  full  of  life 
and  often  smack  with  a  high  order  of  humor.  He  is  young,  a  hard 
worker  and  close  student,  and  we  predict  for  him  a  bright  future 
should  his  editorial  career  continue  until  he  reaches  the  prime  of 

life. 

A  paper  in  the  hands  and  under  the  control  of  men  of  such 
business  ability,  tact,  foresight  and  able  writers,  as  J.  B.  Irwin  and 
George  E.  Schaumleffle,  is  sure  to  be  a  success. 

THE    TAZEWELL    COUNTY    REPUBLICAN. 

The  history  of  the  Republican  and  its  predecessors  dates  back  to 
some  time  in  the  year  1836,  but  the  destruction  of  the  files,  which 
contained  a  succinct  compilation  of  its  history,  were  destroyed  by 
fire,  May  9,  1875,  therefore,  all  that  can  be  given  is  what  the  biog- 
raphers have  been  able  to  secure  through  individual  recollections  up 
to  the  year  1863,  to-wit :  In  the  month  of  October,  1848,  the  Taze- 
well Mirror  was  purchased  from  John  S.  Lawrence  by  John  Smith, 


HISTORY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY,  723 

now  of  Princeton,  111,  In  1850  Smith  sold  to  Bernard  Bailey,  but 
repurchased  the  Mirror  in  1851  in  company  with  Adam  Henderson. 
Henderson  remained  a  member  of  the  firm  but  six  months,  when 
John  Smith  became  sole  publisher  and  proprietor.  In  1855  Smith 
moved  the  material  of  the  office  to  Toulon,  Stark  county.  Thomas 
Pickett,  after  the  removal  of  Smith,  procured  a  comjilete  outfit  and 
revived  the  paper  but  called  it  the  Tazewell  County  Mirror. 

In  1860,  at  the  commencement  of  the  famous  Lincoln  and  Douglas 
campaign  for  the  Presidency,  the  Republican  party  had  no  organ  in 
Pekin.  The  leaders  here  foresaw  a  fierce  contest  would  be  made 
between  the  two  great  political  parties  of  the  nation  and  desired  the 
principles  of  their  party  to  be  set  forth  to  this  people.  Accord- 
ingly, John  Smith,  the  same  gentleman  who  published  the  3Hrror, 
came  back  to  Pekin,  bought  out  the  Mirror  and  started  the  Bepuhli- 
can.  A  paper  which  has  wielded  influence  and  power  for  its  party 
principles  that  has  been  felt  throughout  Central  Illinois.  Some  of 
the  ablest  writers  known  to  the  State  have  conducted  its  columns. 
Smith  ran  the  Republican  till  1862.  Shortly  before  this  Hezekiah 
Naylor  and  O.  White  started  the  Patriot,  which  had  a  short  unsuc- 
cessful run,  when  it  failed,  and  in  1862  Hart  Montgomery  went 
in  with  Naylor  and  bought  the  Republican  from  Smith.  They  pub- 
lished it  until  Wm.  W.  Sellers  got  a  hold  ot  it,  in  1863  or  '64.  He 
made  it  a  red-hot  Republican  organ  and  one  of  the  best  papers 
published  in  the  Northwest.  He  was  a  shrewd  able  writer  and 
could  turn  the  English  language  into  a  two-edged  sword  Avhen 
in  a  wordy  conflict  with  an  opj)oncnt.  He  conducted  it  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  Dec.  15,  1872.  It  was  then  conducted 
by  his  administrators  for  a  short  time,  when  Jacob  P.  Riblett  and 
Wm.  H.  Bates  purchased  it.  They  conducted  it  jointly  for  three 
months  when  Bates  withdrew.  In  1874,  D.  W.  Lusk  bought  Rib- 
lett out  and  remained  its  proprietor  until  Nov.  3,  1876,  when  Bates 
again  became  its  owner.  He  remained  at  the  helm  until  Feb.  14, 
1879,  when  Joseph  B.  Bates,  of  the  Lincoln,  111.,  Bejmblican,  pur- 
chased it,  and  is  its  present  editor  and  proprietor.  Mr.  Bates  is  a 
man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  thoroughly  understands  the 
management  of  a  paper,  to  make  it  a  real  family  journal.  His  locals 
are  fresh,  short,  and  to  the  point;  his  editorials  prove  him  to  be 
thoroughly  versed  in  the  civil,  political  and  domestic  economy  of 
our  times  and  country.  As  a  party  advocate,  he  is  temperate,  yet 
forcible  and  convincing,  and  will  wield  an  influence  in  the  county 
that  will  be  felt  and  recognized. 

W.  A.  Wildhack,  city  editor,  is  a  son  of  one  of  the  early  pioneers 
and  prominent  men  of  this  county,  John  Wildhack.  He  is  a  wide- 
awake, able  young  man,  a  just  and  graphic  writer,  and  the  columns 
under  his  management  arc  full,  interesting  and  gives  credit  to  both 
himself  and  the  paper, 


724  HISTOKY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 


THE    WASHINGTON    HERALD. 


The    Washington   Herald   was    established    in    July,    1868,   by 
Thomas  Handsaker,  its  present  editor  and  proprietor,  and  is  one  of 
the  best  local  and  family  newspapers  in  Central  Illinois.     In  addi- 
tion to  the  newspaper  department,  it  has  a  most  excellent  book  and 
job  printing  department.     At  one  time  in   Mr.  H's  career  he  could 
have  bought  every  article  of  printing  material  in  the  county  for  the 
small  sum  of  $500.     To-day  he  is  the  publisher  of  one  of  the  fore- 
most of  the  nine  newspapers  published  in  the  county.     Washington 
had  a  newspaper  as  far  back  as  1853.     Mr.  A.  A.  Couch,  in  connec- 
tion with  Albert  Parker,  both  gentlemen  from  Peoria,  started  the 
Washington    Investigator,   which,    after    a    life    of   two   years,   suc- 
cumbed, like  thousands  of  others,  to  the  inevitable.     For  ten  years 
the   town  was  without  a  paper,  when   an   adventurer   came  in  with 
type  and  press,  and  issued  a  paper,  the  name  of  which  is  now  for- 
gotten,  canvassed  the  country  thoroughly,  received  many  advance 
subscriptions,  after  which,  like  the  Turk,  "  he  silently   folded  his 
tent  and  quietly  stole  away"  in  the  night,  leaving  a  huge  obstacle  in 
the  way  of  any  one  who  might  come  after  him  to  surmount.     Not- 
withstanding  the   above   tacts,  and   being   almost  a  stranger^  to  the 
business   community   of   AVashington,   Mr.   H.   came   on    with   his 
printing  material,  and  went  to  work,  asking  no  aid  of  any  one,  and 
no  pay  ibr  work  until  it  was  finished,  and  that,   too,  satisfactorily, 
and  by  constant  and   indefatigable   labor,   he    has    established  The 
Herald  Printing  House  on  a  firm,  paying  basis,  and  has^  the  confi- 
dence of  the  business  men  of  the  city,  and  the  farmers  of  the  entire 
surrounding  country.     Mr.  H.  is  progressive  in   his   nature,  and  is 
adding  to  his  establishment  the  new  and  latest  styles  of  type  for  the 
convenience  of  his  numerous  customers  as  his  means  will  permit, 
or  the  business  justify,  and  on  July  1st,  1879,  the  commencement 
of  the  twelfth  volume"'  of  the  Herald,  if  life  and  health  are  spared  to 
him,  his  paper  will  ai)pear  in  an  entire  new  dress.     The  Herald  has 
always  been  noted  and  has   become  popular  from  the  simple  reason 
that  its  chief  aim  has  been  to  protect  and  build  up  the  business  of 
the  town,  and  although  its  columns  are  open  to  advertisers  from  all 
sections,  it  never  solicits  advertising  away  from  home,  knowing  that 
the  business  men  of  Washington  can  do  as  well  by  their  patrons  as 
those  of  other  places,  and  much  preferring  that  they  should  do  the 
business  of  this  section.     This  fact  alone,  should  induce  the  business 
portion  of  Washington   to   give  all  their  advertising   and   printing 
to  the  Herald,  wliich  has  always  stood  manfully  by  them  in  the  past 
and  expects  to  in  the  future. 

Thomas  Handsaker. — The  founder  and  at  present  the  editor  and 
publisher  of  the  Washington  Herald,  and  the  oldest  resident  printer 
in  Tazewell  Co.,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Derby,  England,  Feb.  2, 
1837,  and  emigrated  with  his  parents  'to  the  United  States  in   1844, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  725 

arriving  in  Alton,  111.,  in  June  of  that  year.  In  the  fall  of  1846  he 
entered  as  an  apprentice  on  the  Alton  Daily  Telegmph,  then  edited 
and  published  by  the  late  Judge  Bailache,  in  which  office  he  worked 
a  little  over  two  years,  but  the  labor  proving  too  heavy  for  his  phys- 
ical ability,  he  was  given  an  honorable  discharge  and  a  new  position 
secured  him  by  his  employers  upon  a  paper  about  to  be  started  in 
Carlinville,  111.  At  the  age  of  12  years  he  went  to  Carlinville,  un- 
packed and  laid  the  type  in  the  cases  and  set  up  the  Washington 
hand-press  and  had  it  in  readiness  for  work  one  week  before  the 
foreman,  N.  J.  Howe,  of  Lockport,  New  York,  but  then  engaged 
upon  the  St.  Louis  Republican,  arrived  to  take  charge  of  the  office. 
Hon,  Jeff  L.  Dugger  was  the  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  paper, 
which,  by  the  way,  was  called  the  jNIacoupin  Statesman,  and  upon 
the  arrival  of  the  foreman,  he  found  the  first  number  of  the  paper 
set  up,  proved  and  corrected,  all  ready  to  go  to  press,  and  all  this 
mechanical  work  had  been  done  by  Handsaker,  who  was  known  by 
the  cognomen  of  the  "Boy  Printer,"  and  to  this  day  he  feels  a  just 
pride  in  the  fact  that  he  laid  the  first  office  and  set  the  first  type 
that  was  ever  set  in  "the  State  of  Macoupin, "  and  refers  to  ex-Gov- 
ernor Jno.  M.  Palmer,  then  a  leading  lawyer  in  Carlinville,  for  the 
correctness  of  this  assertion.  Serving  out  his  time  upon  the  States- 
man, he  went  to  Sj^ringfield,  where  he  worked  one  winter  upon  the 
State  printing,  and  from  there  found  himself  'next  in  Chicago,  where 
he  worked  for  Long  John  Wentworth,  on  blank  work ;  Langdon  & 
Rounds,  book  and  job  printers;  and  was  for  a  time,  in  the  Demo- 
cratic Press  job  room.  In  September,  1 852,  he  arrived  in  Pekin, 
Tazewell  county,  Illinois,  on  his  way  to  New  Orleans,  but  be- 
ing prevailed  upon  by  N.  J.  Howe,  his  former  foreman  and 
chum  in  Carlinville,  whom  he  found  foreman  of  the  Pekin  Weekly 
Plaindealer,  Merill  C.  Young,  editor  and  publisher,  he  went  to 
work,  and  remained  until  the  winter,  when  he  went  to  Peoria,  and 
during  the  Crimean  war  was  an  attache  of  the  Peoria  Morn- 
ing News,  and  for  several  months  he  occupied  the  position  of  fore- 
man. He  again  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the 
Democratic  Press  job  rooms  when  the  Pres=,  and  Chicago  Tribune 
were  consolidated,  and  being  thrown  out  of  a  job,  he  took  himself  to 
Cincinnati,  where  he  got  cases  on  the  Cincinnati  Gazette  before  he 
had  been  in  the  city  an  hour.  Giving  up  working  on  a  morning 
paper,  he  secured  a  permanent  i^osition  in  the  book  office  of  ^Nloon, 
Wildstack,  Keys  &  Overend,  tlie  largest  book  ])ublishing  house  in 
the  West  at  that  time,  which  posjtion  he  held  for  several  months. 
In  all  his  wanderings  he  did  not  forget  the  "  Prairie  State, "  and 
which,  no  doubt,  contained  more  than  one  object  of  attraction  of 
more  than  ordinary  magnetic  power,  so  lie  found  himself,  in  August, 
1855,  foreman  of  the  Atlanta  (Logan  county,  Illinois)  Forum,  edited 
and  published  by  Samuel  B.  Dugger,  Esq.  While  engaged  in  this 
office  he  married  Miss  Aminda  A.  Clifton,  in  Pekin,  October  4, 
1855,  and  remained  on  the  Forum  until   the  spring  of  1856,    when 


726  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

he  returned  again  to   Pekin.      In  the  fall  of  1856,   he  again  took 
cases  in  Peoria,  where  he  remained  until  the  late  John  McDonald 
started  the  Tazewell  Register,  in  Pekin,  when  he  accompanied  him, 
and  occupied  the  position  of  foreman  for  eight  years.     In  July,  1868, 
Mr.  H.,  came  to  Washington  and  built  up  the  Washington  Herald 
upon  the  ashes  of  two  defunct  predecessors,  and  nothwithstanding 
the  head-shaking  and  croakings  about  being  able  to  make  a  paper 
pay,  he  still  lives,  and  has  as  good  a  lease  of  life  and  prospect  of  an 
honorable  and  glorious  future  as  many  of  his  younger  cotemporaries 
Mr.  H.,  can  truthfully  be  said  to  be  a  self-made  man,  having  secur- 
ed the  limited  education  which  he  possesses  while  making  the  nec- 
essaries of  life.     His  preceptors  in  the  "Art  Preservative"  have  all 
passed  away,  while  the   larger  part  of  his  companions  and    fellow- 
workmen  of  his  youth  have  succumbed  to  the   ravages  of  time,  or 
are  scattered  and  lost — but  not  forgotten.     The  limited  space  allot- 
ted to  this  sketch  must  necessarilly   cut  out  some  reminiscences  that 
might  be  interesting  to  the  general  reader,  but  we  must  close  with 
one,  which  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  that  during  Mr.  H's.,  ca- 
reer as   a  printer,   Tazewell  county  has  seen  the  day  when  he  could 
have  been  the  possessor  of  every  bit  of  printing  material   and  the 
publisher  of  the  only  paper  if  he  had  only  possessed  shekels  enough 
to  figure  $500.     What  a  change  twenty  years  has  made  in  the  print- 
ing   business   in    this  county,   which    has  now  within  its   borders 
nine  weekly  newspapers,  which  cost  at  least  $25,000  to  establish. 

DELAVAN    ADVEETISER. 

This  has  the  honor  of  being  the  first  paper  started  in  Delavan. 
The  first  issue  was  submitted  to  public  gaze  in  1868,  C.  R.  Fisk 
being  its  publisher.  It  was  independent  in  its  political  expressions. 
This  journal  received  a  severe  blow  in  December,  1869,  when  Mr. 
Fisk  died.  Its  publication  ceased  for  a  time,  but  ere  long  the  pres- 
ent editor  and  publisher,  Mr.  Jno.  Culbertson,  became  its  possessor, 
and  since  which  time  it  has,  notwithstanding  its  ups  oud  downs, 
assumed  an  enviable  position  among  the  local  newspapers  of  Central 
Illinois.  Mr.  Culbertson  took  charge  of  it  in  April,  1870,  and 
during  the  memorable  Presidential  campaign  of  1872,  it  was  the 
only  straight  Democratic  paper  published  in  the  State.  It  then 
supported  Charles  O'Connor  for  President,  and  with  considerable 
energy  and  ability.  Since  under  its  present  management,  it  has  been 
conducted  on  straight  Democratic  principles. 

The  Advertiser  is  an  eight  column  folio,  neatly  printed,  ably  edit- 
ed and  a  good  circulation.  Its  advertising  department  is  well  sus- 
tained by  the  business  men  of  Delavan,  which,  we  might  remark, 
shows  them  to  be  sagacious,  wide-awake  business  men,  and  also  is 
the  best  of  evidence  that  the  Advertiser  is  appreciated  by  the  bet- 
ter class  of  the  community. 

John  Culbertson,  the  editor  of  this  journal,  was  born  in  Muskin- 
gum county,  Ohio,  July  23,  1837.     He  is  the  son  of  John  and  Ann 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  727 

M.  (Beavers)  Culbertson.  He  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Sarah  E.  Morris,  on  the  31st  of  October,  1861.  The  union  has 
been  blessed  with  five  children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living  — 
Celia  B.,  Ella  A.,  and  Sarah  A.  Mr.  Culbertson  enjoyed  only  the 
advantages  of  a  common  school  education,  yet  he  has  taken  ad- 
vantage of  the  practical  schooling  received  in  the  printing  office. 
He  learned  the  trade  of  printing  in  the  office  of  the  Zanesville 
Aurora,  and  then  worked  for  about  six  years  in  the  Cincinnati 
Commercial  office.  After  leaving  that  office,  he  engaged  in  farming, 
and  then  embarked  in  the  mercantile  business,  in  Muskingum  Co., 
O.,  where  he  remained  until  1870,  when  he  came  to  Delavan  and 
bought  the  Advertiser,  which  he  has  established  on  a  paying  basis, 
with  a  fair  prospect  for  the  future. 

THE    MINIER     NEWS. 

The  Minier  News  was  established  in  September,  1875,  by  Geo.  L. 
Shoals,  its  publisher  and  proprietor.  Mr.  Horace  Crihfield  has  been 
its  local  editor,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  weeks,  since  the  first 
issue.  The  News  is  an  eight-page,  forty-column  paper,  neutral  in 
politics,  and  devoted  largely  to  local  interests.  It  is  published  every 
Saturday  morning,  at  |1.50  a  year,  and  has  a  good  circulation. 

Horace  Crihfield,  the  local  editor  of  the  News,  was  born  at  Atlanta, 
Logan  Co.,  111.,  May  13,  1856.  He  attended  the  common  and  high 
schools  of  his  native  town,  at  which,  together  with  the  printing 
office,  he  has  acquired  a  good  education.  He  is  a  plain,  pleasing, 
yet  forcible  writer,  and  conducts  his  department  of  the  News  with 
satisfaction  to  the  public.  He  was  united  with  Emily  C.  Arnold, 
in  marriage,  Oct,  2,  1878.  Politically,  Mr.  C.  stands  upon  the 
Republican  platform. 

DELAVAN   TIMES. 

The  Delavan  Times  first  greeted  its  readers  Sept.  5,  1874.  This 
publication  is  a  happy  illustration  of  the  success  ever  attending 
pluck  and  editorial  ability.  Its  editor,  Mr.  Joe  Reed,  started  the 
concern  largely  on  "  wind."  He  had  no  means,  and  but  little  in- 
fluence. By  dint  of  persistent  effi)rt,  he  establislied  sufficient  credit 
to  get  together  some  material  and  issue  a  paper.  Tlie  first  number 
reached  but  one  bona  fide  subscriber.  Mr.  Reed  worked  off  his 
edition  and  waited  for  patronage.  It  failed  to  come,  and  continued 
discouragements  seemed  to  doom  the  enterprise  to  an  early  death. 
After  waiting  for  a  few  weeks  he  put  the  subscri]ition  price  down  to 
a  nominal  figure  on  three  month's  subscription,  and  inaugurated  a 
fearless,  pithy  and  outspoken  editorial  tone,  which  has  characterized 
the  policy  of  the  Times  ever  since.  From  that  day  the  paper  has 
been  a  pronounced  success,  and  noted  fi)r  its  pungent  editorial  com- 
ments on  matters  of  local  and  public  interest.     Politically  the  Times 


728  HISTOEY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

is  Independent  Republican.  It  is  by  no  means  a  party  paper,  and 
sometimes  opposes  Republican  candidates.  It  is  opposed  to  liquor 
license,  but  is  neither  bound  or  influenced  by  any  temperance  organ- 
ization, and  is  strongly  in  favor  of  individual  freedom,  as  applied  to 
the  use  of  ardent  spirits.  In  short,  the  Times  is  a  don't-care-a-cent 
kind  of  a  sheet,  and  favors  or  opposes  men  and  measures  with  a 
supreme  disregard  of  financial  or  other  results.  It  is  now  liberally 
patronized,  has  a  handsome  circulation,  a  Avell-stocked  oflice,  and 
free  from  incumbrance.  Its  proprietor  is  the  editor,  who  is  assisted 
by  correspondents  and  reporters  unknown  to  the  public.  Mr. 
Reed  is  a  young  married  man,  intelligent  and  red-headed.  He  has 
lots  of  enemies  and  lots  of  friends,  but  seeks  not  the  latter,  and 
cares  nothing  for  the  former. 

TAZEWELL   INDEPENDENT. 

The  first  number  of  this  excellent  paper,  which  is  published  at 
Washington,  appeared  Friday,  Nov.  24,  1876.  It  was  founded  by 
its  present  editor,  H.  A.  Pallister,  and  George  N.  Bondurant. 
These  gentlemen  had  considerable  experience  in  the  world,  practi- 
cal knowledge  of  the  art,  and  possessed  more  than  ordinary  ability, 
which,  backed  by  energy  and  moral  tone,  gave  this  journal  an  impe- 
tus, from  the  start,  such  as  few  papers  have  enjoyed.  We  do  not 
mean  to  convey  the  idea,  however,  that  it  has  not  had  obstacles  to 
surmount ;  the  various  difficulties  incident  to  the  establishment  of  a 
new  enterprise,  especially  that  of  the  newspaper,  has  attended  it,  but 
with  strong  faith  in  ultimate  success,  its  editors  struggled  on  and 
succeeded,  even  in  so  short  a  time,  in  placing  it  upon  a  firm  founda- 
tion. On  the  16th  of  March,  1877,  H.  A.  Pallister  purchased  Mr. 
Bondurant's  interest  in  the  paper,  and  remained  sole  editor.  At 
present  it  is  owned  by  Mr.  Pallister  and  E.  E.  Heiple.  The  latter 
bought  an  interest  in  the  concern  at  the  beginning  of  the  present 
volume,  which  was  Nov.  21,  1878.  At  that  time  the  publication 
day  was  changed  from  Friday  to  Thursday.  Mr.  Pallister,  however, 
has  sole  editorial  management.  It  is  strictly  non-partisan  and  unsec- 
tarian  in  its  principles,  thus  not  binding  its  editor  to  party  or  sect, 
but  leaving  him  free  to  endorse  and  impartially  advocate  such  meas- 
ures as  are  of  greatest  public  weal.     Price,  per  year,  $1.50. 

H.  A.  Pallister  was  born  in  Liverpool,  Eng.,  May  19, 1843.  He 
attended  the  common  schools  of  that  country,  and  was  apprenticed 
to  learn  the  "art  preservative."  For  seven  years  he  served  in  the 
job  office  of  the  Leeds  Mercury,  a  journal  published  at  Leeds,  York- 
shire, Eng.,  and  one  of  the  largest  and  most  widely  circulated  dai- 
lies in  the  north  of  England.  At  the  close  of  his  apprenticeship, 
desiring  to  embark  in  life  in  the  New  World,  he  crossed  the  ocean, 
and,  after  a  safe  voyage,  landed  in  New  York  city.  He  remained 
in  that  metropolis  for  a  year,  during  which  time  he  worked  at  his 
trade.     Desiring  to  further  cultivate  his  mind,  he  entered  Bethany 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  729 

College,  Bethany,  AVest  Ya.,  one  of  the  best  institutions  of  learning 
in  our  country.  At  that  time  it  had  a  corps  of  professors  second  to 
no  other  college  in  the  United  States.  Here  he  spent  three  vears, 
taking  a  regular  classical  course.  At  the  close  of  his  term  at  Beth- 
any, he  returned  to  his  native  country  on  a  visit.  After  spending 
four  months  amid  the  scenes  of  his  boyhood-life,  he  came  back  to 
this  country,  when  he  was  married,  in  Guernsey  Co.,  O.  Not  long 
after  this  important  event  of  his  life  he  was  ordained  a  minister  of 
the  Christian  Church,  and  began  earnestly  laboring  to  save  the  souls 
of  his  fellow  men.  His  first  charge  in  his  new  profession  was  at 
McArthur,  O.,  where  three  years  were  spent  proclaiming  the  Gos- 
pel, which  was  attended  with  great  success.  He  next  located  at 
Canton,  O.,  then  at  Wheeling,  W.  Ya.  From  there  he  was  called 
to  the  Christian  Church  at  Mackinaw,  this  county.  After  laboring 
in  that  portion  of  the  Lord's  vineyard  for  about  eighteen  months, 
and  very  acceptably  to  the  entire  community,  he  came  to  AVashiug- 
ton,  where  he  changed  the  pulpit  for  the  editorial  chair,  which  he 
fills  with  ability.  As  a  Avriter  he  is  clear,  lucid  and  forcible,  and  as 
a  citizen  we  believe  he  holds  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who 
know  him. 

LEGAL    TENDER. 

The  first  number  of  the  Legal  Tender  appeared  on  Dec.  20,  1877, 
and  was  a  perfect  surprise  to  almost  every  body.  It  was  a  seven- 
column  folio,  and  was  published  in  the  interests  of  the  Greenback 
Labor  party.  It  was  started  by  B.  S.  Heath  &  Co.,  with  B.  S. 
Heath  as  editor  and  manager,  and  J.  H,  Randall  as  associate  editor. 
Both  of  these  gentlemen  were  easy  vigorous  writers,  and  handled 
the  subject  of  financial  refi)rm  with  a  zeal  and  energy  beyond  com- 
parison. The  paper  quickly  attained  a  reputation  as  one  of  the 
leading  organs  of  the  Greenback  Labor  party  in  the  United  States, 
and  its  subscription  list  and  advertising  patronage  assumed  quite 
liealthy  proportions.  But  Col.  Heath,  notwithstanding  his  abilitv 
as  an  editor,  was  a  failure  as  a  business  manager,  and  could  not  make 
both  ends  meet,  and  on  July  17,  1878,  he  shook  the  dust  of  Pekin 
from  his  feet,  and  the  Legal  Tender  passed  into  the  hands  of 
Frank  M.  Cassel  and  James  Yogan,  under  the  firm  name  of  Casscl 
&  Yogan.  From  this  time  the  paper  gradually  declined,  as  neither 
Cassel  or  Yogan  were  familiar  to  the  business  or  editorial  manage- 
ment of  a  newspaper.  On  December  18,  1878,  Yogan  retired  from 
the  paper,  and  it  was  conducted  by  Cassel  alone  until  Feb.  1,  1879, 
when  James  Whitfield  joined  hands  with  Cassel,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Cassel  tt  Whitfield,  and  the  Legal  Tender  once  more  as- 
sumed the  appearance  of  a  newspaper,  and  again  became  popular. 
On  the  1st  of  May,  1879,  Frank  M.  Cassel  retired,  and  the  paper 
passed  into  the  hands  of  Whitfield  Bros.,  James  and  Herbert,  who 
now  control  it.  It  is  one  of  the  best  papers  published  in  Tazewell 
county,  and  is  eagerly  sought  after  by  the  reading  public.     Its 


730  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

editors  are  both  young  men,  but  have  had  many  years  experience 
in  the  field  of  journalism,  especially  in  this  county. 

James  Whitfield,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm,  was  born  in 
Staifordshire,  England,  June  27,  1855,  and  came  to  this  country 
with  his  parents  and  brother  in  1870,  and  first  embarked  in  the 
printing  business  under  that  old  Republican  champion,  W.  W. 
Sellers,  publisher  of  the  Tazewell  County  Republican,  in  1870,  and 
continued  in  the  employ  of  that  paper,  except  at  short  intervals, 
until  he  took  hold  of  the  Legal  Tender.  He  was  for  several  years 
city  editor  of  the  Tazewell  Republican,  and  regarded  as  an  able  and 
forcible  writer ;  energetic,  and  ever  on  the  alert  for  items  of  interest 
for  his  department.  His  brother  and  partner,  Herbert,  is  nearly 
two  years  younger,  and  is  also  a  practical  printer  of  many  years 
experience,  and  considered  a  good  writer. 

The  Legal  Tender  is  now  a  prosperous  newspaper,  and  is,  under 
its  present  management,  rapidly  gaining  popularity. 

The  Whitfield  Bros,  have  also  a  job  printing  establishment  in 
connection  with  the  paper,  and  the  work  they  turn  out  is  second  to 
none  in  Central  Illinois. 


FREIE  PRESSE. 

No  less  than  five  different  German  weekly  newspapers  have,  at 
different  times  and  at  short  intervals,  been  established  here,  none  of 
which  withstood  the  storms  of  adversity  and  the  trials  incident  to 
the  hard  pathway  of  newspaper  existence  more  than  from  six  months 
to  two  years.  The  causes  for  these  repeated  disasters  may  perhaps 
be  justly  ascribed  to  the  German  public  as  well  as  to  the  respective 
publishers,  the  former  perhaps  forget  that  the  mission  of  the  press  is 
to  instruct  the  people,  and  not  to  he  forced  by  the  people  into  princi- 
ples against  a  better  conviction  of  right — while  the  latter  may  also 
have  erred,  in  forgetting  tiiat  it  is  also  the  mission  of  the  press  to 
follow  public  sentiment  rather  than  to  attempt  to  drive  the  masses. 
Another  fault  of  the  former  German  publishers,  who  have  failed  in 
their  attempts  to  establish  a  German  press  in  this  county,  was  that 
they  were  in  part  exiles  and  refugees,  who  had  fled  from  the  iron-rule 
of  a  Monarch  across  the  ocean.  They  were  men  of  learning  and  ex- 
cellent abilities  in  other  vocations ;  men  who  hated  despotism  and 
oppression,  but  who,  in  a  measure  at  least,  misconceived  the  Ameri- 
can ideas  of  liberty  and  equality  ;  they  no  doubt  lacked  that  "  Help 
yourself"  qualification  which  is  so  essential,  especially  in  the  succes- 
•ful  management  of  a  newspaper. 

The  first  German  paper  was  established  in  1852  by  L.  Reitzen- 
stine,  and  was  called  Der  Wachteram  Illinois.  It  existed  only  about 
six  months.  The  next  was  started  by  Koeber  &  Lohman  in  1854. 
The  name  of  this  we  could  not  ascertain.  It  afterwards  passed  into 
the  hands  of  Mr.  Lugans,  but  lived  only  a  short  time.  The  next 
German  weekly  was  started  by  Julius  Myerpefer,  in  the  fall  of  1867, 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  731 

called  the  Freie  Presse.  It  was  printed  in  Peoria  and  was  in  reality 
only  an  anxilliary  to  a  German  daily  published  there.  In  the  spring 
of  1868  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Luntz,  but  survived  only  a 
few  months.  In  the  spring  of  1870  Theo.  Falk  established  Dcr  In- 
dipendent,  which,  for  a  time,  flourished,  but  after  a  very  brief  period 
of  prosperity  passed  into  the  hands  of  Henry  Fuss,  but  soon  follow- 
ed the  way  of  its  predecessors. 

This  brings  us  down  to  the  period  when  the  present  popular  Ger- 
man paper,  the  Freie  Presse,  first  made  its  appearance.  We  might 
state  right  here,  that  unlike  those  that  have  gone  before  it,  the  Freie 
Presse  has  continued  to  grow  in  standing,  ]>opularity  and  real  merit 
since  its  incipieucy.  Its  editor,  John  W.  Hotfman,  has  labored 
assiduously  and  with  ability  to  make  it  what  the  large,  intellectual 
and  cultured  German  element  of  the  county  demand  —  a  first-class 
literary,  newsy  journal.  His  earnest  labors  have  been  appreciated  to 
a  very  great  extent,  and  the  paper  can  now  boast  of  a  larger  circula- 
tion than  any  of  its  predecessors.  The  paper  made  its  bow  to  the 
public  June  15,  1876,  as  a  seven-column  folio.  The  impression 
made  on  the  minds  of  its  German  friends  and  the  business  men  was 
so  favorable  that  in  order  to  have  space  for  all  matter  and  advertise- 
ments it  was  enlarged  to  eight  columns  the  very  next  issue.  The 
mechanical  work  of  the  paper  is  in  every  way  in  keeping  with  the 
age  of  fine  printing. 

John  W.  Hoffman,  the  editor  of  the  Freie  Presse  and  City  Clerk 
of  Pekin,  was  born  in  Dayton,  O.,  Jan.  18,  1846.  He  is  the  sou 
of  John  and  Maria  M.  (Kock)  Hoffman,  native  Germans.  John 
attended  the  common  schools  and  then  entered  Hamlin  University, 
Red  Wing,  Minn.,  and  then  took  a  commercial  course  at  Chicago. 
In  that  city  he  embarked  in  mercantile  business,  which  after  a  time 
he  exchanged  for  the  position  of  reporter  on  the  Evening  Journal 
and  subsequently  for  a  German  commercial  paper.  In  April,  1876, 
came  to  Pekin  and  established  the  Presse  as  an  independent  political 
paper.  His  personal  poj)ularity  led  his  friends  to  have  him  run  for 
the  office  of  City  Clerk  at  the  last  election  and  he  won  a  victory 
over  his  opponent.  June  7,  1870,  he  was  married  to  Emeline 
Wehrli,  daughter  of  Rudolph  Wehrli,  an  old  and  respected  citizen 
of  Chicago.  They  have  three  children — Ada  Louisa,  born  March 
2,  1871  ;  Charles  "a.,  May  8,  '73,  and  Florence  Gertrude,  July  27, 
76.     We  give  the  portrait  of  Mr.  H.  in  this  volume. 


'7 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

RAILROADS. 
INDIANAPOLIS,    BLOOMINGTON    &    WESTERN    RAILWAY. 

Among  the  very  first  charters  granted  to  railroads,  perhaps  the 
second  one,  by  the  State  of  Illinois,  was  the  one  granted  to  the 
Pekin  &  Tremont  Railroad.  This  company  was  incorporated  by  the 
Legislature,  Jan.  13,  1835.  Madison  Allen,  Harlan  Hatch,  J.  L. 
James,  John  H.  Harris,  George  W.  Brodrick  and  Aronet  Richmond 
were  constituted  a  body  corporate,  with  capital  stock  of  $50,000,  for 
the  purpose  of  building  said  road.  It  ran,  according  to  the  charter, 
from  Pekin  to  Tremont,  in  this  county.  The  company  was  given 
the  power  "to  erect  and  maintain  toll  houses  along  the  line." 
The  road  bed  was  graded  and  track  partially  laid,  but  the 
hard  times  of  1837  and  the  failure  of  the  grand  internal  improve- 
ment scheme  of  the  State  put  a  stop  to  further  progress  on  the  P. 
&  T.  road.  About  a  year  after  the  P.  &  T.  road  was  chartered  a 
grander  scheme  was  undertaken,  and  the  Legislature  incorporated 
the  Pekin,  Bloomington  &  Wabash  Railroad,  Feb.  16,  1836.  This 
was  a  continuation  eastward  of  the  P.  &  T.  road.  Considerable  en- 
thusiasm was  at  first  manifested  in  regard  to  the  matter,  but,  like 
many  other  railroad  schemes,  it  was  never  carried  out. 

Years  passed  by,  and  the  work  accomplished  along  the  route  left 
to  ruin.  Nothing  definitely  was  further  done  until  June  26,  1866, 
when  fifteen  or  twenty  persons  met  in  the  court-house  at  Urbana, 
Champaign  county.  111.,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  steps  to  secure 
the  construction  of  a  railroad  from  Danville  to  the  Illinois  river. 
Very  little  was  done  at  this  meeting,  the  parties  present  merely 
exchanged  views  and  adjourned  to  meet  Aug.  7,  at  LeRoy,  McLean 
county.  The  meeting  was  held  there  and  largely  attended,  but  no 
definite  action  was  taken,  and  it  adjourned  to  meet  on  the  24th  of 
the  same  month.  The  enterprise  was  then  fully  discussed  by  the 
newspapers,  and  when  the  time  for  the  meeting  came,  some  opposi- 
tion to  the  road  was  manifested.  It  was  a  matter  of  some  dfficulty 
to  effect  an  organization,  nevertheless  it  was  done  under  the  general 
railroad  law  of  the  State.  But  after  some  delay  the  towns  along 
the  line  subscribed  the  required  amount.  The  road  proposed  was 
116  miles  in  length,  and  the  subscriptions  amounted  to  $116,000. 
The  route  selected  was,  so  far  as  they  went,  over  the  P.  &  T.  and 
the  P.,  B.  &  W.  Railroads.     The  company  immediately  selected 


HISTOEY    OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  733 

officers,  making  C.  R.  Griggs,  President;  W.  T.  McCord,  Vice 
President  and  Dr.  Henry  Conklin,  Secretary.  The  road  was  then 
named  the  Danville,  Urbana,  Bloomington  &  Pekin  Railroad. 

The  charter  was  adopted  by  the  company  at  a  meeting  held  at 
Pekin,  March  27,  1867.  Commissioners  were  immediately  appoint- 
ed to  secure  the  right  of  way  and  push  the  work.  Steps  were  taken 
to  secure  subscriptions.  Most  of  the  cities  and  towns  answered  the 
call  and  subscribed  to  the  stock  to  the  amount  of  |85(),0()0.  The 
road  had  three  divisions,  the  western  extending  from  Blooming- 
ton  to  Pekin,  Work  on  the  road  was  commenced  Oct.  1,  1867, 
and  the  last  rail  laid  at  Bloomington  May  1,  1870.  While  this 
road  was  being  built,  another  road  was  projected  from  Indianapolis 
to  Danville,  known  as  the  Indianapolis,  Crawfordsville  ct  Danville 
R.  R.,  and  in  August,  1869,  the  two  roads  were  consolidated  under 
the  name  of  Indianapolis,  Bloomington  &  Western  R.  R.,  extend- 
ing from  Indianapolis  to  Pekin,  a  distance  of  202  miles.  Since  then 
the  road  has  been  extended  from  Pekin  to  Peoria. 


THE  PEORIA,  PEKIN  &  JACKSONVILLE  RAILROAD 

is  83  miles  long,  passing  through  the  county-seats  of  Tazewell, 
Mason  and  Cass  counties,  and  extending  from  Peoria  to  Jackson- 
ville. That  portion  of  its  line  from  Pekin  to  Virginia  Avas  con- 
structed in  the  years  1858  and  1859  under  the  charter  of  the  Illinois 
River  Railroad  Company,  Richard  S.  Thomas,  of  Virginia,  being  its 
President,  and  Benjamin  S.  Prettyman,  of  Pekin,  its  Vice  Presi- 
dent. Its  Directors  in  1857  were  Wm.  Thomas,  of  Jacksonville, 
R.  S.  Thomas,  of  Cass  county,  J.  S.  Ruggles,  of  Bath,  Francis  Low, 
of  Havana,  and  Joshua  Wagonseller,  of  Pekin.  Its  Treasurer, 
James  H.  Hole,  of  Havana,  who  was  afterwards  succeeded  by  Francis 
Low.  Its  Secretary,  Dr.  H.  M.  L.  Sehooley.  The  first  Chief  En- 
gineer of  the  road  w^as  W.  G.  Wheaton,  who  located  the  line.  His 
successors  were  J.  C.  Chesbrough,  J.  B.  Cummings,  and  Thomas 
King,  in  the  order  of  their  names.  Dr.  Charles  Chandler,  the 
founder  of  Chandlerville,  afterwards  became  a  Director,  and  ren- 
dered important  aid  in  the  construction  of  the  road. 

In  1862  the  Illinois  River  Railroad  Co.  had  exhausted  its  assets, 
and  steps  were  taken  to  foreclose  the  road  upon  its  issue  of  1 1,020, 
000  first  mortgage  bonds,  which  had  been  used  in  jMirchasing  the 
track-iron.  At  the  foreclosure  sale  on  the  1st  day  of  October,  1863, 
the  property  was  purchased  by  John  Allen,  of  Old  Saybrook,  Conn, 
on  behalf  of  himself  and  Aaron  Arnold,  and  Edwin  I^.  Trowbridge, 
of  the  city  of  New  York,  fi)r  the  sum  of  S400,000.  They  sold  the 
same  to  the  Peoria,  Pekin  &  Jacksonville  R.  R.  Co.  on  the  May 
21,  1864,  and  in  the  autumn  of  that  year  the  road  was  completed 
from  Pekin  to  Peoria.  In  1868  the  extention  of  the  line  from 
Virginia  to  Jacksonville  was  commenced  and  completed  on  July  4, 
1869,  when  trains  were  first  run  with  passenger  cars  to  Jacksonville. 


734  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

Edwin  L.  Trowbridge  was  the  first  President  of  the  Company. 
He  retained  the  office  until  Sept.  25,  1867,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  Mr.  Allen,  who  has  held  the  office  until  the  present  time. 
Under  his  administration  the  extention  from  Virginia  to  Jackson- 
ville was  made,  the  road  and  bridges  thoroughly  rebuilt,  and  about 
twenty  miles  of  steel  rails  placed  in  the  track.  It  was  also  supplied 
with  its  present  excellent  equipment. 

April  1,  1878,  the  road  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  Receiver  by 
the  Circuit  Court  for  Peoria  county.  Judge  Cochran  presiding,  who 
upon  the  request  of  the  Trustees  for  the  Bondholders  appointed  Mr. 
Allen  Receiver.  One  of  his  first  official  acts  thereafter  was  to  peti- 
tion the  Court  for  authority  to  issue  Receiver's  Certificates  for  the 
protection  of  the  legally  preferred  indebtedness,  which  was  granted, 
and  all  such  indebtedness,  including  arrearages  to  the  employes  of 
the  road,  was  soon  paid  in  full.  The  Receivership  was  a  measure  of 
protection  to  all  interests  involved,  and  the  road  thereby  was 
quickly  placed  on  its  feet  for  business  purposes. 

The  main  offices  of  the  road  were  in  Pekin  till  1876,  when  they 
were  moved  to  Peoria.  The  shops,  which  are  located  in  Pekin,  have 
for  many  years,  been  in  charge  of  Mr.  R.  F.  Hurd,  who  has,  with 
economy  and  distinguished  ability,  discharged  the  duties  of  his  de- 
partment. It  may  be  stated  that  Mr.  John  S.  Cook,  the  present 
Traffic  Manager,  has  been  identified  with  this  property  almost  un- 
interuptedly  since  the  trains  first  commenced  running  over  the  Illi- 
nois River  Railroad  in  1859.  He  is  a  well-known  resident  of  Pekin 
and  a  man  thoroughly  identified  with  the  interests  of  this  county. 

The  operation  of  this  road  has  been  signally  free  from  accidents, 
no  passenger  having  been  killed  on  its  trains  or  the  trains  of  its 
predecessor.  The  outcome  of  the  present  Receivership  will  proba- 
bly be  the  incorporation  of  the  property  into  one  of  the  longer  roads 
it  intersects,  of  which  it  must  form  a  valuable  addition. 

CHICAGO,  ALTON  &  ST.  LOUIS  RAILROAD. 

The  Jacksonville  branch  of  the  Chicago  Alton  and  St.  Louis 
Railroad,  which  runs  from  Bloomington  through  this  county  to 
Jacksonville,  is  the  outgrowth  of  the  old  Tonica  &  Petersburgh 
Railroad.  This  road,  as  its  name  suggests,  was  chartered,  Jan. 
15,  1857,  to  run  from  Tonica,  through  Tazewell  county,  to 
Petersburgh  and  Jacksonville.  The  county  voted  to  bond  itself 
for  $100,000  in  aid  of  the  road,  but  work  progressed  very  slowly. 
After  building  the  line  from  Jacksonville  to  Petersburgh  work 
stopped,  and  the  whole  thing  came  to  a  stand-still.  Finally 
the  C,  A.  &  St.  L.  people  offered  to  advance  money  to  com- 
plete the  road,  if  the  company  would  allow  it  to  run  to  Blooming- 
ton,  thus  making  it  a  feeder  of  their  main  line.  The  proposition 
was  accepted,  and  the  road  was  completed  in  1868.  While  it  is 
controlled  by  the  C,  A.  &  St.  L.  Company,  a  separate  organization 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  735 

is  still  kept  up.  Its  charter  will  allow  the  extension  of  the  road 
from  Jacksonville  in  a  northeast  direction  indefinitely  through  the 
State,  and  it  is  said  to  be  the  only  railroad  charter  with  such  indefi- 
nite privileges.  It  was  drawn  up  by  Richard  Yates.  The  Directors 
mentioned  in  the  charter  are  as  follows :  Albert  Reynolds,  Elijah  N. 
Farnsworth,  Jesse  Hammers,  Josiah  Sawyer,  Henry  R.  Green, 
John  Bennett,  Wm.  G.  Green,  William  Crow",  and  Richard  Yates. 
George  Straut,  formerly  of  Delavan,  is  now  the  President  of  the 
road. 

PEKIN,    LINCOLN    &    DECATUR    RAILWAY. 

No  other  of  the  several  railroads  traversing  this  county  seem  so 
closely  identified  with  the  interests  and  history  of  Tazewell  county 
as  the  P.,  L.  &  D.  It  is  a  road  in  which  every  one  takes  a  com- 
mendable local  pride.  While  they  love  to  see  all  of  their  roads 
prosperous,  more  especially  do  they  desire  to  see  this  road  weather 
the  storms  of  hard  times,  and  successfully  encounter  the  struggles 
incident  to  new  corporations.  There  are  feelings  of  a  peculiar  na- 
ture ;  ties  of  kindred  sympathy  that  bind  the  good  will  and  interest 
of  the  people  to  the  P.,  L.  &  D.,  and,  we  believe,  deservedly  so. 
The  present  management  of  the  road  has  successfully  guided  it  over 
the  critical  period  of  its  history  and  placed  it  upon  a  solid  footing. 
The  first  charter  for  the  road  was  obtained  in  1867.  The  charter 
members  were  B.  S.  Prettyman,  Ties  Smith,  Peter  Wevhrich,  R.  B. 
Latham,  A.  M.  Miller,  John  Wyatt,  M.  Wemple,  J.  F.  D.  Elliott, 
S.  C.  Beau,  Henry  B.  Durfee,  and  Lu])er  Burrows.  The  first  offi- 
cers were :  President,  B.  S.  Prettyman ;  Vice-President,  R.  B. 
Latham;  Secretary,  A.  M.  Miller;  Treasurer,  J.  F.  D.  Elliott. 

The  roadway  w^as  first  surveyed  by  J.  Edward  Baring  in  1867, 
He  followed  the  line  indicated  at  first  in  the  charter,  and  the  one 
upon  which  the  organization  was  based.  The  final  location  of  the 
road,  however,  varied  from  the  original  survey  as  the  necessities  of 
the  location  required.  Soon  an  interest  began  to  be  manifested  by 
the  people  along  the  line  of  the  proposed  road.  Meetings  were  held 
and  the  people  grew  very  enthusiastic  over  it.  So  zealous  w^ere  the 
people  at  Delavan,  and  so  anxious  were  they  to  secure  the  road  for 
their  town,  that  all  the  lots  it  touched  passing  through  were  freely 
given.  A  prominent  man  there,  who  grew  over-zealous,  perhaps,  said 
he  would  give  the  company  the  right  of  w^ay  to  run  through  his 
library  if  they  wanted  to.  Elections  were  held  along  the  line  for  the 
purpose  of  voting  for  or  against  subscribing  to  the  road.  In  this 
county  the  result  of  these  elections  were  :  Pekin  voted  $75,000 ;  Del- 
avan, $50,000;  and  Tazewell  county,  $100,000.  In  Logan  county  it 
was  voted  upon  to  give  $300,000,  but  the  measure  was  defeated  by  17 
ballots.  In  November,  1867,  another  election  was  held,  and  the 
proposition  carried.  The  county  authorities  refused  to  issue  the 
bonds,  however,  and  it  was  finally  compromised  by  the  issue  of 
$150,000  of  bonds  to  the  company.     Macon  county  gave  $100,000. 


736  HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

The  election  at  Pekin  was  held  March  2,  1867,  and  the  vote  stood 
698  for,  and  12  against,  the  subscription. 

In  the  spring  of  1869,  the  Directors  advertised  for  bids  for  the 
construction  of  the  road.  After  holding  a  succession  of  meetings, 
and  considering  propositions  from  various  parties,  the  contract  was 
finally  awarded  to  a  company  known  as  the  Pekin  Railway  Con- 
struction Company.  This  company,  which  consisted  of  Teis  Smith, 
C.  R.  Cummings,  G.  R.  Cobleigh,  Peter  Weyhrich,  Bergstresser  & 
Gill,  and  D.  C.  Smith,  commenced  work  in  September  of  the  same 
fall  (1869).  The  construction  company  elected  Teis  Smith,  Presi- 
dent ;  G.  R.  Cobleigh,  Secretary  and  Superintendent ;  and  Peter 
Weyhrich,  Treasurer.  The  idea  of  organizing  this  company  origi- 
nated in  the  mind  of  Mr.  Cobleigh.  Several  of  the  gentlemen  who 
afterwards  composed  the  company,  were  on  their  road  to  Lincoln  to 
attend  a  railroad  meeting,  when  it  occurred  to  Superintendent 
Cobleigh  that  if  any  set  of  men  could  profitably  construct  that  road 
they  certainly  could.  He  proposed  to  his  companions  to  form  a 
company  and  take  the  contract  for  building  it.  This  they  regarded 
as  a  happy  thought,  and  heartily  entered  into  the  enterprise,  and 
the  company  was  formed,  and  the  road  successfully  built  by  it. 

The  company  claimed  the  right  and  privilege  of  locating  the  road, 
and  for  this  purpose  employed  Mr.  Edward  Powers  as  chief  engineer. 
Under  him  the  line  was  re-located.  He  had  charge  of  the  work 
until  the  spring  of  1870,  when  B.  C.  Smith,  the  construction  com- 
pany's engineer,  was  appointed  chief  engineer,  and  continued  in 
charge  until  the  road  was  completed.  Grading  through  Tazewell 
county  was  completed  early  in  the  year  1870;  the  first  work  on 
the  road  being  done  in  1869,  between  Pekin  and  Delavan.  The 
contractors  made  contracts  in  England  for  iron  sufficient  to  lay 
the  track  through  this  county ;  owing  to  unavoidable  delay,  how- 
ever, the  iron  did  not  reach  Pekin  until  the  latter  part  of  Au- 
gust. The  people  along  the  line  were  growing  anxious  for  the 
completion  of  the  road,  but  the  unflagging  energy  with  which  the 
contractors  pushed  the  work,  and  the  character  and  standing  of  the 
men  in  charge,  plainly  told  them  that  no  unnecessary  delay  would 
be  made.  On  the  arrival  of  the  iron,  track  laying  was  vigorously 
commenced,  and  that  jxirt  of  the  road  between  Pekin  and  Delavan 
was  completed  that  fall.  That  portion  of  the  road  was  then  oper- 
ated by  the  construction  company  for  passenger  and  freight  traffic. 
The  first  engine  was  purchased  in  Chicago  by  Mr.  Cobleigh. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1871,  work  was  again  commenced,  and 
as  fiist  as  track  was  laid,  trains  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
public  were  run,  and  so  considerable  was  the  traffic  that  it  was  evi- 
dent the  enterprise  would  be  a  paying  one.  In  1871  the  road  was 
leased  to  the  Toledo,  Wabash  &  Western  Railway  Company ;  lease 
to  take  affect  upon  the  completion  of  the  road  by  the  contractors. 
The  road  was  completed  to  Decatur  on  the  6th  day  of  October, 
1871.     Mr.  Cobleigh,  the  present  General  Superintendent,  had  entire 


4%...., 


;,,^:^^ 


GENt-  SUPT    P.  L   a  D    R' 


HISTORY   OF    TAZEWELL    COUNTY.  739 

charge  of  the  construction  of  the  road,  and  the  management  of  the 
trains.  By  his  request  the  contract  for  grading  was  sub-let.  In 
making  the  sub-contracts,  the  Construction  Company  reserved  the 
privilege  of  paying  the  laborers  before  giving  sub-contractor  any 
money.  The  reason  for  this  was,  at  that  time  many  roads  were 
being  constructed,  and  the  sub-contractors  would  not  pay  their 
laborers,  thereby  swindling  poor  men,  and  bringing  the  road  into 
disrepute.  To  avoid  this,  Mr,  Cobleigh  in  person  paid  every  labor- 
ing man  in  this  branch  of  the  work,  and  also  matle  every  pavment 
in  the  construction  of  the  road  througout.  He  also  did  nearly  all 
of  the  purchasing,  and  it  seems  remarkable  that  one  man  could 
attend  to  so  much,  and  perform  his  work  so  well  as  he  did,  during 
the  building  of  P.,  L.  &  D.  Railway. 

The  T.,  W.  &  W.  Ry.,  ran  the  road  for  four  and  a  half  years. 
The  road  was  mortgaged  for  $16,000  per  mile,  and  the  lease  held  by 
the  T.,  W.  &  W.,  required  them  to  pay  the  interest  on  this  indebt- 
edness, and  to  maintain  the  road.  In  the  spring  of  LSTG,  the  T.  W. 
&  W.,  being  behind  about  two  years  in  the  payment  of  interest,  the 
bondholders  foreclosed  the  mortgage  and  sold  the  road.  It  was  bid 
in  by  them  for  $500,000,  and  re-organized  as  the  Pekin,  Lincoln  & 
Decatur  Railway  Company.  C.  R.  Cummings  was  chosen  Presi- 
dent ;  J.  B.  Cohrs,  Secretary ;  R.  A.  Bunker,  Treasurer,  and  John 
S.  Cook,  General  Manager.  The  road  Avas  operated  under  this 
management  until  the  fall  of  1878.  Mr.  Cook  resigned  as  General 
Manager,  when  that  office  was  abolished,  and  G.  R.  Cobleigh  aj)- 
pointed  Gen.  Superintendent,  Avhich  position  he  now  holds.  Before 
the  time  of  his  electiod  to  his  ])resent  position,  which  was  Dec.  1, 
1878,  Mr.  Cobleigh  was  Purchasing  Agent  and  Supt.  of  Track. 
The  present  officers  of  the  road  are,  President,  C.  R.  Cummings ; 
Secretary,  J.  B.  Cohrs ;  General  Superintendent,  G.  R.  Cobleigh ; 
Treasurer,  R.  A.  Bunker;  General  Freight  Agent,  G.  L.  Bradbury; 
General  Ticket  Agent,  L.  M.  Rupert. 

The  P.,  L.  &  D.,  extends  from  Pekin  to  Decatur,  a  distance  of 
68  miles.  It  has  a  lease,  however,  of  the  Peoria  &  Springfield  Road, 
running  from  Pekin  to  Peoria,  Avhich  it  operates  and  controls  all 
roads  running  over  it,  and  makes  the  time-cards.  These  roads  are, 
besides  their  own,  the  I.,  B.  &  W.,  and  the  C,  P.  &  S.  W.  It  con- 
nects at  Decatur  Avith  roads  running  south,  east  and  Avest.  The 
road-bed  is  good,  well  drained,  level  and  uniform.  The  rolling- 
stock  is  first-class  ;  conductors,  agents  and  employes  accommodating 
and  courteous,  and  the  general  management  is  all  that  could  be 
desired  by  the  public,  employes  and  stockholders. 

Columbus  R.  Cummings,  President  of  the  P.,  L.  &  D.  Railway,  is 
the  son  of  James  P.,  and  Clarissa  (Wilson)  Cummings.  He  Avas 
born  in  St.  Lawrence  county,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  14,  1834.  He  came  to 
Chicago,  Ills.,  in  1853,  and  entered  a  mercantile  house  as  clerk  and 
in  the  fall  of  1859,  came  to  Pekin,  Avhere  he  embarked  in  the  dry 
goods  business  in  company  with  his  brother,  C.  B.  Cummings.  Since 
42 


740  HISTORY   OF    TAZEAVELL   COUNTY. 

his  advent  into  Tazewell  county,  ]Mr.  C,  has  been  actively  identi- 
fied with  all  the  leading;  enterprises  of  the  county.  He  was  married 
June  26,  1862,  to  Miss  Sarah  C.  Mark,  daughter  of  David  Mark,  an 
early  settler  of  this  county.  President  Cumniings  has  served  the 
citv  of  Pekin  as  Mayor,  and  is  an  honorable  citizen  and  a  judicious 
railroad  man. 

Gordis  R.  Coblcigh,  General  Superintendent  of  this  road,  and 
whose  portrait  will  be  found  in  this  volume,  was  born  in  Lisbon,  X. 
H.,  Dec.  22,  1838.  He  is  the  sou  of  Royal  E.,  and  Mercy  (Yilas) 
Cobleigh.  His  mother  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  his  father  of  Xew 
Hampshire.  The  latter  died  when  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
ten  years  old,  and  since  that  time  he  has  been  obliged  to  look  out 
for  himself.  It  took  all  the  money  he  had  to  get  out  West,  and  he 
started  here  with  absolutelv  nothina:,  and  he  is  one  of  the  most  re- 
spected  men  of  the  county  and  has  acquired  considerable  property. 
He  came  to  this  county  Dec.  19,  1856,  and  taught  school  for  two 
winters,  and  worked  on  a  farm  in  summers.  In  the  fall  of  1859,  he 
entered  the  mercantile  trade  at  Pekin,  in  company  with  H.  Mont- 
gomery. He  continued  in  this,  the  grocery  business,  for  about  two 
years,  Avhen,  in  1862,  he  entered  a  wholesale  grocery  house  in  Chi- 
cago as  book-keeper.  We  find  him  next  in  Peoria,  actively  engaged 
in  the  commercial  business,  where  he  remained  until  1864,  when 
he  came  to  Pekin  and  embarked  in  the  dry  goods  business  in  com- 
pany with  C.  B.  Cummings.  He  continued  in  this  line  for  eight 
years,  when  he  commenced  railroading,  wliich  business  he  has  since 
continued  to  follow,  and  his  labors  are  mentioned  above  in  this  ar- 
ticle. He  is  a  judicious  railroad  man  and  keeps  in  view  the  accom- 
modation of  the  general  public  as  well  as  the  interests  of  the  stock- 
holders. He  is  esteemed  by  all  the  employes  and  has  the  best 
wishes  of  the  community.  In  1864,  Feb.  25,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Mary  V.  Smith.  Their  children  number  five,  only  three  of 
whom  are  living,  tw(»  having  crossed  the  Jordan  of  Death.  The 
names  and  dates  of  births  of  children  are  as  follows:  Royal  E.,  born 
April  23,  1865,  died  Nov.  4,  1865;  Francis  A.,  born  April  10, 
1867;  William  S.,  born  Aug.  30,  1868;  Gordis  R.,  jr.,  born  July 
7,  1870,  died  Xov.  24,  1873;  Mary  Y.,  born  March  2,  1875.  Sui)t. 
Cobleio;h  has  served  as  Alderman  of  the  citv  of  Pekin  for  three 
terms,  and  at  present  represents  the  fourth  ward  in  the  City  Council. 
He  was  Enrolling  Officer  in  1863  for  recruiting  for  the  U.  S.  army, 
and  Postmaster  in  Peoria  county.  He  is  a  Universalist  in  religious 
belief,  and  politically  a  Republican.  Residence,  corner  of  Colt  and 
Washington  streets,  Pekin. 

TOLEDO,    PEORIA    &    WARSAW    R.    R. 

One  of  the  principal  arteries  by  which  the  produce  of  the  Xorth- 
west  is  transported  to  the  seaboard,  is  the  T.,  P.  &  W.  R.  R.  Under 
its  present  able  management  it  has  taken  rank  with  the  greater  lines 
of  our  countiy.     Its  road-bed  is  level,  well  ironed  and  smooth. 


HISTORY   OF   TAZEWELL   COUNTY.  741 

Its  rolling  stock,   both   frei<>lit  curs  and  coaches,  is   equal  to  that 
run  by  the  oldest  and  most  prosperous  of  roads. 

The  T,,  P.  &  W.  was  formerly  the  eastern  extension  of  the  Peoria 
&  Oquawka  road,  which  was  constructed  in  about  18(30.  It  was 
changed  to  the  T.,  P.  &  AV.  in  about  18G4,  and  in  February,  1875, 
was  given  into  the  hands  of  A.  I^.  Hopkins,  as  Receiver,  who  is  one 
of  the  ablest  railroad  men  in  the  United  States.  The  road  crosses 
the  Illinois  river  at  Peoria,  runs  through  Fond  du  Lac  and  AVash- 
ington  townships,  passing  througli  the  city  of  A\  ashington.  There 
are  16  miles  of  this  road  in  Tazewell  county. 

ILLINOIS    MIDLAND. 

This  is  a  consolidation  of  the  Peoria,  Atlanta  &  Decatur  and  the 
Paris  &  Decatur  Railroads.  The  road  was  constructed  in  1872. 
Its  line  extends  from  Terrc  Haute,  Ind.,  to  Peoria,  111.,  a  distance 
of  176  miles.  There  are  more  miles  of  this  road  in  Tazewell  county 
than  any  of  its  other  seven  roads.  It  leaves  Peoria,  entering  the 
county  at  Fond  du  Lac,  running  diagonally  through  Morton,  touch- 
ing Tremont,  passing  south  through  Mackinaw,  Little  Mackinaw 
and  Hittle.  There  are  29  miles  of  track  in  this  county,  of  the  Illi- 
nois Midland,  valued  at  §57,000. 

THE    CHICAGO,    PEKIN    &    SOUTHWESTERN    RAILROAD. 

The  C,  P.  &  S.  AV.  R.  R.  Co.  is  the  successor  of  the  Chicago 
&  Plainiield  Railroad  Company.  The  first  charter  of  the  C.  ct  P. 
R.  R.  Co.  was  approved  Feb.  24,  1859.  The  corporators  named 
therein  being  Lyman  Foster,  I).  AV.  Cropsy,  K.  J.  Hammond,  G. 
AV.  Bradley,  John  Moore,  John  Letsey,  A.  K.  Wheeler,  AVm. 
Thurber  and  Benj.  Pickertson.  They  were  empowered  to  lo(;ate 
and  construct  a  railroad  from  Chicago,  by  way  of  Plainfield,  to  or 
near  Ottawa.  Afterwards,  on  th(>  25th  of  Feb.,  18(37,  an  amend- 
ment was  approved  to  the  charter,  which  jirovided  that  said  com- 
pany be  allowed  "to  extend  their  line  of  railroad  from  some  eligible 
point  therein  near  the  southern  line  of  Kendall  county,  thence 
southwesterly  into  the  county  of  Peoria."  Again,  on  the  29th  of 
March,  18(59,  an  amendatory  act  was  passed  to  the  above  charter, 
providing  "that  said  corj)oration,  heretofore  known  as  the  'Chicago 
and  Plainfield  Railroad  Company,'  shall  hereafter  be  known  and 
called  the  'Chicago,  Plainfield  and  Pekin  Railroad  Company,' "  and 
in  this  act  it  was  provided  that  the  said  company  have  the  right  to 
locate  and  build  their  line  of  road  through  Groveland  township, 
Tazewell  county,  to  Pekin,  and  that  it  should  be  authorized  and  em- 
powered to  receive  subscrij)tions  and  donations  to  aid  in  the  con- 
struction of  said  road,  and  also  to  borrow  money  and  to  issue  bonds 
to  the  extent  of  ^i^l 5,000  jK'r  mile,  to  obtain  funds  to  construct 
and  equip  the  line.  April  19,  1869,  the  name  was  again  changed  to 
the  present  one. 

The   first   Board    of    Directors   of    the    Company    was    elected 


742  HISTORY   OF  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

June  29,  1869,  and  consisted  of  B,  S.  Prettyman,  P.  Weyhrich, 
George  Greigg,  C.  R.  Cummings,  John  M.  Dougherty,  W.  A.  Ross,- 
B.  H.  Harris,  C.  Sharp,  H.  R.  Kiff,  J.  R.  T.  Overholt,  J.  Dieven- 
baugh,  E.  T.  Pierce,  and  R.  Clark.  The  first  contract  for  building 
the  road  was  made  between  the  C.  &  P.  Co.  and  Richard  P.  Morgan, 
who  was  afterwards  joined  by  E.  T.  Pierce.  This  contract  was  de- 
clared forfeited  by  the  first  Board  of  the  C,  P.  &  S.  W.  Railroad  Co., 
and  another  contract  entered  into  by  said  Board  and  Messrs.  Roder- 
ick Clark  of  LaSalle  Co.,  Cragie  Sharp,  of  AVoodford  Co.  and  Edgar 
T.  Pierce,  of  LaSalle  Co.  Pierce,  Clark  and  Sharp  did  some  grading 
on  the  line  and  purchased  some  materials  but  became  cramped  and 
embarrassed  in  the  work  and  failed. 

On  April  14,  1871,  the  contract  of  Pierce,  Clark  &  Sharp  was, 
with  consent  of  all  parties  interested,  transferred  to  Col.  Ralph 
Plumb,  of  Streator,  in  order  to  more  vigorously  prosecute  the  work. 
On  June  29th,  1871,  on  the  resignation  of  R.  Clark,  F.  E.  Hinckley 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors.  On  Jan.  9,  1872, 
F.  E.  Hinckley  was  elected  President  and  F.  Plumb,  Secretary. 
From  the  last  date  forward  the  work  was  prosecuted  with  vigor 
rnd  determination  and  results  began  to  show,  although  hindered  and 
harrassed  by  litigation  caused  by  former  mismanagement.  On  Dec. 
18,  1872,  the  contractor.  Col.  Plumb,  announced  to  the  Board  of 
Directors  that  the  track  was  laid  from  Streator  to  Pekin,  64  miles, 
and  a  few  days  later,  Jan.  6,  1873,  that  portion  of  the  road  was 
opened  for  business,  and  continued  to  be  operated  between  these 
points  until  Feb.,  1876,  when  an  extension  of  the  road  from  Streator 
to  Mazon  river  was  turned  over  by  the  contractor  to  the  company, 
and  by  the  acquirement  of  a  few  miles  of  road  from  the  Mazon  river 
to  JoHet  the  C,  P.  &  S.  W.  R.  R.  now  have  a  short  direct  line  from 
Pekin  to  Joliet,  with  mutual  running  arrangements  with  the  Chi- 
cago &  Alton  R.  R.,  forming  a  through  Chicago  line. 

Francis  E.  Hinckly  has  remained  President  of  the  road  since  his 
election  in  1871,  and  has  managed  the  property  vigorously,  and 
through  this  and  other  roads  under  his  management,  acquired  a  high 
reputation  as  a  skillful  railroad  manager.  The  road  has  been 
■  thoroughly  equipped  with  freight  cars,  coaches  and  engines,  and  the 
business  developed  and  encouraged. 

The  Superintendent  of  this  road,  Mr.  D.  H.  Conklin,  is  located 
at  Streator.  He  is  a  railroad  man  of  thorough  experience  and  intel- 
ligence. He  is  a  telegraph  operator,  and  can  watch  the  running  of 
his  trains  at  all  points,  and  is  always  ready,  when  necessity  requires, 
to  run  an  engine  over  the  road,  or  conduct  a  freight  train.  P.  B. 
Shumway,  the  General  Freight  Agent,  is  a  man  of  ability  and 
shrewdness,  and  alive  to  the  necessities  of  the  business  of  the  road 
in  that  department.  B.  T.  Lewis  is  at  the  head  of  the  passenger 
department,  and  although  a  young  man,  has  had  much  experience 
in  railroading,  and  displays  an  ability  and  tact  fitting  him  for  the 
responsible  position.  The  general  offices  of  the  company  are  located 
at  Chicago. 


DIGEST  OF  STATE  LAWS. 


LAWS. 

The  courts  recognize  two  kinds  of  law,  Statute  and  Common. 
Statute  law  is  that  which  is  enacted  by  the  Legislature.  Common 
law  consists  of  all  the  law  of  England, — whether  Statute,  or  Com- 
mon, which  was  in  force  in  that  country  at  the  time  of  our  inde- 
pendence, and  recognized  by  our  courts,  and  which  has  not  since 
been  repealed  or  disused. 

We  have  what  is  called  established  law.  For  this  branch  of 
common  law  there  is  no  authority  excepting  the  decisions  of  the 
courts;  hence  the  value  of  the  reported  decisions  which  are  pub- 
lished by  official  reporters.  The  law  presumes  that  every  body  is 
acquainted  with  it.  Mistakes  of  fact  can  be  corrected  by  the  courts, 
but  not  mistakes  of  law;  no  man  being  permitted  to  take  advantage 
of  a  mistake  of  tbe  law,  either  to  enforce  a  right,  or  avoid  an  obli- 
gation; for  it  would  be  dangerous  and  unwise  to  encourage  igno- 
rance of  the  law,  by  permitting  a  party  to  profit,  or  to  escape,  by  his 
ignorance.  One  is  required  at  his  peril  to  know  the  law  of  his  own 
country. 

JURISDICTION  OF  COURTS. 

Justices  have  jurisdiction  in  all  civil  cases  on  contracts  for  the 
recovery  of  moneys  for  damages,  for  injury  to  real  property,  or  tak- 
ing, detaining,  or  injuring  personal  property;  for  rent;  for  all  cases 
to  recover  damages  done  to  real  or  personal-  property,  by  railroad 
companies;  in  actions  of  replevin;  of  actions  for  damages  for  fraud; 
in  the  sale,  purchase,  or  exchange  of  personal  property,  when  the 
amount  claimed  as  due  is  not  over  $200.  They  have  also  jurisdic- 
tion in  all  cases  for  violation  of  the  ordinances  of  cities,  towns,  or 
villages.  A  justice  of  the  peace  may  orally  order  an  officer  or  a 
private  person,  to  arrest  any  one  committing,  or  attempting  to  com- 
mit a  criminal  offense.  He  also,  upon  complaint,  can  issue  his 
warrant  for  the  arrest  of  any  person  accused  of  having  committed  a 
crime,  and  have  him  brought  before  him  for  examination. 


744  DIGEST  OF  STATE  LAWS. 

COUNTY  COURTS 

Have  jurisdiction  in  all  matters  of  probate  (except  in  counties 
having  a  population  of  one  hundred  thousand  or  over  ),  settlement 
of  estates  of  deceased  persons,  appointment  of  guardians  and  con- 
servators, and  settlements  of  their  accounts;  all  matters  relating  to 
apprentices;  proceedings  for  the  collection  of  taxes  and  assesments, 
and  in  proceedings  of  executors,  administrators,  guardians,  and 
conservators,  for  the  sale  of  real  estate.  In  law  cases,  thej  have 
concurrent  jurisdiction  with  Circuit  Courts  in  all  cases  where  jus- 
tices of  the  peace  now  have,  or  hereafter  may  have,  jurisdiction 
when  the  amount  claimed  shall  not  exceed  $1,000;  and  in  all  crim- 
inal offenses,  where  the  punishment  is  not  imprisonment  in  the  pen- 
itentiary or  death,  and  in  all  cases  of  appeals  from  justices  of  peace 
and  police  magistrates,  except  when  the  county  judge  is  sitting  as 
a  justice  of  the  peace. 

Circuit  Courts  have  unlimited  jurisdiction. 

COMMISSIONERS  OF  HIGHWAYS. 

The  commissioners  of  hiffhwavs  in  the  different  towns,  have 
the  care  and  superintendence  of  highways,  and  bridges  therein. 
They  have  the  power  to  lay  out,  vacate,  regulate  and  repair  all  roads, 
build  and  repair  bridges,  and  divide  their  respective  towns  into  as 
many  road  districts  as  they  shall  think  convenient.  '  This  is  to  be 
done  annually,  and  ten  days  before  the  annual  town  meeting.  In 
addition  to  the  above,  it  is  their  duty  to  erect  and  keep  in  repairs 
at  the  forks  or  crossing-place  of  the  most  important  roads,  post  and 
guide-boards,  witli  plain  inscriptions,  giving  directions  and  dis- 
tances to  the  most  noted  places  to  which  such  roads  may  lead;  also 
to  make  provisions  to  prevent  thistles,  burdock,  cockle-burs,  mus- 
tard, yellow  dock,  Indian  mallow,  and  jimson  weed  from  seeding, 
and  to  extirpate  the  same  as  far  as  practicable,  and  to  prevent  all 
rank  growth  of  vegetation  on  the  public  highways,  so  far  as  the 
same  may  obstruct  public  travel;  and  it  is  in  their  discretion  to 
erect  watering  places  for  public  use,  for  watering  teams  at  such 
points  as  may  be  deemed  advisable.  Every  able-bodied  male  inhab- 
itant, being  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  and  under  fifty,  ex- 
cepting paupers,  idiots,  lunatics,  trustees  of  schools  and  school  di- 
rectors, and  such  others  as  are  exempt  by  law,  are  required  to  labor 
on  highways  in  their  respective  road  districts,  not  less  than  one, 


DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS.  745 

nor  more  than  three  days  in  each  year.  Three  days'  notice  must 
be  given  by  the  overseer,  of  the  time  and  phxce  he  requires  such 
road  labor  to  be  done.  The  labor  must  be  performed  in  the  road 
district  in  which  the  person  resides.  Any  person  may  commute 
for  such  labor  by  paying  the  equivalent  in  money.  Any  person 
liable  for  work  on  highways,  who  has  been  assessed  two  days  or 
more,  and  has  not  commuted,  may  be  required  to  furnish  team,  or 
a  cart,  wagon  or  plow,  with  a  pair  of  horses  or  oxen  and  a  man  to 
manage  them,  for  which  he  will  be  entitled  to  two  days'  work. 
Eight  hours?  is  a  days'  work  on  the  roads  and  there  is  a  penalty  of 
twenty-five  cents  an  hour  against  any  person  or  substitute  who 
shall  neglect  or  refuse  to  perform.  Any  person  remaining  idle,  or 
does  not  work  faithfully,  or  hinders  others  from  doing  so,  forfeits 
to  the  town  $2,  Every  person  assessed  and  duly  notified,  who  has 
not  commuted,  and  refuses  or  neglects  to  appear,  shall  forfeit  to  the 
town  for  every  day's  refusal  or  neglect,  the  sum  of  $2;  if  he  was 
required  to  furnish  a  team,  carriage,  man  or  implements,  and  neg- 
lects or  refuses  to  comply,  he  is  liable  to  the  following  fines:  1st, 
For  wholly  failing  to  comply,  $4  each  day;  2d,  For  omitting  to 
furnish  a  man  to  manage  team,  $2  each  day;  3d,  For  omitting  to 
furnish  a  pair  of  horses  or  oxen,  §1.50  each  day;  4th,  For  omitting 
to  furnish  a  wagon,  cart  or  plow,  75  cents  each  day.  The  commis- 
sioners estimate  and  assess  the  highway  labor  and  road  tax.  The 
road  tax  on  real  and  personal  property  can  not  exceed  forty  cents 
on  each  hundred  dollars'  worth.  The  labor  or  road  tax  in  villaires, 
towns  or  cities,  is  paid  over  to  the  corporate  authorities  of  such, 
for  the  improvement  of  streets,  roads  and  bridges  within  their  lim- 
its. 

The  legal  voters  of  townships,  in  counties  under  township  organ- 
ization may,  by  a  majority  vote,  at  their  annual  town  meeting, 
order  that  the  road  tax  may  be  collected  in  money  only. 

Overseers. — Their  duties  are  to  repair  and  keep  in  order  the  high- 
ways in  their  districts ;  to  warn  persons  to  work  out  their  road  tax 
at  such  time  and  place  as  they  think  proper;  to  collect  fines  and 
commutation  money,  and  execute  all  lawful  orders  of  the  commis- 
sioners of  highways;  also  make  list,  within  sixteen  days  after  their 
election,  of  the  names  of  all  inhabitants  in  his  road  district,  liable 
to  work  on  highways.  For  refusal  to  perform  any  of  his  duties  he 
is  liable  to  a  fine  of  $10. 


746  DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS. 

As  all  township  and  county  officers  are  familiar  with  their  duties, 
it  is  here  intended  only   to  give  the  points  of  law  with  which  the 
public  should  be  familiar.     The  manner  of  laying  out,  altering,  or 
vacating  roads,   etc.,  will  not  be  here  stated,  as  it  would  require 
more  space  than  can  be  spared  in  a  work  like  this.     It  is  sufficient 
to  state  that  the  first  step  is  by  petition,  addressed  to  the  commis- 
sioners, setting  out  what  is   prayed  for,  giving  the  names  of  the 
owners  of  the  lands,  if  known  (if  not  known,  so  state),  over  which  the 
road  is  to  pass,  giving  the  general  course,  its  place  of  beginning, 
and  where  it  terminates.     It  requires  not  less  than  twelve  freehold- 
ers residing  within  three  miles  of  the  road,  who  shall  sign  the  peti- 
tion.    Public  roads  must  not  be  less  than  fifty,  nor  more  than  sixty 
feet  wide.     Koads  not  exceeding  two  miles  in  length,  if  petitioned 
for,  may  be  laid  out  not  less  than  forty  feet  wide.     Private  roads 
for  private  and  public  use  may  be  laid  out  three  rods  wide,  on  peti- 
tion of  the  person  directly  interested;  the  damage  occasioned  there- 
by shall  be  paid  by  the  premises  benefited  thereby,  and  before  the 
road  is  opened.     If  n-ot  opened  in  two  years,  the  order  shall  be  con- 
sidered recinded.     Commissioners  in  their  discretion  may  permit 
persons  who  live  on  or  have  private  roads,  to  work  out  their  road 
tax  thereon.    Public  roads  must  be  opened  in  five  years  from  date 
of  filing  order  of  location,  or  be  deemed  vacated. 

FENCES. 

The  town  assessor  and  commissioners  of  highways  shall  be  fence 
.  viewers  in  their  respective  towns  in  counties  under  township  organ- 
ization.    In  other  counties,  the  county  board  appoints  three  in  each 
precinct,  annually. 

A  lawful  fence  is  four  and  one-half  feet  high  and  in  good-repair, 
consisting  of  rails,  timbers,  boards,  stones,  hedges,  or  any  other 
material  the  fence  viewers  may  deem  sufficient.  The  electors  at 
any  annual  town  meeting  may  determine  what  shall  constitute  a 
legal  fence  in  the  town. 

Division  fences  shall  be  made  and  maintained  in  just  proportion 
by  the  adjoining  owners,  except  where  the  owner  shall  choose  to  let 
his  land  lie  open ;  but  after  a  division  fence  has  been  built  by  mu- 
tual agreement  or  otherwise,  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  either  party 
to  remove  his  part  of  said  fence,  so  long  as  he  may  crop  or  use  such 
lands  for  farm  purposes,  or  without  giving  the  other  party  one 
year's  notice  in  writing,  of  his  intention  to  move  his  portion  of  the 


DIGEST   OF    STATE  LAWS.  747 

fence.  Adjoining  owners  sliould  endeavor,  if  possible,  mutually  to 
agree  as  to  the  proportion  that  each  sha,ll  maintain  of  the  division 
fence  between  their  adjoining  lands;  and  the  agreement  should  be 
reduced  to  writing,  each  party  taking  a  copy.  When  any  person 
shall  enclose  his  land  upon  the  enclosure  of  another,  he  shall  refund 
the  owner  of  the  adjoining  lands  a  just  proportion  of  the  value  at 
that  time  of  such  fence.  The  value  of  such  fence,  and  the  propor- 
tion thereof  to  be  paid  by  such  person,  and  the  proportion  of  the 
division  fence  to  be  made  and  maintained  by  him,  in  case  of  his 
inclosing  his  land,  shall  be  determined  by  two  fence  viewers  of  the 
town.  Such  fence  viewers  have  power  to  settle  all  disputes  between 
owners  as  to  fences  built  or  to  be  built,  as  well  as  concerning  repairs 
to  be  made.  Each  party  chooses  one  of  the  viewers,  but  if  the 
other  party  neglects,  after  eight  days'  notice  in  writing,  to  make 
his  choice,  then  the  other  party  may  select  both.  It  is  sufficient  to 
notify  the  tenant,  or  party  in  possession,  when  the  owner  is  not  a 
resident  of  the  town  in  which  such  fences  are  situated.  The  two 
fence  viewers  chosen,  after  viewing  the  premises,  shall  hear  the 
statements  of  the  parties.  In  case  they  can't  agree,  they  shall  se- 
lect another  fence  viewer  to  act  with  them,  and  the  decision  of  any 
two  of  them  shall  be  final.  The  decision  must  be  reduced  to  writ- 
ing, and  should  plainly  set  out  a  description  of  the  fence  and  all 
matters  settled  by  them,  and  must  be  filed  in  the  office  of  the  town 
clerk. 

If  any  person  who  is  liable  to  contribute  to  the  erection  or  repa- 
ration of  a  division  fence,  shall  neglect  or  refuse  to  make  or  repair 
his  proportion  of  such  fence,  the  party  injured,after  giving  sixty  days' 
notice,  in  writing,  that  a  new  fence  should  be  erected,  or  ten  days' 
notice,  in  writing,  that  the  repair  of  such  fence  is  necessary,  may 
make  or  repair  the  same  at  the  expense  of  the  party  so  neglecting 
or  refusing,  to  be  recovered  from  him  with  costs  of  suit;  and  the 
party  so  neglecting  or  refusing,  after  notice  in  writing,  shall  be  lia- 
ble to  the  party  injured  for  all  damages  which  shall  thereby  accrue, 
to  be  determined  by  any  two  fence  viewers.  When  a  person  shall 
conclude  to  remove  his  part  of  the  division  fence  and  let  his  land 
lie  open,  and  havihg  giv^en  the  year's  notice  required,  the  adjoining 
owner  may  cause  the  value  of  said  fence  to  be  asQertained  by  fence 
viewers  as  before  provided  ;  and  on  payment  or  tender  of  the 
amount  of  such  valuation  to  the  owner,  it  shall  prevent  the  removal. 


T48  DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS. 

A  party  removing  a  division  fence  without  notice  is  liable  for  tlie 
damages  accruing  thereby. 

Where  a  fence  has  been  built  on  the  land  of  another  through 
mistake,  the  owner  may  enter  upon  such  premises  and  remove  his 
fence  and  material  within  six  months  after  the  division  line  has 
been  ascertained.  Where  the  material  to  build  such  a  fence  has 
been  taken  from  the  land  on  which  it  was  built,  then  before  it  can 
be  removed,  the  person  claiming  must  first  pay  for  such  material, 
to  the  owner  of  the  land  from  which  it  was  taken ;  nor  shall  such  a 
fence  be  removed  at  a  time  when  the  removal  will  throw  open  or 
expose  the  crops  of  the  other  party;  a  reasonable  time  must  be 
given  beyond  the  six  months  to  remove  crops. 

The  compensation  of  fence  viewers  is  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents 
a  day  each,  to  be  paid  in  the  first  instance  by  the  party  calling  them; 
but  in  the  end  all  expenses,  including  amount  charged  by  the  fence 
viewers,  must  be  paid  equally  by  the  parties,  except  in  cases  where 
a  part}'  neglects  or  refuses  to  make  or  maintain  a  just  proportion  of 
a  division  fence,  when  the  party  in  default  shall  pay  them. 

DBAINAGE. 

Whenever  one  or  more  owners  or  occupants  of  land  desire  to  con- 
struct a  drain  or  ditch,  through  another  man's  land,  the  right  can 
be  had  only  under  legislative  authority,  or  is  granted  or  exists  by 
prescription  or  by  consent  of  the  owner. 

Dripping  water  from  one  house  upon  another  can  be  allowed  only 
where  the  owner  has  acquired  the  right  by  grant  or  prescription; 
and  no  one  has  a  right  to  construct  his  house  so  as  to  let  the  water 
drip  over  his  neighbor's  land. 

TRESPASS  OF  STOCK. 

Where  stock  of  any  kind  breaks  into  any  person's  inclostire,  the 
fence  being  good  and  sufiicient,  the  owner  is  liable  for  the  damage 
done;  but  where  the  damage  is  done  by  stock  running  at  large,  con- 
trary to  law,  the  owner  is  liable  where  there  is  not  such  a  fence. 
Where  stock  is  found  trespassing  on  the  inclosure  of  another  as 
aforesaid,  the  owner  or  occupier  of  the  premises  may  take  posses- 
sion of  such  stock  and  keep  the  same  until  damages,  with  reasonable 
charges  for  keeping  and  feeding,  and  all  costs  of  suit,  are  paid. 
Any  person  taking  or  rescuing  such  stock  so  held,  without  his  con- 
sent, shall  be  liable  to  a  fine  of  not  less  than  three  nor  more  than 


DIGEST   OF    STATE    LAWS.  749 

five  dollars  for  each  animal  rescued,  to  be  recovered  by  suit  before 
a  justice  of  the  peace,  for  the  use  of  the  school  fund.  Within  twen- 
ty-four hours  after  taking  such  animal  into  his  possession,  the  per- 
son taking  it  up  must  give  notice  of  the  fact  to  the  owner,  if  known; 
or  if  unknown,  notice  must  be  posted  in  some  public  place  near  the 
premises. 

ESTRATS. 

Stray  animals  are  those  whose  owner  is  unknown,  any  beasts,  not 
wild,  found  on  one's  premises,  and  not  owned  by  the  occupant.  Any 
animals  found  straying  at  any  time  during  the  year,  in  counties 
where  such  animals  are  not  allowed  to  run  at  large,  or  between  the 
last  day  of  October  and  the  15th  day  of  April  in  other  counties,  the 
owner  being  unknown,  may  be  taken  up  as  estraj's.  A  party  who 
wishes  to  detain  property  as  an  estray,  must  show  an  exact  compli- 
ance with  the  law.  In  order  to  vest  the  property  of  the  stray  in 
him,  such  acts  must  appear  in  detail  on  the  record. 

No  person  not  a  householder  in  the  county  where  the  estray  is 
found  can  lawfully  take  up  an  estray,  and  then  only  upon  or  about 
his  farm  or  place  of  residence.  Estrays  should  not  be  used  before 
advertised,  except  animals  giving  milk,  which  may  be  milked  for 
their  benefit.  Notices  must  be  posted  up  within  five  days  in  three, 
of  the  most  public  places  in  the  town  or  precinct  in  which  the  es- 
tray was  found,  giving  the  residence  of  the  taker-up,  and  a  partic- 
ular description  of  the  estray,  its  age,  color,  and  marks  natural  and 
artificial,  and  stating  before  what  justice  of  the  peace, in  such  town 
or  precinct,  and  at  what  time,  not  less  than  ten  nor  more  than  fif- 
teen days  from  the  time  of  posting  such  notices,  he  will  apply  to 
have  the  estray  apprised.  If  the  owner  of  an  estray  shall  not  have 
appeared  and  proved  ownership  and  taken  the  same  away,  first 
paying  the  taker-up  his  reasonable  charges  for  taking  up,  keeping, 
and  advertising  the  same,  the  taker-up  shall  appear  before  the  justice 
mentioned  in  above  notice,  and  make  an  afiidavit  as  required  by 
law.  All  subsequent  proceedings  are  before  the  justice  who  is  fa- 
miliar therewith;  therefore  we  omit  them  here. 

Any  person  taking  up  an  estray  at  any  other  place  than  about  or 
upon  his  farm  or  residence,  or  without  complying  with  the  law,  shall 
forfeit  and  pay  a  fine  of  ten  dollars  with  costs.  Ordinary  diligence 
is  required  in  taking  care  of  estrays,  but  in  case  they  die  or  get 
away,  the  taker-up  is  not  liable  for  the  same. 


760  DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS. 

If  a  man  finds  estravs  in  his  field  he  is  not  bound  to  retain  them 
for  the  owner,  but  may  drive  them  off"  into  the  highway  without 
being  liable  to  an  action.  But  a  person  who  chases  a  hor&e  out  of 
his  field  with  a  large  fierce  dog,  commits  an  unlawful  act,  and  is 
liable  for  any  injury  which  the  act  occasions.  A  person  who  takes 
anestray  to  keep  for  the  owner,  but  does  not  pursue  the  course  pre- 
'scribed  by  statute,  is  not  liable  to  an  action  unless  he  uses  the  same 
or  refuses  to  deliver  it  on  demand.  Riding  a  horse  to  discover  the 
owner  is  not  "  use." 

HORSES 

Are  animals  of  a  domestic  nature.  Under  the  age  of  four  years 
they  are  called  colts.  A  borrower  of  a  horse  is  liable  for  negligence, 
misuse,  or  gross  want  of  skill  in  use.  The  lender  is  liable  in  case 
the  animal  lent  is  unfit  or  dangerous,  as  he  thus  may  occasion 
injury.  The  animal  should  be  used  only  for  the  purpose  and  to  the 
extent  stipulated,  and  not  by  a  servant. 

If  he  dies  from  disease,  or  is  killed  by  inevitable  accident,  the  bor- 
rower is  not  liable.  Defects  which  are  manifest,  open  and  plain  to  an 
ordinary  observer,  and  those  also  which  are  known  to  the  buyer,  are 
not  usually  covered  by  a  general  warranty.  The  former  requires 
no  skill  to  discover  them,  and  the  latter  may  be  objected  to  or 
acquiesced  in  at  the  time  of  the  purchase.  In  the  case  of  lateiit 
defects  existing  in  such  a  condition  that  they  could  not  be  detected 
by  the  buyer,  and  are  known  to  the  seller,  who  fails  to  disclose  them 
to  the  buyer,  the  latter  practices  a  constructive  fraud,  unless  the 
animal  is  sold  "  with  all  faults."  By  consenting  to  purchase  the 
horse  "  with  all  faults,"  the  purchaser  takes  upon  himself  the  risk 
of  latent  or  secret  defects,  and  calculates  the  price  accordingly. 
But  even  this  kind  of  a  purchase  would  be  voidable  if  the  seller 
had  purposely,  and  to  deceive  the  purchaser,  covered,  filled  up, 
patched,  plastered,  or  otherwise  practiced  fraud  to  conceal  any 
defects,  and  he  would  be  liable. 

Hiring  out  a  horse  and  carriage  to  perform  a  particular  journey, 
carries  with  it  the  warranty  of  the  person  letting  the  horse  and 
carriage,  that  each  of  them  is  fit  and  competent  for  such  journey; 
but,  if  a  horse  is  hired  for  one  purpose,  and  is  used  for  another  and 
is  injured,  the  hirer  is  liable  for  the  damage  sustained.  The  hirer 
is  in  all  cases  answerable  for  ordinary  neglect.  If  he  uses  the 
hired  horse  as  a  prudent  man  would  his  own,  he  is  not  liable  for 


DIGEST   OF   STATE    LAWS.  761 

any  damage  which  the  horse  may  receive.  If,  however,  he  keeps 
the  hired  horse  after  a  stipulated  time,  or  uses  it  differently  from 
his  agreement,  he  is  in  any  event  liable.  If  the  hirer  sells  the  horse, 
the  owner  may  recover  its  value  of  the  purchaser,  though  the  pur- 
chaser had  in  good  faith  given  the  hirer  full  value  for  it,  as  the 
hirer  could  mve  no  better  title  than  he  had  himself. 

Mischievous  animals  render  their  owners  liable  when  known  to 
them  to  be  so,  and  they  are  responsible  for  the  damage  they  may  do 
when  they  permit  them  to  go  at  large.  Any  person  may  justify 
the  killing  of  ferocious  animals. 

MARKS  ANB  BRANDS. 

Owners  of  cattle,  horses,  hogs,  sheep  or  goats,  may  have  one  ear- 
mark and  one  brand,  which  shall  be  different  from  his  neiglibors', 
and  may  be  recorded  by  the  county  clerk  of  the  county  in  which 
such  property  is  kept.  The  fee  for  such  record  is  fifteen  cents.  The 
record  of  such  shall  be  open  to  examination  free,  of  charge.  In 
cases  of  disputes  as  to  marks  or  brands,  such  record  is  primafacie 
evidence.  Owners  of  cattle,  horses,  hogs,  sheep  or  goats,  that  may 
have  been  branded  by  former  owners,  may  be  rebranded  in  presence 
of  one  or  more  of  his  neighbors,  who  shall  certify  to  the  facts  of 
the  marking  or  branding  being  done,  when  done,  and  in  what  brand 
or  mark  they  were  re-branded  or  re-marked,  which  certificate  may 
also  be  recorded  as  before  stated. 

ARTICLES  OF  AGREEMENT. 

An  agreement  is  virtually  a  contract  by  which  a  certain  person 
(or  persons)  agrees  or  contracts  to  perform  certain  duties  within  a 
specified  time.  Good  business  men  alwa3's  reduce  an  agreement  to 
writing,  which  nearly  always  saves  misunderstandings  and  long 
and  expensive  lawsuits.  No  particular  form  is  necessary,  but  the 
facts  must  be  clearly  and  explicitly  stated ;  and  there  must  be  a 
reasonable  consideration,  else  the  agreement  is  void. 

Unless  it  is  expressly  stipulated  that  the  agreement  is  binding  for 
a  longer  time,  the  contract  expires  at  the  end  of  one  year.  Every 
agreement  should  state  most  distinctly  the  time  within  which  its 
conditions  are  to  be  complied  with.  A  discov^ery  of  fraud,  or  mis- 
representation by  one  party  to  the  agreement,  or  changing  of  the 
date,  renders  the  contract  void.  Each  party  should  retain  a  copy  of 
the  agreement. 


"752  DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS. 

GENERAL  FORM  OF  AGREEMENT. 

This  Agreement,  made  the  third  day  of  November,  1878,  between 
Damon  Chirke  of  Macomb,  county  of  McDonough,  State  of  Illinois, 
of  the  first  part,  and  William  Hays,  of  the  same  place,  of  the 
second  part. 

WITNESSETH,  That  the  said  Damon  Clarke,  in  consideration  of 
the  agreement  of  the  party  of  the  second  part,  hereinafter  contained, 
contracts,  and  agrees  to,  and  with  the  said  William  Hays,  that  he 
will  deliver  in  good  and  marketable  condition,  at  the  city  of  Gales- 
burg,  111.,  during  the  month  of  December  of  this  year,  nine  hun- 
dred bushels  of  corn,  in  the  following  lots,  and  at  the  following 
specified  times,  namely:  one  hundred  bushels  by  the  fifth  of  Decem- 
ber, three  hundred  bushels  by  the  fifteenth  of  December,  and  the 
balance  by  the  thirtieth  of  December. 

And  the  said  William  Hays  in  consideration  of  the  prompt  ful- 
fillment of  this  contract  on  the  part  of  the  party  of  the  second 
part,  contracts  to,  and  agrees  with  the  said  Damon  Clarke,  to  pay 
for  said  corn  fifty  cents  per  bushel  as  soon  as  delivered. 

In  case  of  failure  of  agreement  by  either  of  the  parties  hereto,  it 
is  hereby  stipulated  and  agreed  that  the  party  so  failing  shall  pay 
to  the  other,  one  hundred  dollars,  as  fixed  and  settled  damages. 

In  witness  whereof  we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  the  day  and 
year  first  above  written :  Damon  Clarke, 

William  Hays. 

NOTES. 

A  note  is  legal,  worded  in  the  simplest  way,  so  that  the  amount 

and  time  of  payment  are  mentioned.     The  following  is  a  good  form: 

$100  Chicago,  III.,  May  1,  1S79. 

Thirty  days  after  date  I  promise  to  pay  F.  M.  Chapmaiij 
or  order,  one  hundred  dollars,  for  value  received. 

S.  T.  Lewis. 

To  make  a  note  payable  in  anything  else  than  money,  insert  the 
facts  instead  of  the  sum  of  money  alone;  unless  paid  when  due,  it 
is  payable  in  money.  To  hold  an  indorser  of  a  note,  due  diligence 
must  be  used  by  suit  in  collecting  of  the  maker,  unless  suit  would 
have  been  unavailing.  Notes  payable  to  person  named  or  to  order, 
in  order  to  absolutely  transfer  title,  must  be  indorsed  by  the  payer. 
Notes  payable  to  bearer  may  be  transferred  by  delivery,  and  when 
so  payable,  every  indorser  thereon  is  held  as  a  guarantor  of  pay- 
ment unless  otherwise  expi-essed. 

The  limit  of  time  in  which  action  may  be  brought  on  a  note  is 
10  yeara 


DIGEST   OF   STATE    LAWS. 


753 


If  the  note  is  payable  to  a  person  or  order,  or  to  a  person  or 
bearer,  to  a  person  or  his  assigns,  or  to  a  cashier  of  an  incorporated 
company,  such  notes  are  negotiable. 

When  transferring  a  note,  the  indorser  frees  himself  from  respon- 
sibility, so  far  as  the  payment  is  concerned,  by  writing  on  the  back, 
above  his  signature,  without  recourse  to  me  in  any  event. 

A  note  is  void  when  founded  upon  fraud.  Thus  a  note  obtained 
from  a  person  when  intoxicated,  or  obtained  for  any  reason  which 
is  illegal,  cannot  be  collected.     A  note  given  on  Sunday  is  also  void. 

No  defense  can  be  made  against  negotiable  paper  purchased 
before  maturity  for  good  consideration  in  the  usual  course  of  busi- 
ness, without  knowledge  of  facts  impeaching  its  validity,  except 
fraud  was  used  in  obtaining  the  same.  Thus  if  A  gives  his  note 
to  B  for  $15<),  receives  in  consideration  a  shawl  and  live  pieces  of 
cloth.  The  former  was  represented  to  be  worth  §75,  and  the  cloth 
the  best  imported  English  goods.  When,  in  fact,  the  shawl  was 
only  worth  $8,  and  suits  made  of  the  cloth  wore  out  in  less  than 
six  weeks,  long  before  the  note  was  due.  B,  however,  had  sold  the 
note  to  C,  who  did  not  know  the  circumstances,  and  before  it  was 
due — A  would  be  obliged  to  pay  it. 

JUDGMENT  NOTE. 

For  value  received  I  promise  to  pay  Ewing  Summers,  of  Gales- 
burg,  or  order,  two  hundred  dollars,  with  interest,  on  the  first  day 
of  January  next.  And,  further,  I  do  hereby  empower  any  attorney 
of  any  court  of  record  in  Illinois,  or  elsewhere,  to  appear  for  me, 
and  after  a  declaration  filed  therefor,  to  confess  a  judgment  against 
me  in  the  above  sum,  as  of  last,  next,  or  any  subsequent  term,  with 
cost  of  suit,  release  of  error,  etc.,  with  stay  of  execution  until  said 
first  day  of  January. 

Witness  my  hand  and  seal  at  Galesburg,  111.,  this  sixth  day  of 
March,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy-nine. 
[seal]  John  Jones. 

INTEREST. 

Interest  is  the  compensation  which  is  paid  by  the  borrower  of 
money  to  the  lender  for  its  use.  When  the  debtor  expressly  under- 
takes to  pay  interest,  he  is  bound  to  pay  it;  but  if  a  party  has 
accepted  the  principal,  he  cannot  recover  interest  in  a  separate 
action.  During  the  course  of  dealings  between  parties,  a  promise 
to  pay  is  implied,  and  the  debtor  is  bound  to  pay.     So  also  on  an 


754  DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS. 

account  stated,  whenever  the  debtor  knows  precisely  what  he  is  to 
pay,  and  when  he  is  to  pay  it,  after  a  demand  ^of  payment;  but 
interest  is  not  due  on  a  running  account,  even  when  the  items  are 
all  on  one  side,  unless  otherwise  agreed  upon.  Where  the  terms  of 
a  promissory  note  are  that  it  shall  be  paid  by  installments,  and  on 
the  failure  of  any  installment  the  whole  is  to  become  due,  interest 
on  the  whole  becomes  payable  from  the  first  default.  Where,  by 
the  term  of  a  bond  or  promissory  note,  interest  is  to  be  paid  annu- 
ally, and  the  principal  at  a  distant  day,  the  interest  may  be  recov- 
ered before  the  principal  is  due. 

Interest  is  collectible  in  the  following  cases:  For  £:oods  sold  and 
delivered  after  the  stipulated  term  of  credit  has  expired;  if  there  be 
no  credit,  then  from  the  time  of  sale;  on  judgment  debts,  from  the 
rendition  of  judgment;  on  money  obtained  by  fraud,  or  where  ii 
has  been  wrongfully  detained  (for  whoever  receives  money  not  his 
own,  and  detains  it  from  the  owner  unlawfully,  must  pay  interest 
tlierefor:  hence  a  public  officer  retaining  money  wrongfully  is  lia- 
ble for  the  interest);  on  money  paid  by  mistake,  or  recovered  on  a 
void  execution;  on  money  lent  or  laid  out  for  another's  use;  and 
rent,  from  the  time  that  it  is  due. 

When  the  rate  of  interest  is  specified  in  any  contract,  that  rate 
continues  until  full  payment  is  made.  A  debt  barred  by  the 
statute  of  limitations  and  revived  by  an  acknowledgment  bears 
interest  for  the  whole  time. 

Computing  Interest. — In  casting  interest  on  notes,  bonds,  etc., 
upon  which  partial  payments  have  been  made,  every  payment  is  to 
be  first  applied  to  discharge  the  interest;  but  the  interest  is  never 
allowed  to  form  a  part  of  the  principal,  so  as  to  carry  interest. 
When  a  partial  payment  is  made  before  the  debt  is  due,  it  cannot 
be  apportioned  part  to  the  debt  and  part  to  the  interest,  but  at  the 
end  interest  shall  be  charged  on  the  whole  sum,  and  the  obligor 
shall  receive  credit  for  the  interest  on  the  amount  paid  until  the 
interest  becomes  due. 

The  legal  rate  of  interest  is  six  per  cent.  Parties  may  agree  in 
writing  on  a  rate  not  exceeding  eight  per  cent.  If  a  rate  of  interest 
greater  than  eight  per  cent,  is  contracted  for,  the  penalty  is  a  for- 
feiture of  the  entire  interest,  and  only  the  principal  can  be 
recovered. 

In  computing  interest  or  discount  on  negotiable  instruments,  a 


DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS.  756 

month  shall  be  considered  a  calendar  month  or  twelfth  of  a  year, 
and  for  less  than  a  month,  a  day  shall  be  figured  a  thirtieth  ])art  of 
a  month.  Notes  bear  interest  only  when  so  expressed;  but  after 
due  they  draw  the  legal  interest,  six  per  cent.,  even  if  not  stated. 
Notes  payable  on  demand  or  at  sight  draw  no  interest  until  after 
presentation  or  demand  of  the  same  has  been  made,  unless  they 
provide  for  interest  from  date  on  their  tiice.  If  "with  interest"  is 
included  in  the  note,  it  draws  the  legal  rate  from  the  time  it  is 
made.  If  the  note  is  to  draw  a  special  rate  of  interest,  higher  than 
the  legal,  but  not  higher  than  the  law  allows,  the  rate  must  be 
specified. 

WILLS. 

The  legal  declaration  of  a  person's  mind,  determining  the  man- 
ner in  which  he  would  have  his  property  or  estate  disposed  of  after 
his  death,  is  termed  a  will.  No  exact  form  of  words  is  necessary 
in  order  to  make  a  will  good  at  law,  though  much  care  should  be 
exercised  to  state  the  provisions  of  the  will  so  plainly  that  its  lan- 
guage may  not  be  misunderstood. 

Every  male  person  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  and  every 
female  of  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  of  sound  mind,  can  make  a 
valid  will.  It  must  be  in  writing,  signed  by  the  testator,  or  by 
some  one  in  his  or  her  presence,  and  by  his  or  her  direction,  and 
attested  by  two  or  more  credible  witnesses.  Care  should  be  taken 
that  the  witnesses  are  not  interested  in  the  will. 

The  person  making  the  will  may  appoint  his  or  her  executors; 
but  no  person  can  serve  as  such  executor  if  he  or  she  be  an  alien  at 
the  time  of  proving  the  will,  if  he  be  under  twenty -one  years  ot 
age,  a  convict,  a  drunkard,  a  lunatic,  or  an  imbecile. 

Persons  knowing  themselves  to  have  been  appointed  executors, 
must,  within  thirty  days  after  the  death  of  deceased,  cause  the  will 
to  be  proved  and  recorded  in  the  proper  county,  or  present  it  and 
refuse  to  accept.  In  case  of  failure  to  do  so,  they  are  liable  to  for- 
feit the  sum  of  twenty  dollars  per  month.  Inventory  to  be  made 
by  executor  or  administrator  within  three  months  from  date  of  let- 
ters testamentary  or  administration. 

The  person  making  a  will  is  termed  the  "  testator  "  (if  a  female, 
the  "  testatrix  "). 

A  will  is  of  no  force  and  eflfect  until  the  death  of  the  testator, 


756  DIGEST   OF   STATE    LAWS. 

and  can  be  cancelled  or  modified  at  any  date  by  the  maker.     The 
last  will  made  annuls  the  force  of  all  preceding  wills. 

A  will  made  by  an  unmarried  woman  is  legally  revoked  by  mar- 
riage; but  she  can  take  such  legal  steps  in  the  settlement  of  her 
property  before  marriage  as  will  empower  her  to  dispose  of  the 
same  as  she  may  choose  after  marriage.  No  husband  can  make  a 
will  that  will  deprive  the  wife  of  her  right  of  dower  in  the  prop- 
erty; but  the  husband  can  will  the  wife  a  certain  amount  in  lieu  of 
her  dower,  stating  it  to  be  in  lieu  thereof.  Such  bequest,  however, 
will  not  exclude  her  from  her  dower,  provided  she  prefers  it  to  the 
bequest  made  in  the  will.  Unless  the  husband  states  distinctly 
that  the  bequest  is  in  lieu  of  dower,  she  is  entitled  to  both. 

In  case  a  married  woman  possesses  property  and  dies  without  a 
will,  her  husband  is  entitled  to  administer  upon  such  property  in 
preference  to  any  one  else,  provided  he  be  of  sound  mind. 

Notice  requiring  all  claims  to  be  presented  against  the  estate 
shall  be  given  by  the  administrator  within  six  months  after  being 
qualified.  Any  person  having  a  claim  and  not  presenting  it  at  the 
time  fixed  by  said  notice,  is  required  to  have  summons  issued  noti- 
fying the  executor  of  having  filed  his  claim  in  court.  Claims 
should  be  filed  within  two  years  from  the  time  administration  is 
granted  on  an  estate,  as  after  that  time  they  are  forever  barred, 
unless  other  estate  be  found  that  was  not  inventoried.  Married 
women,  infants,  persons  insane,  imprisoned,  or  without  the  United 
States,  in  the  employment  of  the  United  States,  or  of  this  State, 
have  two  years  after  their  disabilities  are  removed  to  file 
claims.  Claims  are  classified  and  paid  out  of  the  estate  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner: 

1st.  Funeral  expenses. 

2d.  The  widow's  award,  if  there  is  a  widow;  or  children,  if  there 
are  children  and  no  widow. 

3d.  Expenses  attending  the  last  illness,  not  including  the  physi- 
cian's bill. 

4th.  Debts  due  the  common  school  or  township  fund. 

5th.  All  expenses  of  proving  the  will  and  taking  out  letters 
testamentary  or  of  administration,  and  settlement  of  the  estate,  and 
the  physician's  bill  in  the  last  illness  of  the  deceased. 

6th.  Wiiere  the  deceased  has  received  money  in  trust  for  any 
purpose,  his  executor  or  administrator  shall  pay  out  of  his  estate 
the  amount  received  and  not  accounted  for. 


DIGEST   OF   STATE  LAWS. 


757 


7tli.  All  other  debts  and  demands  of  whatsoever  kind,  without 
regard  to  quality  or  dignity,  which  shall  be  exhibited  to  the  court 
within  two  years  from  the  granting  of  letters. 

Award  to  the  widow  and  children,  exclusive  of  debts  and  lesacies 
or  bequests,  except  funeral  expenses: 

1st.  The  family  pictures  and  wearing  apparel,  jewels  and  orna- 
ments of  herself  and  minor  children. 

2d.  School  books  and  the  family  library  to  the  value  of  $100. 

3d.  One  sewinor-machine. 

4th.  Necessary  beds,  bedsteads  and  bedding  for  herself  and 
familv. 

*j 

5th.  The  stoves  and  pipe  used  in  the  family,  with  the  necessary 
cooking  utensils;  or,  in  case  they  have  none,  $50  in  money. 

6th.  Household  and  kitchen  furniture  to  the  value  of  $100. 

7th.  One  milch  cow  and  calf  for  every  four  members  of  her 
family. 

8th.  Two  sheep  for  each  member  of  her  family,  and  the  fleeces 
taken  from  the  same,  and  one  horse,  saddle  and  bridle. 

9th.  Provisions  for  herself  and  family  for  one  year. 

10th.  Food  for  the  stock  above  specified  for  six  months. 

11th.  Fuel  for  herself  and  family  for  three  months. 

12th.  One  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  other  property  suited  to  her 
condition  in  life,  to  be  selected  by  the  widow. 

The  widow,  if  she  elects,  may  have  in  lieu  of  the  said  award,  the 
same  personal  property  or  money  in  place  thereof  as  is  or  may  be 
exempt  from  execution  or  attachment  against  the  head  of  a  family. 

GENERAL  FOKM  OF  WILL  FOR  REAL  AND  PERSONAL  PROPERTY. 

I,  Samuel  T.  Lewis,  of  the  city  of  Chicago,  county  of  Cook, 
State  of  Illinois,  being  aware  of  the  uncertainty  of  life,  and  in 
fulling  health,  but  of  sound  mind  and  memory,  do  make  and  declare 
this  to  be  my  last  will  and  testament,  in  manner  following,  to-wit: 

Fh'st.  I  give,  devise  and  bequeath  to  my  oldest  sou,  P'ranklin 
M.  Lewis,  the  sum  of  Four  Thousand  dollars  of  bank  stock,  now 
in  the  First  National  Bunk,  Chicago,  Illinois,  and  the  farm  owned 
by  myself,  in  Ontario  township,  Knox  county,  Illinois,  consisting 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  with  all  the  houses,  tenements,  and 
improvements  thereunto  belonging;  to  have  and  to  hold  unto  my 
said  son,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  forever. 

Second.  I  give,  devise  and  bequeath  to  each  of  my  daughters, 
LidaLouan  Lewis,  and  Fannie  Antionette  Lewis,  each  two  thousand 


758  DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAAVS. 

dollars  in  bank  stock,  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Chicago,  Illinois, 
and  also  each  one  quarter  section  of  land,  owned  by  myself,  situ- 
ated in  the  town  of  Delavan,  Tazewell  county,  Illinois,  and  recorded 
in  my  name  in  the  Recorder's  office  of  said  county.  The  nortli  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  said  half  section  is  devised  to  my  elder 
daughter  Lida  Louan. 

Third.  I  give,  devise  and  bequeath  to  my  son,  Fred  Davis 
Lewis,  five  shares  of  railroad  stock,  in  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  Raih-oad, 
and  my  own  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  and  saw-mill 
thereon,  situated  in  Astoria,  Illinois,  with  all  the  improvements  and 
appurtenances  thereunto  belonging,  which  said  real  estate  is  re- 
corded in  my  name,  in  the  county  where  situated. 

Fourth.  I  give  to  my  wife,  Trypliena  Lewis,  all  ray  household 
furniture,  goods,  chattels,  and  personal  property,  about  my  house, 
not  hitherto  disposed  of,  including  ten  thousand  dollars  in  bank 
stock,  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Chicago,  Illinois,  fifteen  shares 
in  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Railroad,  and  the  free  and 
unrestricted  use,  possession  and  benefits  of  the  home  farm,  so  long 
as  she  may  live,  in  lieu  of  dower,  to  which  she  is  entitled  by  law; 
said  farm  being  my  present  place  of  residence. 

Fifth.  I  bequeath  to  my  invalid  father,  Samuel  T.  Lewis,  Sr., 
the  income  from  the  rents  of  my  store  building,  at  Canton,  Illinois, 
during  the  term  of  his  natural  life.  Said  building  and  land  there- 
with revert  to  my  said  sons  and  daughters  in  equal  proportions, 
upon  the  demise  of  my  said  father. 

Sixth.  It  is  also  my  will  and  desire,  that  at  the  death  of  my 
wife,  Tryphena  Lewis,  or  at  any  time  she  may  arrange  to  relinquish 
her  life  interest  in  the  above  mentioned  homestead,  the  same  may 
revert  to  my  above  named  children,  or  to  the  lawful  heirs  of  each. 

And,  Lastlij.  I  appoint  as  executors  of  this,  my  last  will  and 
testament,  my  wife  Tryphena  Lewis,  and  my  eldest  son,  Franklin 
M.  Lewis. 

I  further  direct  that  my  debts  and  necessary  funeral  expenses 
shall  be  paid  from  moneys  now  on  deposit  in  the  First  National 
Bank,  Pekin,  Illinois,  the  residue  of  such  moneys  to  revert  to  my 
wife,  Tryphena  Lewis,  for  her  use  forever. 

In  witness  thereof,  I,  Samuel  T.  Lewis,  to  this,  my  last  will  and 
testament,  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal,  this  third  day  of 
March,  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy. 

[L.  S.]  Samuel  T.  Lewis. 

Signed,  sealed  and  delivered  by  Samuel  T.  Lewis,  as  and  for  his 
last  will  and  testament,  in  the  presence  of  us,  who,  at  his  request, 
and  in  his  presence,  and  in  the  presence  of  each  other,  have  sub- 
scribed our  names  hereunto  as  witnesses  thereof. 

Fred  D.  Selleck,  Chicago,  Illinois. 
Erastus  Child,  Oneida,  Illinois. 


DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS.  769 

CODICIL. 

"Whereas,  I,  Samuel  T.  Lewis,  did,  on  the  third  daj  of  March, 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy,  make  my  last  will  and 
testament,  I  do  now,  by  this  writing,  add  this  codicil  to  my  said 
will,  to  be  taken  as  a  part  thereof. 

Whereas,  by  the  dispensation  of  Providence,  my  daughter  Lida 
Louan,  has  deceased,  November  fifth,  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy- 
four,  and,  whereas,  a  son  has  been  born  to  me,  which  son  is  now 
christened  Charles  Burchard  Lewis,  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  him 
my  gold  watch,  and  all  right,  interest  and  title  in  lands  and  bank 
stock  and  chattels  bequeathed  to  my  deceased  daughter  Lida  Louan, 
in  the  body  of  this  will 

In  witness  thereof,  I  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal,  this  fifth 
day  of  March,  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-nine. 

[L.  S.]  Samuel  T.  Lewis. 

Signed,  sealed,  published  and  declared  to  us  by  the  testator, 
Samuel  T.  Lewis,  as  and  for  a  codicil,  to  be  annexed  to  his  last  will 
and  testament.  And  we,  at  his  request,  and  in  his  presence,  and  in 
the  presence  of  each  other,  have  subscribed  our  names  as  witnesses 
thereto,  at  the  date  hereof. 

Erastus  Child,  Oneida,  111. 
E.  C.  Johnson,  Chicago,  111. 

DESCENT. 

"When  no  will  is  made,  the  property  of  a  deceased  person  is  dis- 
tributed as  follows: 

First.  To  his  or  her  children  and  their  descendants,  in  equal 
parts;  the  descendants  of  the  deceased  child  or  grand  child  taking 
the  share  of  their  deceased  parents,  in  equal  parts  among  them. 

Second.  Where  there  is  no  child,  no  descendant  of  such  child, 
and  no  widow  or  surviving  husband,  then  to  the  parents,  brothers 
and  sisters  of  the  deceased,  and  their  descendants,  in  equal  parts, 
the  surviving  parent,  if  either  be  dead,  taking  a  double  portion; 
and  if  there  is  no  parent  living,  then  to  the  brothers  and  sisters  of 
the  intestate  and  their  descendants. 

Third.  When  there  is  a  widow  or  surviving  husband,  and  no 
child  or  children,  or  descendants  of  the  same,  then  one-half  of  the 
real  estate  and  the  whole  of  the  personal  estate  shall  descend  to 
such  widow  or  surviving  husband,  absolutely,  and  the  other  half  of 
the  real  estate  shall  descend  as  in  other  cases  where  there  is  no 
child  or  children,  or  descendants  of  the  same. 

Fourth.     When  there  is  a  widow  or  surviving  husband,  and  also 


760  DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS. 

a  child  or  children,  or  descendants  of  the  latter,  then  one-third  of 
all  personal  estate  to  the  widow  or  surviving  husband,  absolutely. 

Fifth.  If  there  be  no  child,  parent,  brother  or  sister,  or 
descendants  of  either  of  them,  and  no  widow  or  surviving  husband, 
then  in  equal  parts  to  the  next  of  kin  to  the  intestate  in  equal 
degree.  Collaterals  shall  not  be  represented  except  with  the 
descendants  of  brother  and  sister  of  the  intestate,  and  there  shall 
be  no  distinction  between  kindred  of  the  whole  and  the  half-blood. 

Sixth.  If  any  intestate  leaves  a  widow  or  surviving  husband 
and  no  kindred,  then  to  such  widow  or  surviving  husband;  and  if 
there  is  no  such  widow  or  surviving  husband,  it  shall  escheat  to  and 
invest  in  the  county  where  the  same  or  the  greater  portion  thereof 
is  situated. 

DEEDS. 

A  deed  is  a  sealed  instrument  in  writing,  conveying  lands  and 
appurtenances  thereon  from  one  person  to  another,  and  special  care 
should  be  taken  to  have  them  signed,  sealed,  delivered  and  properly 
acknowledged,  with  the  proper  seal  attached.  Witnesses  are  not 
necessary.  The  law  in  this  State  provides  that  an  acknowledg- 
ment must  be  made  before  certain  persons  authorized  to  take  the 
same.  These  officers  are:  Master  in  Chancery,  Notary  Public^ 
Circuit  or  County  Clerk,  Justice  of  the  Peace.  United  States  Com- 
missioner, or  any  Court  of  Hecord  having  a  seal,  or  any  Judge, 
Justice  or  Clerk  of  any  such  court.  The  instrument  shall  be 
attested  by  the  official  seal  of  the  officer  taking  the  acknowledg- 
ment, and  when  taken  by  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  residing  out  of  the 
county  where  the  real  estate  to  be  conveyed  lies,  there  shall  be 
added  a  certificate  of  the  County  Clerk  under  his  eeal  of  office,  that 
he  was  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  the  county  at  the  time  of  taking 
the  same.  A  deed  is  good  without  such  certificate  attached,  but 
cannot  be  used  in  evidence  unless  such  a  certificate  is  produced  or 
other  competent  evidence  introduced.  Acknowledgments  made 
out  of  the  State  must  either  be  executed  according  to  the  laws  of 
this  State,  or  there  should  be  attached  a  certificate  that  is  in  conform- 
ity with  the  laws  of  the  State  or  country  where  executed.  Where 
this  is  not  done  the  same  may  be  proved  by  any  other  legal  way. 
Acknowledgments  where  the  Homestead  rights  are  to  be  waived 
must  state  as  follows:  "  Including  the  release  and  waiver  of  the 
right  of  homestead." 


DIGEST    OF   STATE   LAWS.  761 

To  sender  a  deed  valid,  there  must  be  a  sufficient  consideration. 
To  enable  a  person  to  legally  convey  property  to  another,  the  fol- 
lowing requisites  are  necessary:  1st,  he  or  she  must  be  of  age; 
2d,  must  be  of  sane  mind;  and,  3d,  he  or  she  must  be  the  rightful 
owner  of  the  property 

Any  alterations  or  interlineations  in  the  deed  should  be  noted  at 
the  bottom  of  the  instrument,  and  properly  witnessed.  After  the 
acknowledgment  of  a  deed,  the  parties  have  no  right  to  make  the 
slightest  alterations.  An  alteration  after  the  acknowledgment  in 
favor  of  the  grantee  vitiates  the  deed.  The  maker  of  a  deed  is 
called  the  "grantor;"  the  person  or  party  to  whom  the  deed  is 
delivered,  the  "  grantee."  The  wife  of  the  grantor  must  ackowl- 
edge  the  deed,  or  else,  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  she  will  be 
entitled  to  one-third  interest  in  the  property,  as  dower,  during  her 
life.  Her  acknowledgment  of  the  deed  must  be  of  her  own  free 
will  and  accord. 

By  a  general  warranty  deed  the  grantor  engages  to  secure  the 
grantee  in  any  right  or  possession  to  the  property  conveyed  against 
all  persons  whatsoever.  A  quit-claim  deed  releases  what  interest 
the  grantor  may  have  in  the  land,  but  does  not  warrant  and  defend 
against  others.  We  do  not  give  form  for  a  deed,  as  printed  forms 
are  used  by  all.     Deeds  should  be  recorded  without  delay. 

MORTGAGES  AND  TRUST  DEEDS 

Are  conditional  conveyances  of  estates  or  property  by  way  of 
pledge  for  the  security  of  debt,  and  to  become  void  on  payment  of 
it.  Special  care  should  be  taken  to  have  them  signed,  sealed 
delivered,  and  properly  acknowledged,  with  the  proper  seal  attached. 
All  kinds  of  property,  real  or  personal,  which  are  capable  of  an 
absolute  sale,  may  be  the  subject  of  a  mortgage. 

Mortgages  of  personal  property  need  not  be  under  seal.  In  the 
absence  of  stipulation  to  the  contrary,  the  mortgagee  of  personal 
property  has  the  legal  title  thereto,  and  the  right  of  possession,  and 
he  may  liave  an  action  against  any  one  taking  them  from  the  mort- 
gagor. And  although  the  mortgage  contains  no  express  stipulation 
that  the  mortgagor  shall  remain  in  possession  until  default  of  pay- 
ment, and  with  a  power  to  sell  for  the  mortgagee's  debt,  the  mort- 
gagee may  nevertheless  sustain  trover  against  an  officer  attaching 
the  goods  as  the  property  of  the  mortgagor. 


7G2  DIGEST    OF    STATE   LAWS. 

A  mort^a^e  must  be  in  writing  when  it  is  intended  to  convey  the 
legal  title.  It  inust  be  in  one  single  deed  which  contains  the  whole 
contract. 

Redemption  must  be  made  within  one  year  from  the  sale. 
"Where,  however,  the  mortgagee  takes  the  property  for  an  absolute 
discharge  of  the  debt,  then  the  equity  or  right  of  redemption  is 
barred.  Satisfaction,  or  release  of  a  mrirtgage,  may  be  made  on 
the  margin  of  the  record,  or  by  an  instrument  duly  acknowledged. 
The  wife  need  not  join  in  this  release. 

TRUST  DEEDS, 

Trust  deeds  are  taken  generally  in  preference  to  mortgages, 
especially  by  non-residents,  for  in  case  of  foreclosure  under  the 
power  of  sale  there  can  be  no  redemption.  Advertisement,  sale, 
and  deed  is  made  by  the  trustee. 

Mortgages  of  personal  property,  or  chattel  mortgages,  can  be 
given  for  a  period  of  only  two  years,  and  cannot  be  renewed  or 
extended.  Acknowledgment  may  be  had  before  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace  of  the  town  or  district  in  which  the  morto:aij:or  resides.  If 
the  mortgagor  is  a  non-resident,  then  before  any  officer  authorized 
by  law  to  take  acknowledgments.  Foreclosures  may  be  effected 
upon  default,  and  possession,  and  sale  of  the  property  taken  and 
made;  any  delay  will  invalidate  the  mortgagee's  lien. 

LIENS. 

Any  person  who  shall  by  contract,  expressed  or  implied,  or 
partly  both,  with  the  owner  of  any  lot  or  tract  of  land,  furnish 
labor  or  material,  or  services  as  an  architect  or  superintendent,  in 
building,  altering,  repairing,  or  ornamenting  any  house,  or  other 
building  or  appurtenance  thereto  on  such  lot,  or  upon  any  street  or 
alley,  and  connected  with  such  improvements,  shall  have  a  lien 
upon  the  whole  of  such  lot  or  tract  of  land,  and  upon  such  house 
or  building  and  appurtenances  for  the  amount  due  him  for  labor, 
material  or  services.  If  the  contract  is  expressed,  and  the  time  for 
the  completion  of  the  work  is  beyond  three  years  from  the  com- 
mencement thereof;  or,  if  the  time  of  payment  is  beyond  one  year 
from  the  time  stipulated  for  the  completion  of  the  work,  then  no 
lien  exists.  If  the  contract  is  implied,  then  no  lien  exists,  unless 
the  work  be  done,  or  material  furnished,  within  one  year  from  the 
commencement  of   the  work   or  delivery  of  the   material.     As 


DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS.  7C3 

between  different  creditors  having  liens,  no  preference  is  given  to 
the  one  whose  contract  was  made  first;  but  each  shares  pro  rata. 
Incumbrances  existing  upon  the  lot  or  tract  of  the  land  at  the  time 
the  contract  is  made  do  not  operate  on  the  improvements,  and  are 
only  preferred  to  the  extent  of  the  value  of  the  land  at  the  time  of 
makino;  the  contract.     The  above  lien  cannot  be  enforced  unless 

CD 

suit  is  commenced  within  six  months  after  the  last  payment  for 
labor  or  materials  shall  have  become  due  and  payable.  Sub-con- 
tractors, mechanics,  workmen,  and  other  persons  furnishing  any 
material,  or  performing  any  labor  for  a  contractor,  as  above  speci- 
fied, have  a  lien  to  the  extent  of  the  amount  due  the  contractor  at 
the  time  the  following  notice  was  served  upon  the  owner  of  the 
land  who  made  the  contract: 

To :  You  are  hereby  notified  that  I  have  been  employed 

by [here  state  whether  to  labor  or  to  furnish  material, 

and  substantially  the  nature  of  the  demand]  upon  your  [here  state 
m  general  terms  description  and  situation  of  building],  and  that  I 
shall  hold  the  [building,  or  as  the  case  may  be],  and  your  interest 
in  the  ground  liable  for  the  amount  that  may  [is  or  may  become] 
due  me  on  account  thereof.  [Signature] . 

Dated, . 

If  there  is  a  contract  in  writing  between  contractor  and  sub-con- 
tractor, a  copy  of  it  should  be  served  with  the  above  notice,  and  such 
notice  must  be  served  within  forty  days  from  the  completion  of 
such  sub-contract,  if  there  is  one;  if  not,  then  from  the  time  pay- 
ment should  have  been  made  to  the  person  performing  the  labor 
or  furnishing  the  material.  If  the  owner  is  not  a  resident  of  the 
county,  or  cannot  be  found  therein,  then  the  above  notice  must  be 
filed  with  the  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court,  with  his  fee,  fifty  cents, 
and  a  copy  of  such  notice  must  be  published  in  a  newspaper  pub- 
lished in  the  county  for  four  successive  weeks. 

When  the  owner  or  agent  is  notified  as  above  he  can  retain  any 
money  due  the  contractor  sufficient  to  pay  such  claim;  if  more 
than  one  claim,  and  not  enough  to  pay  all,  they  are  to  be  paid  pro 
rata. 

The  owner  has  a  right  to  demand  in  writing  a  statement  of  the 
contractor,  of  what  he  owes  for  labor,  etc.,  from  time  to  time  as  the 
work  progresses. 

The  liens  referred  to  cover  any  and  all  estates,  whether  in  fee  for 


V64:    -  DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS. 

life,  for  years,  or  any  other  interest  which  the  owner  may  have. 

To  enforce  the  liens  of  sub-contractors,  suit  must  be  commenced 
within  three  months  from  the  time  of  the  performance  of  the  sub- 
contract, or  during  the  work  or  furnishing  materials. 

Hotel,  inn  and  hoarding -house  keejyers  have  a  lien  upon  the 
baggage  and  other  valuables  of  their  guests  or  boarders  brought 
into  such  hotel,  inn,  or  boarding-house,  by  their  guests  or  boarders 
for  the  proper  charges  due  from  such  guests  or  boarders  for  their 
accommodation,  board  and  lodging,  and  such  extras  as  are  furnished 
at  their  request. 

Stahle-heepers  and  other  persons  have  a  lien  upon  the  horses, 
carriages  and  harness  kept  by  them  for  the  proper  charges  due  for 
the  keeping  thereof,  and  expenses  bestowed  thereon  at  the  request 
of  the  owner,  or  the  person  having  the  possession  of  the  same. 

Agisters  (jiersons  who  take  care  of  cattle  belonging  to  others) 
and  persons  keeping,  yarding,  feeding,  or  pasturing  domestic  ani- 
mals shall  have  a  lien  upon  the  animals  agistered,  kept,  yarded  or 
fed  for  the  proper  charges  due  for  such  service. 

All  persons  who  may  furnish  any  railroad  corporation  in  this 
State  with  fuel,  ties,  material,  supplies,  or  any  other  article  or  thing 
necessary  for  the  construction,  maintenance,  operation  or  repair  of 
its  road  by  contract,  or  may  perform  work  or  labor  for  the  same,  are 
entitled  to  be  paid  as  part  of  the  current  expenses  of  the  road,  and 
have  a  lien  upon  all  its  property.  Sub-contractors  or  laborers  have 
also  a  lien.  The  conditions  and  limitations,  both  as  to  contractors 
and  to  sub-contractors,  are  about  the  same  as  herein  stated,  as  to 
general  liens. 

BILL  OF  SALE. 

A  bill  of  sale  is  a  written  agreement  to  another  party  for  a  con- 
sideration to  convey  his  right  and  interest  in  the  personal  property. 
The  purchaser  must  take  actual  possession  of  the  property.  Juries 
have  power  to  determine  upon  the  fairness  or  unfairness  of  a  bill 
of  sale. 

COMMON   FORM   OF   BILL   OF   SALE. 

Know  All  Men  by  this  instrument,  that  I,  B.  F.  Lewis,  of  Chi- 
cago, Illinois,  of  the  first  part,  for  and  in  consideration  of  six  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars,  to  me  paid  by  Columbus  C.  Chapman, 
Astoria,  Illinois,  of  the  second  part,  the  receipt  whereof  is  hereby 
acknowledged,  have  sold,  and  by  this  instrument  do  convey  unto 


DIGEST  OF   STATE   LAWS.  765 

the  said  Chapman,  party  of  tlie  second  part,  his  executors,  admin- 
istrators, and  a-signs,  my  undivided  half  of  ten  acres  of  corn  on 
my  farm  in  the  town  of  Deer  Creek,  Illinois ;  one  pair  of  horses, 
twenty  sheep,  and  five  cows,  belonging  to  me,  and  in  my  possession 
at  the  farm  al'oresaid;  to  have  and  to  hold  the  same  unto  the  party 
of  the  second  ]:>art,  his  executors  and  assigns,  forever.  And  I  do, 
for  myself  and  legal  representatives,  agree  with  the  said  party  of 
the  second  part,  and  his  legal  representatives,  to  warrant  and  defend 
the  sale  of  the  aforementioned  property  and  chattels  unto  the  said 
party  of  the  second  part,  and  his  legal  representatives,  against  all 
and  everv  person  whatsoever. 

In  witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  affixed  ray  hand  this  tenth 
day  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy-nine. 

B.  F.  Lewis. 

DAYS  OF  GRACE. 

No  check,  draft,  bill  of  exchange,  promissory  note,  order,  or 
negotiable  instrument,  payable  at  sight  or  on  demand,  or  on  pre- 
sentment, shall  be  entitled  to  days  of  grace.  All  other  bills  of 
exchange,  drafts  or  notes  are  entitled  to  three  days  of  grace.  All 
the  above-mentioned  paper  falling  due  on  Sunday,  New  Year's  day, 
Fourth  of  July,  Christmas,  or  any  day  appointed  or  recommended 
by  the  President  of  the  United  States  or  Governor  of  the  State  as 
a  day  of  fasting  or  thanksgiving,  shall  be  deemed  as  due  on  the 
day  previous;  and  should  two  or  more  of  these  days  come  together, 
then  such  instrument  shall  be  treated  as  due  on  the  day  previous  to 
the  first  of  said  days. 

LIMITATION  OF  ACTION. 

The  limit  of  time  in  which  action  may  be  brought  on  certain 
things  is  as  follows:  Open  accounts,  five  years;  notes  and  written 
contracts,  ten  years;  judgments,  twenty  years;  partial  payments  or 
new  promise  in  writing,  within  or  after  said  period,  will  revive 
the  debt;  absence  from  the  State  deducted,  and  when  the  cause  of 
action  is  barred  by  the  law  of  another  State,  it  has  the  same  efiect 
here;  assault,  slander,  libel,  replevin,  one  year;  personal  injuries, 
two  years;  to  recover  land  or  make  entry  thereon,  twenty  years;  and 
sealed  and  witnessed  instruments,  as  action  to  foreclose  mortgage 
or  trust  deed,  within  ten  years.  All  persons  in  possession  of  land, 
and  paying  taxes  for  seven  consecutive  years,  with  color  of  title,  and 
all  persons  paying  taxes  for  seven  consecutive  years,  with  color  of 
title,  on  vacant  land,  shall  be  held  to  be  the  legal  owners  to  the 
extent  of  their  paper  title. 


766  DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS. 

RECEIPTS. 

Receipts  should  always  state  when  received  and  what  for;  and  if 
receipt  is  in  full  it  should  be  so  stated.     We  give  two  forms: 

FOB   MONET   ON   ACCOUNT. 

Eeceived,  Knoxville,  111.,  Nov.  10,  1878,  of  J.  C.  Cover,  sixty 
dollars  on  account.     $60.  J.  H.  Franklin. 

FOR   MONEY   ADVANCED   ON    A    CONTRACT. 

$100.  Galesburg,  III.,  June  9,  1868. 

Received  of  Fernando  Ross,  one  hundred  dollars,  in  advance,  on 
contract  to  build  for  him  a  brick  house  at  No.  76  Kellogg  street. 

Samuel  J.  Chapman. 

EXEMPTIONS  FROM  FORCED  SALES. 

The  following  personal  proiJerty  and  home  worth  $1,000, — Lot 
of  ground  and  buildings  thereon,  occupied  as  a  residence  by  the 
debtor,  being  a  householder  and  having  a  family,  to  the  value  of 
$1,000.  Exemption  continues  after  the  death  of  the  householder  for 
the  benefit  of  the  widow  and  family,  some  of  them  occupying  the 
homestead  until  the  youngest  shall  become  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
and  until  the  death  of  the  widow.  There  is  no  exemption  from  sale 
for  taxes,  assessments,  debt  or  liability  incurred  for  the  purchase  or 
improvement  of  said  homestead.  No  release  or  waiver  of  exemption 
is  valid  unless  in  writing  and  subscribed  by  such  householder  and 
wife  (if  he  has  one),  and  acknowledged  as  conveyances  of  real  estate 
are  required  to  be  acknowledged. 

The  following  articles  of  personal  property  owned  by  the  debtor 
are  exempt  from  execution,  writ  of  attachment,  and  distress  for  rent: 
The  necessary  wearing  apparel.  Bibles,  school-books  and  family  pic- 
tures of  every  person;  and  one  hundred  dollars' worth  of  other  prop- 
erty, to  be  selected  by  the  debtor,  and  in  addition,  when  the  debtor 
is  the  head  of  a  family  and  resides  with  the  same,  three  hundred  dol- 
lars' worth  of  other  property  to  be  selected  by  the  debtor, — provided 
that  such  selection  and  exemption  shall  not  be  made  h^  the  debtor 
or  allowed  to  him  or  her  from  any  money,  salary  or  wages  due  him  or 
her  from  any  person  or  persons  or  corporations  whatever.  When  the 
head  of  the  family  dies,  deserts,  or  does  not  reside  with  the  same, 
the  family  shall  be  entitled  to  and  receive  all  the  benefit  and  priv- 
ilege which  are  by  this  act  conferred  upon  the  head  of  a  family 
residing  with  the  same.     No  personal  property  is  exempt  from  exe- 


DIGEST   OF    STATE    LAWS.  767 

cntion  when  judgment  is  obtained  for  the  loages  of  laborers  or  ser- 
vants. Wages  of  a  laborer  who  is  the  head  of  a  family  cannot  be 
garnisheed  except  for  the  sum  due  him  in  excess  of  $25. 

LANDLORDS  AND  TENANTS. 

The  ])rincipal  obligation  on  the  part  of  a  landlord,  which  is  in 
fact  always  to  be  implied  as  a  necessary  condition  to  his  receiving 
any  rent,  is,  that  the  tenant  shall  enjoy  the  quiet  possession  of  the 
premises, — which  means,  substantially,  that  he  shall  not  be  turned 
out  of  possession  of  the  whole  or  any  material  part  of  the  premises 
by  any  one  having  a  title  paramount  to  that  of  the  landlord,  or  that 
the  landlord  shall  not  himself  disturb  or  render  his  occupation  un- 
comfortable by  the  erection  of  a  nuisance  on  or  near  the  premises, 
or  otherwise  oblige  him  to  quit  possession.  But  if  he  be  ousted  by  a 
stranger, — that  is,  by  one  having  no  title, — or  after  the  rent  has 
fallen  due,  or  if  the  molestation  proceeds  from  acts  of  a  third  person, 
the  landload  is  in  neither  case  responsible  for  it.  Another  obligation 
which  the  law  imposes  on  the  landlord,  in  the  absence  of  any  ex- 
press stipulation  in  the  lease,  is  the  payment  of  all  taxes  chargeable 
upon  the  property,  or  any  ground  rents  or  interest  upon  mortgages 
to  which  it  may  be  subject.  Every  landlord  is  bound  to  protect  his 
tenant  against  all  paramount  claims.  And  if  a  tenant  is  compelled, 
in  order  to  protect  himself  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  land  in  respect 
of  which  his  rent  is  payable,  to  make  payment  which  ought,  as  be- 
tween himself  and  his  landlord,  to  have  been  made  by  the  latter,  he 
may  call  upon  the  landlord  to  reimburse  him,  or  he  may  deduct 
such  payment  from  the  rent  due  or  to  become  due.  But  the  land- 
lord is  under  no  obligation  to  make  repairs,  or  to  rebuild  in  case  the 
premises  should  be  burned;  nor  does  he  guaranty  that  they  are 
reasonably  fit  for  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  taken.  And  it  is 
not  in  the  power  of  a  tenant  to  make  repairs  at  the  expense  of  his 
landlord,  unless  there  be  a  special  agreement  between  them  author- 
izing him  to  do  so;  for  the  tenant  takes  the  premises  for  better  or 
worse,  and  cannot  involve  the  landlord  in  expense  for  repairs  without 
his  consent.  Even  if  the  premises  have  become  uninhabitable  by 
fire,  and  the  landlord,  having  insured  them,  has  recovered  the 
insurance  money,  the  tenant  cannot  compel  him  to  expend  the 
money  so  recovered  in  rebuilding,  unless  he  has  expressly  engaged 
to  do  so ;  nor  can  he  in  such  an  event  protect  himself  from  the  payment 
of  rent  during  the  unexpired  balance  of  the  term,  unless  exempted 


768 


DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS. 


therefrom  by  statute  or  the  terms  of  the  lease.  The  uninhabit- 
ableness  of  a  house  is  not  a  good  defense  to  an  action  for  rent.  If 
the  landlord  expressly  covenanted  to  repair,  the  tenant  cannot  quit 
and  discharge  himself  of  rent  because  the  repairs  are  not  made,  un- 
less there  is  a  provision  to  that  effect;  and  if  a  landlord  is  bound  by 
custom  or  by  express  agreement  to  repair,  this  obligation,  and  the 
obligation  of  the  tenant  to  pay  rent,  are  independent  of  each  other, 
so  that  the  refusal  or  neglect  of  the  landlord  to  repair  is  no  answer 
to  a  demand  for  rent.  The  tenant  is  answerable  for  any  neglect  to 
repair  highways,  fences,  or  party  walls.  He  is  also  liable  for  all 
injuries  produced  by  the  mismanagement  of  his  servants,  or  by  a 
nuisance  kept  upon  the  premises,  or  by  an  obstruction  of  the  high- 
ways adjacent  to  them,  or  the  like.  One  of  the  principal  obligations 
which  the  law  imposes  upon  every  tenant,  independent  of  any  agree- 
ment, is  to  treat  the  premises  in  such  a  manner  that  no  substantial 
injury  shall  be  done  to  them,  and  so  that  they  may  revert  to  the 
landlord  at  the  end  of  the  term  unimpaired  by  any  willful  or  negli- 
gent conduct  on  his  part. 

A  tenancy  from  year  to3^ear  requires  sixty  days'  notice  in  writing 
to  terminate  the  same  at  the  end  of  the  year;  snch  notice  can  be 
given  at  any  time  within  four  months  preceding  the  last  sixty  days 
of  the  year. 

A  tenancy  by  the  month,  or  less  than  a  year,  where  the  tenant 
holds  over  without  any  special  agreement,  the  landlord  may  termi- 
nate the  tenancy  by  thirty  days'  notice  in  writing. 

When  rent  is  due,  the  landlord  may  serve  a  notice  upon  the  ten- 
ant, stating  that  unless  the  rent  is  paid  within  not  less  than  live 
days,  his  lease  will  be  terminated;  if  the  rent  is  not  paid,  the  land- 
lord may  consider  the  lease  ended.  When  a  default  is  made  in  any 
of  the  terms  of  the  lease,  it  shall  not  be  necessary  to  give  more 
than  ten  days'  notice  to  quit  or  of  the  termination  of  such  tenancy; 
and  the  same  may  be  terminated  on  giving  such  notice  to  quit,  at 
any  time  after  such  default  in  any  of  the  terms  of  such  lease; 
which  notice  may  be  substantially  in  the  following  form: 

To ,  You  are  hereby  notified  that,  in  consequence  of  your 

default  [here  insert  the  character  of  the  default],  of  the  premises 
now  occupied  by  you,  being,  etc.,  [here  describe  the  premises],  I 
have  elected  to  determine  your  lease,  and  you  are  hereby  notified  to 
quit  and  deliver  up  ])ossession  of  the  same  to  me  within  ten  days  of 
this  date  [dated,  etc]. 


'  DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS.  769 

The  above  to  be  sif^ned  by  the  lessor  or  his  agent,  and  no  other 
notice  or  demand  of  possession  or  termination  of  such  tenancy  is 
necessary. 

Demand  may  be  made  or  notice  served  by  delivering  a  written  or 
printed,  or  partly  either,  copy  thereof  to  the  tenant,  or  leaving  the 
same  with  some  person  above  the  age  of  twelve  years,  residing  on 
or  in  possession  of  the  premises;  and  in  case  no  one  is  in  actual 
possession  of  said  premises,  then  by  posting  the  same  on  the  prem- 
ises. When  the  tenancy  is  for  a  certain  time,  and  the  term  expires 
by  the  terms  of  the  lease,  the  tenant  is  then  bound  to  surrender 
possession,  and  no  notice  to  quit  or  demand  possession  is  necessary. 

DISTRESS   FOR    RENT. 

In  all  cases  of  distress  for  rent,  the  landlord,  by  himself,  his  agent 
or  his  attorney,  may  seize  for  rent  any  personal  property  of  his  ten- 
ant that  may  be  found  in  the  county  where  the  tenant  resides.  Tiie 
property  of  any  other  person,  even  if  found  on  the  premises,  is  not 
liable. 

An  inventory  of  the  property  levied  upon,  with  a  statement  of 
the  amount  of  rent  claimed,  should  be  at  once  filed  with  some 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  if  not  over  $200;  and  if  above  that  sum,  with 
the  Clerk  of  a  Court  of  Record  of  competent  jurisdiction.  Pi'operty 
may  be  released  by  a  party  executing  a  satisfactory  bond  for  double 
the  amount. 

The  landlord  may  distrain  for  rent  any  time  within  six  months 
after  the  expiuation  of  the  term  of  lease,  or  when  terminated. 

In  all  cases  where  the  premises  rented  shall  be  sub-let,  or  the 
lease  assigned,  the  landlord  shall  have  the  same  right  to  enforce 
lien  against  such  lessee  or  assignee,  that  he  has  against  the  tenant 
to  whom  the  premises  were  rented. 

When  a  tenant  abandons  or  removes  from  the  premises,  or  any 
part  thereof,  the  landlord,  or  his  agent  or  his  attorney  may  seize 
upon  any  grain  or  crops  grown  or  growing  upon  the  premises,  or 
part  thereof  so  abandoned,  whether  the  rent  is  due  or  not.  If  such 
grain  or  other  crops,  or  any  part  thereof,  is  not  fully  grown  or 
matured,  the  landlord,  or  his  agent  or  attorney  shall  cause  the  same 
to  be  properly  cultivated,  harvested  or  gathered,  and  may  sell  the 
same,  and  from  the  proceeds  pay  all  his  labor,  expenses  and  rent. 
The  tenant  may,  before  the  sale  of  such  property,  redeem  the  same 


770  DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS. 

by  tendering  the  rent  and  reasonable  compensation  for  the  work 
done,  or  he  may  replevy  the  same. 

EXEMPTION. 

The  same  articles  of  personal  property  which  are  by  law  exempt 
from  execution,  except  the  crops,  as  above  mentioned,  are  also 
exempt  from  distress  for  rent. 

If  any  tenant  is  about  to,  or  shall  permit,  or  attempt  to  sell  or 
remove  from  the  premises,  without  the  consent  of  his  landlord, 
such  portion  of  the  crops  raised  thereon  as  will  endanger  the  lien 
of  the  landlord  upon  such  crops,  for  the  rent,  it  shall  be  lawful  for 
the  landlord  to  distress  before  rent  is  due. 

CRIMINAL  LAW 

Is  that  branch  of  jurisprudence  which  treats  of  criminal  offenses. 
The  extreme  importance  of  a  knowledge  of  criminal  law  is  self- 
evident;  for  a  mistake  in  point  of  law,  which  every  person  of  dis- 
cretion not  only  may  know,  but  is  bound  and  presumed  to  know,  is 
in  criminal  cases  no  defense.  This  law  is  administered  upon  the 
principle  that  every  one  must  be  taken  conclusively  to  know  it, 
without  proof  that  he  does  know  it.  This  doctrine  has  been  carried 
so  far  as  to  include  the  case  of  a  foreigner  charged  with  a  crime 
which  was  no  offense  in  his  own  country.  And  further,  the 
criminal  law,  whether  common  or  statute,  is  imperative  with  refer- 
ence to  the  conduct  of  individuals;  so  that,  if  a  statute  forbids  or 
commands  a  thing  to  be  done,  all  acts  or  omissions  contrary  to  the 
prohibition  or  command  of  the  statute  are  offenses  at  common  law, 
and  ordinarily  indictable  as  such.  When  a  statute  punishes  a 
crime  by  its  legal  designation  without  enumerating  the  acts  which 
constitute  it,  then  it  is  necessary  to  resort  to  the  common  law  for  a 
definition  of  the  crime  with  its  distinctions  and  qualifications.  So, 
if  an  act  is  made  criminal,  but  no  mode  of  prosecution  is  directed 
or  no  punishment  provided,  the  common  law  (in  the  absence  of  a 
statute  to  the  contrary)  furnishes  its  aid,  prescribing  the  mode  of 
prosecution  by  indictment,  and  its  mode  of  punishment  by  fine  and 
inprisonment.  So  far,  therefore,  as  the  rules  and  principles  of  com- 
mon law  are  applicable  to  the  administration  of  the  criminal  law, 
and  have  net  been  altered  or  modified  by  legislation  or  judicial 
decisions,  they  have  the  same  force  and  effect  as  laws  finally  enacted. 


DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS.  7Yl 

Tlie  following  are  some  of  the  leading  principles  of  the  criminal 
law: 

1.  Every  man  is  presumed  to  be  innocent  till  the  contrary  is 
shown;  and  if  there  is  any  reasonable  doubt  of  his  guilt,  he  is  en- 
titled to  the  benefit  of  the  doubt. 

2.  In  general,  no  person  can  be  brought  to  trial  till  a  grand  jury 
on  examination  of  the  charge  has  found  reason  to  hold  him  to  trial. 

3.  The  prisoner  is  entitled  to  trial  by  a  jury  of  his  peers,  who  are 
chosen  from  the  body  of  the  people  with  a  view  to  impartiality,  and 
whose  decision  on  questions  of  facts  is  final. 

4.  The  question  of  his  guilt  is  to  be  determined  without  reference 
to  his  general  character,  previous  history,  or  habits  of  life. 

5.  The  prisoner  cannot  be  required  to  criminate  himself,  nor  be 
compelled  even  to  exculpate  himself  by  giving  his  own  testimony 
on  trial. 

6.  He  cannot  be  twice  put  in  jeopardy  for  the  same  ofiense. 

7.  He  cannot  be  punished  for  an  act  which  was  not  an  ofiense  by 
the  law  existing  at  the  time  of  its  commission;  nor  can  a  serverer 
punishment  be  inflicted  than  was  declared  by  the  law  at  the  time  of 
its  commission. 

Crimes  are  sometimes  classified  according  to  the  degree  of  pun- 
ishment incurred  by  their  commission.  They  are  more  generally 
arranged  according  to  the  nature  of  the  offense.  The  following  is, 
perhaps,  as  complete  a  classification  as  the  subject  admits: 

I.  Offenses  against  the  sovereignty  of  the  State — 1,  treason;  2 
misprision  of  treason. 

II.  Offenses  against  the  lives  and  persons  of  individuals — 1, 
murder;  2,  manslaughter;  3,  attempt  to  kill  or  murder;  4,  may- 
hem; 5,  rape;  6,  robbery.  7,  kidnapping;  8,  false  imprisonment; 
9,  abduction;  10,  assault  and  battery. 

III.  Offenses  against  ^luhlic property — 1,  burning  or  destroying 
public  property;  2,  injury  to  same. 

ly.  Offenses  against  private  property — 1,  arson;  2,  burglary; 
3,  larceny;  4,  obtaining  goods  under  false  pretenses;  5,  embezzle- 
ment ;  6,  malicious  mischief. 

V.  Offenses  against  piihUc  justice — 1,  perjury;  2,  bribery;  3, 
destroying  public  records;  4,  counterfeiting  public  seals  ;  6,  jail 
breach;  6,  escape;  7,  resistance  to  officers;  8,  obstructing  legal 
process;  9,  barratry;  10,  maintenance;  11,   champerty;  12,  cou- 


T72  DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS. 

tempt  of  court;  13,  oppression;  1-i,  extortion;  15,  suppression  of 
evidence;  16,  compounding  felony;  17,  misprision  of  felony. 

VI.  Offenses  against  the  jnthlic  2>ec('Ce — 1,  challenging  or  accept- 
ing a  challenge  to  a  duel;  2,  unlawful  assembly;  3,  rows;  4,  riot; 
5,  breach  of  the  peace ;  6,  libel. 

YII.  Offenses  against  chastity — 1,  sodomy;  2,  bestiality;  3, 
adultery;  4,  incest;  5,  bigamy;  6,  seduction;  7,  fornication;  8, 
lascivious  carriage;  9,  keeping  and  frequenting  houses  of  ill-fame. 

VIII.  Offenses  against piiblic  policy — 1,  false  currency;  2,  lot- 
teries; 3,  gambling;  4,  immoral  shows;  5,  violation  of  the  right 
of  suffrage;  6,  destruction  of  game,  fish,  etc.;  7,  nuisance. 

IX.  Ofenses  against  the  currency^  and  pullic  and  private 
securities — 1,  forgery;  2,  counterfeiting;  3,  passing  counterfeit 
money. 

X.  Offenses  against  religion  and  morality — 1,  blasphemy;  2, 
profanity;    3,  Sabbath-breaking;    4,  obscenity;    5,  cruelty  to  ani- 

.  mals;  6,  drunkenness;  7,  promoting  intemperance.  '  '* 

XI.  Offenses  against  the  public^  i7idividuals,  or  their  property 
— 1,  conspiracy, 

TAXES. 

The  owners  of  real  and  personal  property,  on  the  first  day  of 
March  of  each  year,  are  liable  for  taxes  thereon. 

Assessments  should  be  completed  before  the  fourth  Monday  in 
June,  at  which  time  the  Town  Board  of  Review  meets  to  examine 
assessments,  hear  objections,  and  make  such  changes  as  ought  to  be 
made.  The  County  Board  have  also  power  to  correct  or  change 
assessments. 

The  tax-books  are  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Town  Collector  on 
or  before  the  tenth  day  of  December,  who  retains  them  until  the 
tenth  day  of  March  following,  when  he  is  required  to  return  them 
to  the  County  Treasurer,  who  then  collects  all  delinquent  taxes. 

ISTo  costs  accrue  on  real  estate  taxes  until  advertised,  which  takes 
place  on  the  first  day  of  April,  when  three  weeks'  notice  is  required 
ijefore  judgment.  Cost  of  advertising,  twenty  cents  each  tract  of 
land,  and  ten  cents  each  lot. 

Judgment  is  usually  obtained  at  the  May  term  of  County  Court. 
Costs  six  cents  each  tract  of  land,  and  five  cents  each  lot.  Sale 
takes  place  in  June.     Costs,  in  addition  to  those  mentioned,  twen- 


DIGEST    OF    STATE   LAWS.  773 

ty-eiglit  cents  each    tract  of  land,  and  twenty-seven  cents  each 
town  lot. 

Eeal  estate  sold  for  taxes^may  be  redeemed  any  time  before  the 
expiration  of  two  years  from  the  date  of  sale  by  payment  to  the 
County  Clerk  of  the  amount  for  which  it  was  sold,  and  twenty-five 
per  cent,  thereon  if  redeemed  within  six  months,  fifty  per  cent,  if 
redeemed  between  six  and  twelve  months;  if  between  twelve  and 
eighteen  months,  seventy -five  per  cent.,  and  if  between  eighteen 
months  and  two  ye/irs,  one  hundred  per  cent.  ;  and,  in  addition,  all 
subsequent  taxes  paid  by  the  purchaser,  with  ten  per  cent,  interest 
thereon;  also,  one  dollar  each  tract,  if  notice  is  given  by  the  pur- 
chaser of  the  sale,  and  a  fee  of  twenty-five  cents  to  the  Clerk  for 
his  certificate. 

SUBSCRIPTION. 

The  selling  of  books  by  subscription  is  so  frequently  brought 
into  disrepute  by  agents  making  representations  not  authorized  by 
the  publishers,  that  the  public  are  often  swindled.  That  there 
may  be  more  general  knowledge  of  the  relation  such  agents  bear 
to  their  principal,  and  the  law  governing  such  cases,  we  give  the 
following  rules,  which,  if  followed,  will  save  a  great  deal  of  trouble 
and  perhaps  serious  loss. 

A  subscription  is  the  placing  of  a  signature  below  a  written  or 
printed  engagement.  It  is  the  act  by  which  a  person  contracts,  in 
writing,  to  furnish  a  sum  of  money  for  a  particular  purpose:  as,  a 
subscription  to  a  charitable  institution,  a  subscription  for  a  book, 
and  the  like.  In  the  case  of  a  book,  the  consideration  is  concur- 
rent that  the  publisher  shall  publish  the  book  named,  and  deliver 
the  same,  for  whicli  the  subscriber  is  to  pay  the  price  named.  The 
prospectus  and  sample  should  be  carefully  examined  before  sub- 
scribing, as  they  are  the  basis  and  consideration  of  the  promise  to 
pay,  and  not  the  too  often  exaggerated  statements  of  the  agent, 
who  is  merely  employed  to  solicit  subscriptions,  for  which  he 
usually  receives  a  commission  for  each  subscriber,  and  has  no 
authority  to  change  or  alter  the  conditions  upon  which  the  sub- 
scriptions are  authorized  to  be  made  by  the  publishers.  Should 
the  agent  assume  to  agree  to  make  the  subscription  conditional,  or 
modify  or  change  the  agreement  of  the  publisher,  as  set  out  by 
the  prospectus  and  sample,  in  order  to  bind  the  publishers,  the 


774:  DIGEST    OF    STATE    LAWS. 

subscriber  should  see  that  such  condition  or  change  is  stated  over, 
or  in  connection  with  his  signature,  so  the  publishers  may  have 
notice  of  the  same. 

When  several  persons  promise  to  contribute  to  a  common  object, 
desired  by  all,  the  promise  of  each  may  be  a  good  consideration  for 
the  promise  of  others.  In  general  subscriptions  on  certain  condi- 
tions in  favor  of  the  party  subscribing,  are  binding  when  the  acts 
stipulated  are  performed.  Subscription  is  in  the  nature  of  a  con- 
tract of  mutual  promises.  All  persons  should  remember  that  the 
law  as  to  written  contracts  is,  that  they  can  not  he  altered,  varied,  or 
rescinded  verbally,  but  if  done  at  all,  must  be  done  in  writing.  It 
is  therefore  important  that  all  persons  contemplating  subscribing 
should  distinctly  understand  that  all  talk  before  or  after  the  sub- 
scription is  made  is  not  admissible  as  evidence,  and  is  no  part  of 
the  contract.  Persons  before  signing  their  names  to  any  subscrip- 
tion book,  or  any  written  instrument,  should  carefully  examine 
what  it  is;  if  they  cannot  read,  they  should  call  on  some  one  dis- 
interested who  can. 

Persons  who  solicit  subscriptions  are  known  to  the  trade  as  can- 
vassers. They  are  agents  appointed  to  do  a  particular  business  in 
a  prescribed  mode,  and  have  no  authority  to  do  it  in  any  other  way 
to  the  prejudice  of  their  principal,  nor  can  they  bind  their  principal 
in  any  other  matter.  They  can  not  collect  money,  or  agree  that 
payment  may  be  made  in  anything  else  than  money.  They  cannot 
extend  the  time  of  payment  beyond  the  time  of  delivery,  nor  bind 
their  principal  for  payment  of  expenses  incurred  in  their  business. 

Where  you  pay  money  to  an  agent  you  should  satisfy  yourself  of 
his  authority  to  collect  money  for  his  employer. 

CONTRACT  FOR  PERSONAL  SERVICES. 

When  a  contract  is  entire  and  has  been  only  partially  fulfilled, 
the  party  in  fault  may  nevertheless  recover  from  the  other  party  for 
the  actual  benefit  received  and  retained  by  the  other  party,  less  the 
damao-es  sustained  by  such  other  party  by  reason  of  the  partial 
non-fulfillment  of  the  contract.  This  may  be  done  in  all  cases 
where  the  other  party  has  received  benefit  from  the  partial  fulfill- 
ment of  the  contract,  whether  he  has  so  received  the  same  from 
choice  or  from  the  necessities  of  the  case.  Where  D  hired  B  to 
work  for  him  for  seven  months  at  $15  per  month,  and  B  worked 


DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS.  775 

for  D  only  fifty-nine  days,  and  then  quit  without  any  reasonable 
excuse  therefor,  it  was  held  that  B  might  nevertheless  recover  from 
D  for  what  the  work  was  reasonably  worth,  less  any  damage  that 
D  may  have  sustained  by  reason  of  the  partial  non-fulfillment  of 
the  contract. 

NEWSPAPER  LIBEL. 

Allowing  the  most  liberal  rule  as  to  the  liability  of  persons  in 
public  employment  to  criticism  for  their  conduct  in  which  the 
public  are  interested,  there  never  has  been  a  rule  which  subjected 
persons,  private  or  public,  to  be  falsely  traduced.  No  publication 
is  privileged  except  a  bona  fide  representation,  itiade  without 
malice,  to  the  proper  authority,  complaining  on  reasonable  grounds. 
The  nearest  approach  to  this  license  is  where  the  person  vilified 
presents  himself  before  the  body  of  the  public  as  a  candidate  for  an 
elective  office.  But  even  then  there  is  no  doctrine  which  will  sub- 
ject him  without  i*emedy  to  every  species  of  malevolent  attack. 

TENDER. 

If  the  tender  be  of  money,  it  can  be  a  defense  only  when  made 
before  the  action  was  brought.  A  tender  does  not  bar  the  debt  as 
a  payment  would,  for  in  general  he  is  bound  to  pay  the  sum  which 
he  tendered,  whenever  he  is  required  to  do  so.  But  it  puts  a  stop 
to  accruing  damages  or  interest  for  delay  in  payment,  and  saves 
the  defendant  costs.  It  need  not  be  made  by  the  defendant  person- 
ally; if  made  by  a  third  person,  at  his  request,  it  is  sufiicient;  and 
if  made  by  a  stranger  without  his  knowledge  or  request,  a  subse- 
quent assent  of  the  debtor  will  operate  as  a  ratification  of  the 
agency,  and  make  the  tender  good.  Any  person  may  make  a  valid 
tender  for  an  idiot.  If  an  agent,  furnished  with  money  to  make  a 
tender,  at  his  own  risk  tender  more,  it  is  good.  So,  a  tender  need 
not  be  made  to  a  creditor  personally;  but  it  must  be  made  to  an 
agent  actually  authorized  to  receive  the  money.  If  the  money  be 
due  to  several  jointly,  it  may  be  tendered  to  either,  but  must  be 
pleaded  as  made  to  all.  The  whole  sum  due  must  be  tendered,  as 
the  creditor  is  not  bound  to  receive  a  part  of  his  debt.  If  the 
tender  be  of  the  whole  debt,  it  is  valid.  If  the  obligation  be  in  the 
alternative,  one  thing  or  another,  as  the  creditor  may  choose,  the 
tender  should  be  of  both,  that  he  may  make  his  choice.  To  make 
a  tender  of  money  valid  the  money  must  be  actually  produced  and 


776  DIGEST    OF    STATE    LAWS. 

proffered,  unless  the  creditor  expressly  or  impliedly  waives  this 
production.  The  debtor  is  not  bound  to  count  out  the  money,  if  he 
has  it  and  oilers  it.  No  conditions  must  be  annexed  to  the  tender, 
which  the  creditor  can  have  any  good  reason  whatever  for  objecting 
to;  as  for  instance,  that  he  should  give  a  receipt  in  full  of  all 
demands.  The  tender  should  be  made  in  money  made  lawful  by 
the  State  in  which  it  is  offered.  Generally,  a  tender  is  valid  and 
effectual  if  made  at  any  time  after  the  debt  is  due;  and  a  demand 
made  after  the  tender  if  for  more  than  the  sum  tendered,  will  not 
avoid  the  tender.  Certainly  not,  if  the  demand  is  for  more  than 
the  real  debt,  although  the  excess  was  for  another  debt  truly  due. 

Tender  of  Chattels. — The  thing  tendered  may  not  be  money,  but 
some  specific  article.     If  one  is  bound  to  deliver  chattels  at  a  partic- 
ular time  and  place,  it  may  not  be  enough  if  he  has  them  there;  they 
may  be  mingled  with  others  of  a  like  kind  which  he  is  not  to 
deliver.     Or  they  may  need  some  act  of  separation,  or  identifica- 
tion, or  completion,  before  they  could  become  the  property  of  the 
other  party.  Generally,  if  no  time  or  place  be  specified,  the  articles 
are  to  be  delivered  where  they  are  at  the  time  of  the  contract, 
unless  collateral  circumstances  designate  a  different  place.     If  the 
time  be  fixed,  but  not  the  place,  then  it  will  be  presumed  that  the 
deliverer  was  to  bring  the  articles  to  the  receiver  at  that  time,  and 
for  that  purpose  he  must  go  with  the  chattels  to  the  residence  of  the 
receiver,  unless  something  in  their  very  nature  or  use,  or  some  other 
circumstances  of  equivalent  force,  distinctly  implies  that  they  are 
to  be  left  at  some  other  place.     It  may  happen,  from  the  cumbrous- 
ness  of  the  chattels  or  other  circumstances,  that  it  is  reasonable  and 
just  for  the  deliverer  to  ascertain  from  the  receiver,  long  enough 
beforehand,  where  they  shall  be  delivered;  and  then  he  would  be 
held  to  this  as  a  legal  obligation.      So,  too,  in   such  a  case,  the 
receiver  would  have  a  right  to  designate  to  the  detiner,  a  reasonable 
time  beforehand,  a  place  of  delivery  reasonably  convenient  to  both 
parties,  and  the  deliverer  would  be  bound  by  such  directions.     If 
no  place  be  indicated,  and  the  deliverer  is  not  in  fault  in  this,  he 
may  deliver  the  chattels  to  the  receiver,  in  person,  at  any  place 
which  is  reasonably  convenient.     And  if  the  receiver  refuses  or 
neglects  to  appoint  any  place,  or  purposely  avoids  receiving  notice 
of  a  place,  the  deliverer  may  appoint  any  place,  with  a  reasonable 


DIGEST   OF    STATE    LAWS.  777 

regard  to  the  convenience  of  the  other  party,  and  there  deliver  the 
articles. 

If  the  promise  be  to  pay  at  a  certain  time,  or  deliver  certain 
chattels,  it  is  a  promise  in  the  alternative;  and  the  alternative 
belongs  to  the  promisor;  he  may  do  either  the  one  or  the  other,  at 
his  election;  nor  need  he  make  his  election  until  the  time  when  the 
promise  is  to  be  performed;  but  after  that  day  has  passed  without 
election  on  his  part,  the  promisee  has  an  absolute  right  to  the 
money,  and  may  bring  his  action  for  it.  A  contract  to  deliver  a 
certain  quantity  of  merchandise  at  a  certain  time  means,  of  course, 
to  deliver  the  whole  then.  If  by  the  terms  of  the  contract  certain 
specific  articles  are  to  be  delivered  at  a  certain  time  and  place  in  pay- 
ment of  an  existing  debt,  this  contract  is  fully  discharged  and  the 
debt  is  paid,  by  a  complete  and  legal  tender  of  the  articles  at  the 
time  and  place,  although  the  promisee  was  not  there  to  receive 
them;  and  no  action  can  thereafter  be  maintained  on  the  contract. 
But  the  property  in  the  goods  has  passed  to  the  creditor,  and  he 
may  retain  them  as  his  own. 

DRUNKENNESS 

Is  the  condition  of  a  person  who  is  under  the  immediate  influence 
of  intoxicating  liquors.  This  condition  presents  various  degrees  of 
intensity,  ranging  from  a  simple  exhilaration  to  a  state  of  utter 
unconsciousness  and  insensibility. 

The  common  law  shows  but  little  disposition  to  afford  relief, 
either  in  civil  or  criminal  cases,  from  the  immediate  effects  of 
drunkenness.  It  has  never  considered  drunkenness  alone  as  a  suffi- 
cient reason  for  invalidating  any  act. 

When  carried  so  far  as  to  deprive  the  party  of  all  consciousness* 
strong  presumption  of  fraud  is  raised;  and  on  that  ground  courts 
may  interfere. 

Courts  of  equity  decline  to  interfere  in  favor  of  parties  pleading 
intoxication  in  the  performance  of  a  civil  act. 

The  law  does,  however,  recognize  two  kinds  of  inculpable  drunk- 
enness, viz.:  that  which  is  produced  by  the  " unskillfulness  of  his 
physician,"  and  tliat  which  is  produced  by  the  "contrivance  of 
enemies."  To  this  may  be  added  cases  where  a  party  drinks  no 
more  liquor  than  he  has  habitually  used  without  being  intoxicated, 
and  which  exerts  an  unusually  potent  effect  on  the  brain  in  con- 
sequence of  certain  pathological  conditions. 


778  DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS. 

MARRIAGE  CONTRACT. 

Marriage  is  a  contract,  made  in  due  form  of  law,  by  which  a  man 
and  woman  reciprocally  engage  to  live  with  each  other  during  their 
joint  lives,  and  to  discharge  towards  each  other  the  duties  imposed 
by  law  on  the  relation  of  husband  and  wife.  The  marriage  contract 
is  in  law  a  civil  contract,  to  which  the  consent  of  the  parties  is 
essential.  The  marriage  relation  can  only  be  entered  into,  main- 
tained, and  abrogated  as  provided  by  law.  It  is  dissolved  by  death 
or  divorce.  A  marriage  which  is  valid  by  the  law  of  the  country 
in  which  it  is  contracted,  is  valid  in  this  State.  To  make  a  valid 
marriage,  the  parties  must  be  willing  to  contract,  able  to  contract, 
and  have  actually  contracted.  All  persons  are  able  to  contract 
marriage  unless  they  are  under  the  legal  age,  or  unless  there  be 
other  disability;  the  age  of  consent  at  common  law  is  fourteen  in 
males  and  twelve  in  females.  When  a  person  under  this  age  mar- 
ries, such  person  can,  when  he  or  she  arrives  at  the  age  above  speci- 
fied, avoid  the  marriage,  or  such  person  or  both  may,  if  the  other  is 
of  legal  age,  confirm  it;  if  either  of  the  parties  is  under  seven,  the 
marriage  is  void.  If  either  of  the  party  is  noii  compos  mentis  or 
insane,  or  has  a  husband  or  wife  living,  the  marriage  is  void. 

The  parties  must  each  be  willing  to  marry  the  other.  If  eitner 
party  acts  under  compulsion,  or  is  under  duress,  the  marriage  is 
voidable. 

The  husband  is  bound  to  receive  his  wife  at  home,  and  should  fur- 
nish her  with  all  the  necessaries  and  conveniencies  which  his  for- 
tune enables  him  to  do,  and  which  her  situation  requires,  but  this 
does  not  include  such  luxuries  as,  according  to  her  fancy,  she  deems 
necessaries.  He  is  bound  to  love  his  wife  and  bear  with  her  faults, 
and,  if  possible,  by  mild  means,  to  correct  them;  and  he  is  required 
to  fulfill  towards  her  his  marital  promise  of  fidelity. 

Being  the  head  of  the  family,  the  husband  has  a  right  to  estab- 
lish himself  wherever  he  may  please,  and  in  this  he  cannot  be  con- 
trolled by  his  wife;  he  may  manage  his  affairs  in  his  own  way,  buy 
and  sell  all  kinds  of  personal  property,  without  her  control,  and  he 
may  buy  any  real  estate  he  may  deem  proper;  but  as  the  wife 
acquires  a  right  in  the  latter,  he  cannot  sell  it  without  her  consent. 

A  wife  is  under  obligations  to  love,  honor  and  obey  her  husband, 
and  is  bound  to  follow  him  wherever  in  the  country  he  may  go  and 
establish  himself,  provided  it  is  not  for  other  causes  unreasonable. 


DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS.  779 

She  is  under  obligation  to  be  faithi'ul  in  chastity  to  her  marriage 
vow.  A  wife  has  the  right  to  tiie  love  and  protecting  care  of  her 
husband;  she  has  the  fight  to  share  his  bed  and  board;  she  can  call 
upon  her  husband  to  provide  her  witli  the  necessary  food  and 
clothing,  according  to  her  position  in  life,  and  if  he  neglects  or  re- 
fuses to  do  so,  she  can  procure  them  on  his  account. 

MARRIED    WOMEN 

May  bargain,  sell,  and  convey  their  real  and  personal  property,  and 
enter  into  contracts  with  reference  to  the  same.  The  wife  may  bo 
tlie  agent  of  the  husband,  and  transact  for  him  business,  making, 
accepting  or  endorsing  bills  or  notes,  purchasing  goods,  rendering 
bills,  collecting  money  and  receipting  for  the  same,  and  in  general, 
entering  into  any  contract  so  as  to  bind  him,  if  she  has  his  authority 
to  do  so.  And  while  they  continue  to  live  together,  the  law  con- 
siders the  wife  as  clothed  with  authority  by  the  husband  to  buy  for 
him  and  his  family  all  tilings  necessary,  in  kind  and  quantit}-,  for 
the  proper  support  of  his  family;  and  for  such  purchases  made  by 
her  he  is  liable.  The  husband  is  responsible  for  necessaries  sup- 
plied to  his  wife,  if  he  does  not  supply  them  himself,  and  he 
continues  so  liable  if  he  turns  her  out  of  his  house  or  otherwise 
separates  himself  from  her,  without  good  cause.  But  he  is  not  so 
liable  if  she  deserts  him,  (without  extreme  provocation)  or  if  he 
turns  her  away  for  good  cause.  If  she  leaves  him  because  he  treats 
her  so  ill  that  she  has  good  right  to  go  from  him  and  his  house, 
this  is  the  same  thing  as  turning  her  away;  and  she  carries  with  her 
his  credit  for  all  necessaries  supplied  to  her.  But  what  the  mis- 
conduct must  be  to  give  this  right,  is  uncertain.  But  the  law  un- 
doubtedly is,  that  the  wife  is  not  obliged  to  stay  and  endure  cruelty 
or  indecency.  It  is  also  held,  that  if  a  man  lives  with  a  woman  as 
his  wife,  and  represents  her  to  be  so,  he  is  liable  for  necessaries  sup- 
plied to  her,  and  her  contracts,  in  the  same  way  as  if  she  were  his  wife- 
The  statutes  intend  to  secure  to  a  married  woman  all  her  rights. 
But  many  women  about  to  marry — or  their  friends  for  them — 
often  wish  to  secure  to  them  certain  powers  and  rights,  and  to  limit 
these  in  certain  ways  or  to  make  sure  that  their  property  is  in  safe 
and  skillful  hands.  This  can  only  be  done  by  conveying  and  trans- 
ferring the  property  to  trustees;  that  is,  to  certain  persons  to  hold 
the  same  in  trust. 


7S0  DIGEST  OF   STATE   LAWS. 

A  married  woman  may  sue  and  be  sued.  At  the  death  of  the 
husband,  in  additio7i  to  the  widow's  award,  a  married  woman  has  a 
dower  interest  [one-third]  in  all  real  estate  owned  bj  her  husband 
after  their  marriage,  and  which  has  not  been  released  by  lier,  and 
the  husband  has  the  same  interest  in  the  real  estate  of  the  wife, 
after  her  death. 

SCHOOL  MONTH. 

NUMBER   OF   DAYS    IN   A   SCHOOL    MONTH TEACHERs'    HOLIDAYS. 

The  law  of  this  State  says  that  a  school  month  shall  comprise 
twenty-two  school  days,  actually  taught.  It  also  provides  that 
teachers  shall  not  be  required  to  teach  on  legal  holidays,  thanks- 
giving or  fast-days,  appointed  by  State  or  National  authority. 

SCHOOL  children's   STUDIES. 

The  rulings  of  courts  are  that  the  trustees  of  a  school  district 
may  prescribe  what  studies  shall  be  pursued,  and  may  regulate  the 
classification  of  the  pupils;  but  that  a  parent  may  select,  from  the 
branches  pursued,  those  which  the  child  shall  study,  so  long  as  the 
exercise  of  such  selection  does  not  interfere  with  the  system  pre- 
scribed for  the  school ;  that  the  child  cannot  be  excluded  from  one 
study  simply  because  he  is  deficient  in  another;  the  rule  requiring 
his  exclusion  is  unreasonable,  and  cannot  be  enforced. 

IXFANTS 

Can  make  a  binding  contract  for  necessaries  only.  An  infant  can 
never  bind  himself  even  for  necessaries  when  he  has  a  parent  or 
guardian  who  supplies  his  wants.  What  are  considered  necessaries 
depend  upon  the  rank  and  circumstances  of  the  infant  in  the  par- 
ticular case.  All  his  other  contracts  are  considered  voidable  and 
void.  An  infant's  contract  on  a  bill  or  note  is  voidable.  His 
liability  may  be  established  by  ratification  after  full  age. 

The  confirmation  or  ratification  must  be  distinct,  and  with  a  knowl- 
edge that  he  is  not  liable  on  the  contract.  A  mere  acknowledgment 
of  a  debt,  or  a  payment  of  a  part  of  it,  will  not  support  an  action 
an  such  a  contract.  When  an  infant  indorses  negotiable  notes  or 
bills  he  does  not  pass  any  interest  in  them  as  against  himself;  his 
act  is  voidable,  but  neither  the  acceptor  nor  subsequent  indorser 
can  oblige  his  infancy  to  evade  their  liability;  nor  can  the  drawer 
of  a  bill  set  up  the  infancy  of  a  payee  and  indorser  as  a  defense  to 


DIGEST  OF   STATE    L^WS.  781 

an  action  thereon  against  himself.  An  infant  may  sue  on  a  bill, 
but  he  sues  by  his  guardian  v or  next  friend,  and  payment  should 
accordingly  be  made  to  him. 

Parties  contracting  with  an  infant  assume  all  the  inconveniences 
incident  to  the  protection  which  the  law  allows  him.  In  law 
infancv  extends  to  the  age  of  twenty-one  years. 

ADOPTION  OF  CHILDREN. 

Children  may  be  adopted  by  any  resident  of  this  State  by  filing 
a  petition  in  the  Circuit  or  County  Court  of  the  county  in  which 
he  resides,  asking  leave  to  do  so;  and,  if  desired,  may  ask  that  the 
name  of  the  child  be  changed.  Such  petition,  if  made  by  a  person 
having  a  husband  or  wife,  will  not  be  granted  unless  the  husband 
and  wife  joins  therein,  as  the  adoption  must  be  by  them  jointly. 
The  petition  shall  state  name,  sex,  and  age  of  child,  and  the  new 
name,  if  it  is  desired  to  change  the  name;  also,  the  name  and  resi- 
dence of  the  parents  of  the  child,  if  known,  and  of  the  guardian, 
if  any,  and  whether  the  parents  or  guardian  consent  to  the 
adoption. 

The  Court  must  find,  before  granting  decree,  that  the  parents  of 
the  child,  or  the  survivors  of  them,  have  deserted  his  or  her  family, 
or  such  child,  for  one  year  next  preceding  the  application ;  or,  if 
neither  is  living,  that  the  guardian  (if  no  guardian,  the  next  of 
kin  in  this  State  capable  of  giving  consent)  has  had  notice  of  the 
presentation  of  the  petition,  and  consents  to  such  adoption.  If 
the  child  is  at  the  age  of  fourteen  or  upwards,  the  adoption  cannot 
be  made  without  its  consent. 

CHURCH   ORGANIZATIONS 

May  be  legally  made  by  electing  or  appointing,  according  to  the 
usages  or  customs  of  the  body  of  which  it  is  a  part,  at  any  meeting 
held  for  that  purpose,  two  or  more  of  its  members  or  trustees,  war- 
dens or  vestrymen,  and  may  adopt  a  corporate  name.  The  Chair- 
man or  Secretary  of  such  meeting  shall,  as  soon  as  possible,  make 
and  file  in  the  office  of  the  Recorder  of  Deeds  of  the  county  an 
aflidavit  substantially  in  the  following  form: 

State  of  Illinois,  ) 

County.      )     ' 

I, ,  do  solemnly  swear  [or  aflirm,  as  the  case  may  be] 

that  at  a  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  [here  insert  the  name  of 


782  DIGEST   OF   STATE  LAWS. 

the  church,  society,  or  congregation,  as  known  before  organization] 

held  at  [here  insert  the  place  of  meeting],  in  the  County  of , 

and  State  of  Illinois,  on  tiie day  of ,  A.  D.  18 — ,  for 

that  |3urpose,  the  following  persons  were  elected  [or  appointed; 
here  insert  the  names]  trustees,  wardens,  vestrymen  [or  officers  by 
whatever  name  they  may  choose  to  adopt,  with  power  similar  to 
trustees],   according  to   the    rules   and   usages  of  such   [church, 

society,  or  congregation],  and  said adopted  as  its  corporate 

name  [here  insert  name],  and  at  said  meeting  this  affiant  acted  as 
[Chairman  or  Secretary,  as  the  case  may  be]. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me  this  day  of , 

A.  D.  18—.  [Name  of  affiant] . 

Which  affidavit  must  be  recorded  by  the  Recorder,  and  shall  be, 
or  a  certified  copy  made  by  the  Recorder,  received  as  evidence  of 
such  corporation. 

JMo  certificate  of  election  after  the  first  need  be  filed  for  record. 

The  term  of  office  of  the  trustees,  and  the  general  government  of 
the  society  can  be  determined  by  the  rules  and  by-laws  adopted. 
Failure  to  elect  trustees  at  the  time  provided  does  not  work  a  dis- 
solution, but  the  old  trustees  hold  over.  A  trustee  or  trustees  may 
be  removed,  in  the  same  manner,  by  the  society,  as  elections  are 
held  by  a  meeting  called  for  that  purpose.  The  property  of  the 
society  rests  in  the  corporation.  The  corporation  may  hold,  or 
acquire  by  purchase  or  otherwise,  land  not  exceeding  ten  acres,  for 
the  purpose  of  the  society.  The  trustees  have  the  care,  custody 
and  control  of  the  property  of  the  corporation,  and  can,  tvhen 
directed  by  the  society,  erect  houses  or  improvements,  and  repair 
and  alter  the  same,  and  may  also  when  so  directed  by  the  society, 
mortgage,  encumber,  sell  and  convey  any  real  or  personal  estate 
belonging  to  the  corporation,  and  make  all  proper  contracts  in  the 
name  of  such  corporation.  But  they  are  prohibited  by  law  from 
encumbering  or  interfering  with  any  property  so  as  to  destroy  the 
effect  of  any  gift,  grant,  devise  or  bequest  to  the  corporation;  but 
such  gifts,  grants,  devises  or  bequests  must  in  all  cases  be  used  so 
as  to  carry  out  the  object  intended  by  the  persons  making  the  same. 
Existing  churches  may  organize  in  the  manner  herein  set  forth,  and 
have  all  the  advantages  thereof. 

GAME 

Consists  of  birds  and  beasts  of  a  wild  nature,  obtained  by  fowling 
and  hunting.     The  last  few  years  have  shown  a  general  interest  by 


DIGEST   OF    STATE    LAWS.  783 

the  people  in  having  wise  and  just  laws  passed  for  the  protection  of 
fish  and  game.  It  is  apparent  to  all  that,  unless  these  laws  are 
vigorously  enforced,  the  time  will  soon  come  when  fish  and  game 
will  be  so  scarce  as  to  be  within  the  reach  of  only  the  wealthy. 
Under  ]n*oper  regulations  our  streams  of  pure  running  water  would 
all  be  filled  with  fish,  as  in  other  years,  and  our  prairies,  fields  and 
forests  alive  with  their  great  variety  of  game.  It  is  a  question  that 
interests  all,  and  the  game  laws  should  be  enforced. 

The  following  are  sections  1  and  6  of  the  Game  Law  of  1873,  of 
this  State,  as  amended  by  the  act  approved  May  14th,  1877: 

Sec.  1.  That  it  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  or  persons  to 
hunt  or  pursue,  kill  or  trap,  net  or  ensnare,  destroy,  or  attempt  to 
kill,  trap,  net,  ensnare,  or  otherwise  destroy  any  prairie  hen  or 
chicken,  or  any  woodcock,  between  the  15th  day  of  January  and  the 
1st  day  of  September  in  each  and  every  year;  or  any  deer,  fawn, 
wild  turkey,  ruffed  grouse  (commonly  called  partridge),  or  pheas- 
ant, between  the  1st  day  of  February  and  the  1st  day  of  Octo1)er 
in  each  and  every  year;  or  any  quail  between  the  1st  day  of  Feb- 
ruary and  the  1st  day  of  November  in  each  and  every  year;  or  any 
wild  goose,  duck,  snipe,  brant,  or  other  «^aterfowl  between  the  1st 
day  of  May  and  the  15th  day  of  August  in  each  and  every  year: 
Provided^  That  it  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  or  persons  to 
net  any  quail  at  any  time  after  this  act  shall  take  effect  and  be  in 
force;  and  lyrovided  further^  That  it  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  per- 
son or  persons  who  is  or  are  non-residents  of  this  State  to  kill, 
ensnare,  net  or  trap  any  deer,  fawn,  wild  turkey,  ])rairie  hen  or 
chicken,  ruffed  grouse,  quail,  woodcock,  wild  goose,  wild  duck  or 
brant,  or  any  snipe,  in  any  county  of  this  State,  at  any  time,  for 
the  purpose  of  selling  or  marketing  or  removing  the  same  outside 
of  this  State.  Every  person  who  violates  any  of  the  provisions  of 
this  section  shall,  for  each  and  every  offense,  be  deemed  guilty  of  a 
misdemeanor,  and  on  conviction  shall  be  fined  not  less  than  five  dol- 
lars ($5)  nor  more  than  twenty-five  dollars  ($25)  and  costs  of  suit  for 
each  and  every  separate  bird  or  animal  of  the  above  enumerated 
list,  so  unlawfully  hunted  or  pursued,  killed,  trapped,  netted, 
ensnared,  or  destroyed  or  attempted  to  be  killed,  trapped,  netted, 
ensnared,  or  otherwise  destroyed,  and  shall  stand  committed  to  the 
county  jail  until  such  fine  and  costs  are  paid,  but  such  imprison- 
ment shall  not  exceed  ten  days. 


784 


DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS. 


Sec.  6.  No  person  or  persons  shall  sell  or  expose  for  sale,  or 
have  in  his  or  their  possession  for  the  purpose  of  selling  or  expos- 
ing for  sale,  any  of  the  animals,  wild  fowls  or  birds  mentioned  in 
section  1  of  this  act,  after  the  expiration  of  five  days  next  succeed- 
ing the  first  day  of  the  period  in  which  it  shall  be  unlawful  to 
kill,  trap,  net,  or  ensnare  such  animals,  wild  fowls  or  birds.  And 
any  person  so  ofiending  shall,  on  conviction,  be  fined  and  dealt  with 
as  specified  in  Section  1  of  this  act:  Provided,  That  the  provisions 
of  this  act  shall  not  apply  to  the  killing  of  birds  by  or  for  the  use 
of  taxidermists  for  preservation  either  in  public  or  private  collec- 
tions, if  so  preserved. 

The  fifteenth  of  January,  it  will  be  observed,  is  the  date  when  the 
prohibition  begins  to  work  as  to  prairie  chickens  and  woodcock; 
the  first  of  February  is  the  date  for  most  other  sorts  of  game, 
except  waterfowl.  And  five  days  after  the  prohibition  against  kill- 
ing goes  into  force,  it  becomes  unlawful  to  sell  or  expose  for  sale 
the  prohibited  game. 

preservation  of  other  birds. 

It  may  be  appropriate  to  mention  here  that  Sections  3  and  4  of 
the  act  of  1873,  which  are  not  changed  or  affected  by  the  act  of 
1877,  are  as  follows: 

Sec.  3.  JSTo  person  shall  at  any  time,  within  this  State,  kill  or 
attempt  to  trap,  net,  ensnare,  destroy  or  kill  any  robin,  bluebird, 
swallow,  martin,  mosquito  hawk,  whippoorwill,  cuckoo,  woodpecker, 
catbird,  brown-thrasher,  red-bird,  hanging-bird,  buzzard,  sparrow, 
wren,  humming-bird,  dove,  gold-finch,  mocking  bird,  blue-jay,  finch, 
thrush,  lark,  cherry-bird,  yellow-bird,  oriole,  or  bobolink,  nor  rob  or 
destroy  the  nests  of  such  birds,  or  either  or  any  of  them.  And 
any  person  eo  ofiending  shall  on  conviction  be  fined  the  sum  of  five 
dollars  for  each  and  every  bird  so  killed,  and  for  each  and  every  nest 
robbed  or  destroyed:  Provided,  that  nothing  in  this  section  shall 
be  construed  to  prevent  the  owner  or  occupant  of  lands  from 
destroying  any  of  the  birds  herein  named  on  the  same,  when  deemed 
necessary  for  the  protection  of  fruits  or  property. 

Sec.  4.  It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  or  persons  to  destroy 
or  remove  from  the  nests  of  any  prairie  chicken,  grouse  or  quail, 
wild  turkey,  goose  or  brant,  any  Qgg  or  eggs  of  such  fowl  or  bird, 
or  for  any  person  to  buy,  sell,  have  in  possession  or  traffic  in  such 


DIGEST    01'    STATK    LAWS. 


785 


eggs,  or  willfully  destroy  the  nest  of  such  birds  or  fowls,  or  any  or 
either  of  them.  And  any  person  so  oifending  shall  on  conviction 
be  lined  and  dealt  with  as  specified  in  Section  3  of  this  act. 

MILLERS. 

The  owner  or  occupant  of  every  public  grist-mill  in  this  State 
shall  grind  all  grain  brouglit  to  his  mill,  in  its  turn.  The  toll  for 
both  steam  and  water  mills,  is,  for  grinding  and  bolting  wheat,  rye, 
or  other  grain,  one-eighth  part ;  for  grinding  Indian  corn,  oats,  barley, 
and  buckwheat  not  required  to  be  bolted,  one-seventh  part;  for  grind- 
ing malt,  and  chopping  all  kinds  of  grain,  one-eighth  part.  It  is 
the  duty  of  every  miller,  wlien  his  mill  is  in  repair,  to  aid  and  assist 
in  loading  and  unloading  all  grain  brought  to  his  mill  to  be  ground; 
and  he  is  also  required  to  keep  an  accurate  half-bushel  measure,  and 
an  accurate  set  of  toll  dishes  or  scales  for  weighing  the  grain.  The 
penalty  for  neglect  or  refusal  to  comply  with  the  law  is  $5,  to  the 
use  of  any  person  suing  for  the  same,  to  be  recovered  before  any 
Justice  of  the  Peace  of  the  county  where  the  penalty  is  incurred. 
Millers  are  accountable  (except  it  results  from  unavoidable  acci- 
dents) for  the  safe-keeping  of  all  grain  left  in  their  mill  for  the  pur- 
pose of  being  ground,  with  bags  or  casks  containing  same,  provided 
that  such  bags  or  casks  are  distinctly  marked  with  the  initial  letters 
of  the  owner's  name. 

PAUPERS. 

Every  poor  person  who  shall  be  unable  to  earn  a  livelihood  in  con- 
sequence of  any  bodily  infirmity,  idiocy,  lunacy  or  unavoidable 
cause,  shall  be  supported  by  the  father,  grandfathers,  mother,  grand- 
mothers, children,  grandchildren,  brothers  or  sisters,  of  such  poor 
person,  if  they  or  either  of  them  be  of  siifticieut  ability;  but  if  any 
of  such  dependent  class  shall  have  become  so  from  intemperance,  or 
other  bad  conduct,  they  shall  not  be  entitled  to  support  from  any 
relation  except  parent  or  child.  The  children  shall  first  be  called  on 
to  support  their  parents,  if  they  are  able;  but  if  not,  the  parents  of 
such  poor  person  shall  then  be  called  on,  if  of  sufiicient  ability;  and 
it  there  be  no  parents  or  children  able,  then  the  brothers  and  sisters 
of  such  dependent  person  shall  be  called  upon;  and  if  there  be  no 
brothers  or  sisters  of  sufficient  ability,  the  grandchildren  of  such  per- 
son shall  next  be  called  on;  and  if  they  are  not  able,  then  the  grand- 
parents.    Married  females,  while  their  husbands  live,  shall  not  be 


786 


DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS. 


liable  to  contribute  for  the  support  of  their  poor  relations  except 
out  of  their  separate  propert}'.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  State's  attorney 
to  make  complaint  to  the  County  Court  of  his  county  against  all  the 
relatives  of  such  paupers  in  this  State  liable  to  support,  and  prose- 
cute the  same.  In  case  the  State's  attorney  neglects  or  refuses  to 
complain  in  such  cases,  then  it  is  the  duty  of  the  overseer  of  the  poor 
to  do  so.  The  person  called  upon  to  contribute  shall  have  at  least 
ten  days'  notice  of  such  application,  by  summons.  The  court  has 
the  power  to  determine  the  kind  of  support,  depending  upon  the 
circumstances  of  the  parties,  and  may  also  order  two  or  more  of  the 
different  degrees  to  maintain  such  poor  person,  and  prescribe  the 
proportion  of  each,  according  to  his  or  her  ability.  The  court  may 
specify  the  time  for  which  the  relatives  shall  contribute;  in  fact  it 
has  control  over  the  entire  subject  matter,  with  power  to  enforce  its 
order. 

Every  county  is  required  to  relieve  and  support  all  poor  and  in- 
digent persons  lawfully  resident  therein.  "  Residence  "  means  the 
actual  residence  of  the  party,  or  the  place  where  he  was  employed; 
or  in  case  he  was  in  no  employment,  then  it  shall  be  the  place  where 
he  made  his  home.  When  any  person  becomes  chargeable  as  a 
pauper  who  did  not  reside  in  the  county  at  the  commencement  of 
six  months  immediately  preceding  his  becoming  so,  but  did  at  the 
time  reside  elsewhere  in  this  State,  then  the  county  becomes  liable 
for  the  expense  of  taking  care  of  such  perscm  until  removed ;  and  it 
is  the  duty  of  the  overseer  to  notify  the  proper  authorities  of  the 
fact.  If  any  person  shall  bring  and  leave  any  pauper  in  any  county 
in  this  State  where  such  pauper  had  no  legal  residence,  knowing  him 
to  be  such,  he  is  liable  to  a  fine  of  $100.  In  counties  under  town- 
ship organization,  the  supervisors  in  each  town  are  ex-officio  over- 
seers of  the  poor.  The  overseers  of  the  poor  act  under  the  directions 
of  the  County  Board  in  taking  care  of  the  poor  and  granting  tem- 
porary relief;  also,  in  providing  for  non-resident  persons  not  pau- 
pers who  may  be  taken  sick  and  not  able  to  pay  their  way,  and,  in 
case  of  death,  causing  such  persons  to  be  decently  buried. 

PUBLIC  AND  PRIYATE  CONVEYANCES. 

When  practicable  from  the  nature  of  the  ground,  persons  travel 
ing  in  any  kind  of  vehicle  must  turn  to  the  right  of  the  center  of 
the  road,  so  as  to  permit  each  carriage  to  pass  without  interfering 


DIGEST    OF   STATE  LAWS.  V87 

with  the  other.  The  penalty  for  a  violation  of  this  provision  is  $5 
for  every  offense,  to  be  recovered  bj  the  party  injured;  but  to  re- 
cover, there  must  have  occurred  some  injury  to  person  or  property 
resulting  from  the  violation. 

The  owners  of  any  carriage  traveling  upon  any  road  in  this  State 
for  the  conveyance  of  passengers,  who  shall  employ  or  continue  in 
their  employment  as  driver  any  person  who  is  addicted  to  drunken- 
ness, or  the  excessive  use  of  spirituous  liquors,  after  he  has  had 
notice  of  the  same,  shall  pay  a  forfeit  at  the  rate  of  $5  per  day ;  and 
if  any  driver,  while  actually  engaged  in  driving  any  such  carriage, 
shall  be  guilty  of  intoxication  to  such  a  degree  as  to  endanger  the 
safety  of  passengers,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  owner,  on  receiving 
written  notice  of  the  fact,  signed  by  one  of  the  passengers,  and  cer- 
tified by  him  on  oath,  forthwith  to  discharge  such  driver.  If  such 
owner  shall  have  such  driver  in  his  employ  within  three  months 
after  such  notice,  he  is  liable  for  $5  per  day  for  the  time  he  shall 
keep  such  driver  in.his  employment  after  receiving  such  notice. 

Persons  driving  any  carriage  on  any  public  highway  are  prohib- 
ited from  running  their  horses  upon  any  occasion,  under  a  penalty 
of  a  fine  not  exceeding  $10,  or  imprisonment  not  exceeding  sixty 
days,  at  the  discretion  of  the  court.  Horses  attached  to  any  car- 
riage used  to  convey  passengers  for  hire  must  be  properly  hitched, 
or  the  lines  placed  in  the  hands  of  some  other  person,  before  the 
driver  leaves  them  for  any  purpose.  For  violation  of  this  provision 
each  driver  shall  forfeit  twenty  dollars,  to  be  recovered  by  action 
commenced  within  six  months. 

It  is  understood  by  the  term  "  carriage"  herein  to  mean  any  car- 
riage or  vehicle  used  for  the  transportation  of  passengers,  or  goods, 
or  either  of  them. 

WAGERS  AND  STAKEHOLDERS. 

"Wagers  upon  the  result  of  an  election  have  always  been  consid- 
ered as  void,  as  being  contrary  to  sound  policy,  and  tending  to  im- 
pair the  purity  of  elections.  "Wagers  as  to  the  mode  of  playing,  or 
as  to  the  result  of  any  illegal  game,  as  boxing,  wrestling,  cock- 
fighting,  etc. ,  are  void  at  common  law. 

Stakeholders  must  deliver  the  thing  holden  by  them  to  the  person 
entitled  to  it,  on  demand.  It  is  frequently  questionable  who  is  en- 
titled to  it.     In  case  of  an  unlawful  wager,  although  he  may  be  jus- 


788  DIGEST    OF    STATE    LAWS. 

tified  for  delivering  the  thing  to  the  winner,  by  the  express  or  im- 
plied consent  of  the  loser,  yet  if  before  the  event  has  happened  he 
has  been  required  by  either  party  to  give  up  the  thing  deposited 
with  him  by  such  party,  he  is  bound  to  deliver  it;  or  if,  after  the 
event  has  happened,  tlie  losing  party  gives  notice  to  the  stakeholder 
not  to  pay  the  winner,  a  payment  made  to  him  afterwards  will  be 
made  to  him  in  his  own  wrong,  and  the  party  who  deposited  the 
money  or  thing  may  recover  it  from  the  stakeholder. 

SUiNDAY. 

Labor  of  whatever  kind,  other  than  the  household  offices  of  daily 
necessity,  or  other  work  of  charity  and  necessity,  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  commonly  called  Sunday,  is  in  general  under  penalty  pro- 
hibited; but  all  persons  do  not  come  under  prohibition.  If  a  con- 
tract is  commenced  on  Sunday,  but  not  completed  until  a  subsequent 
day,  or  if  it  merely  grew  out  of  a  transaction  which  took  place  on 
Sunday,  it  is  not  for  this  reason  void.  Thus,  if  a  note  is  signed  on 
Sunday,  its  validity  is  not  impaired  if  it  be  not  delivered  on  that  day. 

DEFINITION  OF  COMMERCIAL  TERMS. 

$  means  dollars,  being  a  contraction  of  U.  S. ,  which  was  for- 
merly placed  before  any  denomination  of  money,  and  meant,  as  it 
means  now,  United  States  currency.  £  means  pounds,  English 
money.  @  stands  for  azJ  or  ?5«:V  ft)  iov  poimd;  bbL  for  barrel;  and 
f)  for  per  or  ly  the.  Thus,  butter  sells  at  20 @ 30c.  '^  ft,  and 
flour  at  $6@10  f  bbl.      j,,  stands  for  ^^t^r  cent.,  and  ^  for  number. 

In  the  example  "May  1— wheat  sells  at  $1.05@1.10,  seller 
June,"  seller  June  means  that  the  person  who  sells  the  wheat  has 
the  privilege  of  delivering  it  at  any  time  during  the  month  of 
June.  "  Selling  short"  is  contracting  to  deliver  a  certain  amount 
of  grain  or  stock  at  a  fixed  price  within  a  certain  length  of  time, 
when  the  seller  has  not  the  stock  on  hand.  It  is  for  the  interest  of 
the  person  selling  "  short "  to  depress  the  market  as  much  as  possi- 
ble, in  order  that  he  may  buy  and  fill  his  contract  at  a  profit. 
Hence  the  "shorts"  are  termed  "bears." 

LEGAL  WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 

Whenever  any  of  the  following  articles  shall  be  contracted  for, 
or  sold  or  delivered,  and  no  special  contract  or  agreement  shall  be 


DIGEST   OF    STATE   LAWS.  789 

made  to  the  contrary,  the  weight  per  bushel  shall  be  as  follows, 
*to-wit: 

ft)S.  lbs. 

Apples,  dried 24      Hemp  seed 44 

Barley. .    =   = 48      Hair  (plastering) 8 

Beaus,  white 60      Lime,  uuslacked 80 

Beaus,  castor 46      Onions 57 

Buckwheat 52      Oats 32 

Bran 20      Potatoes,  Irish 60 

Blue-glass  seed 14      Peaches,  dried 33 

Broom-corn  seed 46      Potatoes,  sweet 55 

Coal,  stove 80      Rye 56 

Corn,  in  the  ear 70      Salt,  fine 55 

Corn,  shelled  56      Salt,  coarse 50 

Corn  meal.. .  > 48      Turnips 55 

Clover  seed 60      Timothy  seed 45 

Flax  seed  56      Wheat 60 

BEES. 

Bees,  while  unreclaimed,  are  by  nature  wild  animals.  Those 
which  take  up  their  abode  in  a  tree  belong  to  the  owner  of  the  soil 
in  which  the  tree  grows,  if  unreclaimed ;  but  if  reclaimed  and  identi- 
fied thev  belono'  to  their  former  owner.  If  a  swarm  has  flown  from 
the  hive  of  A,  they  are  his  so  long  as  they  are  in  sight,  and  may 
easily  be  taken;  otherwise,  they  become  the  property  of  the  first 
occupant.  Merely  finding  on  the  land  of  another  person  a  tree 
containing  a  swarm  of  bees,  and  marking  it,  does  not  vest  the 
property  of  the  bees  in  the  finder.  They  do  not  become  property 
until  actually  hived. 

DOGS. 

Dogs  are  animals  of  a  domestic  nature.  The  owner  of  a  doc  has 
such  property  in  him  tliat  he  may  maintain  an  action  for  an  injury 
to  him,  or  to  recover  him  when  unlawfully  taken  away  and  kept  by 
another. 

When,  in  consequence  of  his  vicious  propensities,  a  dog  becomes 
a  common  nuisance  the  owner  may  be  indicted,  and  where  one 
commits  an  injury,  if  the  owner  had  knowledge  of  his  mischievous 
propensities,  he  is  liable  for  the  injury.  A  man  has  a  right  to 
keep  a  dog  to  guard  his  premises,  but  not  to  put  him  at  the 
entrance  of  his  house,  because  a  person  coming  there  on  lawful 
business  may  be  injured  by  him,  though  there  may  be  another 
entrance  to  the  house.  But  if  a  dog  is  chained,  and  a  visitor 
incautiously  goes  so  near  him  that  he  is  bitten,  he  has  no  right  of 
action  against  the  owner. 


TOO  DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS. 

CRUELTY   TO    ANI3ULS. 

"Whoever  shall  willfully  overdrive,  overload,  overwork,  torture, 
torment,  beat,  deprive  of  necessaiy  and  proper  food,  drink,  or 
shelter,  or  cruelly  kill  any  such  animal,  or  work  an  old,  maimed, 
sick,  or  disabled  animal,  or  keep  any  animal  in  an  unnecessarily 
cruel  manner,  for  each  and  every  offense  shall  be  liable  to  a  tine  of 
not  less  than  $3  or  more  than  $200,  to  be  recovered  on  complaint 
before  any  Justice  of  the  Peace,  or  by  indictment.  The  word 
"animal"  used  shall  be  taken  to  mean  any  living  creature. 

NAMES.  • 

Any  person  desirous  of  changing  his  name,  and  to  assume  another 
name,  may  file  a  petition  in  the  Circuit  Court  of  the  county  where 
he  resides,  praying  for  such  change.  Such  petition  shall  set  forth 
the  name  then  held,  and  also  the  name  sought  to  be  assumed? 
together  with  his  residence,  and  the  length  of  time  he  shall  have 
resided  in  this  State,  and  his  nativity.  In  case  of  minors,  parents 
or  guardians  must  sign  this  petition;  and  said  petition  shall  be 
verified  by  the  afiidavit  of  some  credible  person.  A  ])revious  notice 
shall  be  given  of  such  intended  application  by  publishing  a  notice 
thereof  in  a  county  newspaper  for  three  consecutive  weeks,  the  first 
insertion  to  be  at  least  six  weeks  prior  to  the  first  day  of  the  term 
of  the  court  in  which  the  said  petition  is  to  be  filed. 

UNITED   STATES  MAILS. 

The  following  suggestions  and  rulings  of  the  Post  Office  Depart- 
ment in  regard  to  the  sending  of  matter  through  the  United  States 
mails  will  be  found  valuable.  By  giving  careful  attention  to  and 
closely  following  them,  almost  perfect  security  from  all  delays  and 
losses,  and  the  many  little  vexatious  inquiries  generally  made  by 
the  public  will  be  avoided. 

Make  the  address  legible  and  complete,  giving  the  name  of  the 
postoffice,  county  and  state;  the  name  of  the  street,  and  the  num- 
ber of  the  house,  also,  should  always  be  given  on  letters  addressed 
to  cities  where  letter-carriers  are  employed.  Letters  intended  for 
places  in  foreign  countries  should  have  the  name  of  the  country  »s 
well  as  the  postoffice  given  in  full. 

See  that  every  letter,  newspaper  or  other  packet  sent  by  mail  is 
securely  folded  and  fastened.     Avoid  using,  as  nauch  as  possible, 


DIGEST  OF  STATE   LAWS.  791 

cheap  envelopes  made  of  thin  paper,  especially  when  containing 
more  than  one  sheet  of  paper. 

Never  send  money  or  any  other  article  of  value  through  the 
mail,  except  by  means  of  a  money  order  or  in  a  registered  letter. 
Every  letter  sent  should  contain  the  full  name  and  address  of  the 
writer,  with  the  county  and  State,  in  order  to  secure  its  return  if 
the  person  to  whom  it  is  directed  cannot  be  found.  Persons  who 
have  large  correspondence  find  it  most  convenient  to  use  "special 
request "  envelopes,  but  thos6  who  only  mail  an  occasional  letter 
can  avoid  the  trouble  by  writing  a  request  to  "  return  if  not 
delivered,"  etc.,  on  the  envelope. 

Postage  stamps  should  be  placed  upon  the  upper  right  hand 
corner  of  the  addressed  side  of  all  mail  matter. 

"Written  matter  in  unsealed  envelopes  prepaid  with  only  a  one- 
cent  postage  stamp  will  be  held  for  postage. 

Diplomas,  commissions,  certificates,  etc.,  having  written  signa- 
tures attached,  circulars  having  anything  written  thereon,  are  sub- 
ject to  postage  at  the  rate  of  tliree  cents  for  each  half  ounce  or 
fraction  thereof 

Stamps  cut  from  stamped  envelopes,  mutilated  postage  stampS) 
and  internal  revenue  stamps,  will  not  be  accepted  in  payment  for 
postage.  Letters  deposited  in  a  postoffice  having  such  matter 
aflSxed  are  held  for  postage. 

To  use,  or  attempt  to  use,  in  payment  of  postage  a  postage 
stamp,  or  stamped  envelope,  or  any  stamp  cut  from  such  stamped 
envelopes,  which  has  been  before  used  in  payment  of  postage,  is 
punishable  with  a  fine  of  fifty  dollars. 

In  using  postal  cards,  be  careful  not  to  write  or  have  anything 
printed  on  the  side  to  be  used  for  the  address,  except  the  address; 
also  be  careful  not  to  attach  anything  to  them.  They  are  unmail- 
able  as  postal  cards  when  these  suggestions  are  disregarded. 

No  cards  are  "  postal  cards "  except  such  as  are  issued  by  the 
Post  Office  Department.  In  no  one  case  will  unclaimed  cards  be 
returned  to  the  writer  or  sent  to  the  Dead  Letter  Office.  If  not 
delivered  within  sixty  days  from  time  of  receipt  they  will  be  burned 
by  the  post- master. 

To  insure  a  letter  being  forwarded  in  the  mails  it  must  have  not 
less  than  three  cents  in  postage  stamps  affixed. 

After  a  letter  has  passed  from  the  mailing  office  the  delivering 


792  DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS. 

of  it  cannot  be  delayed  or  prevented  by  the  writer;  but,  if  the 
writer  request  the  return  of  the  letter,  which  has  not  left  in  the 
mail,  the  post-master  may  deliver  it,  if  he  is  satisfied  that  the  party 
applying  is  the  writer. 

A  subscriber  to  a  newspaper  or  periodical  who  changes  his  resi- 
dence and  postoffice  should  at  once  notify  the  publishers  of  the 
change. 

Printed  matter,  merchandise  and  other  third-class  matter  cannot 
be  forwarded  from  the  office  to  which  it  is  addressed  unless  postage 
is  furnished  for  such  purposes.  A  request  to  return  indorsed  on 
such  matter  will  not  be  regarded  unless  postage  is  furnished  for  the 
purpose.  A  request  to  return  written  on  such  matter  subjects  the 
package  to  letter  postage. 

All  packages  mailed  at  less  than  letter  postage  should  be  wrapped 
so  that  their  contents  can  be  readily  ascertained  without  destroying 
the  wrapper. 

Matter  contained  in  sealed  envelopes,  notched  at  the  ends,  is  sub- 
ject to  letter  postage. 

The  sender  of  any  article  of  the  third-class  may  write  his  or  her 
name  or  address  therein,  or  on  the  outside  thereof,  with  the  word 
"  from  "  above  or  preceding  the  same,  or  may  write  or  print  on  any 
package  the  number  and  name  of  articles  inclosed. 

All  losses  should  be  promptly  reported. 

Packages  of  any  description  of  mail  matter  may  weigh  not  exceed- 
ing four  pounds. 

BATES  OF  POSTAGE. 

On  letters,  sealed  packages,  mail  matter,  wholly  or  partly  in 
writing,  except  book  manuscript  and  corrected  proofs  passing 
between  authors  and  publishers,  and  except  local  or  drop  letters,  or 
postal  cards;  all  printed  matter  so  marked  as  to  convey  any  other 
or  further  information  than  is  conveyed  by  the  original  print,  except 
the  correction  of  mere  typographical  errors;  all  matter  otherwise 
chargeable  with  letter  postage,  but  which  is  so  wrapped  or  secured 
that  it  cannot  be  conveniently  examined  by  the  post-masters  with, 
out  destroying  the  wrapper  or  envelope;  all  packages  containing 
matter  not  in  itself  chargeable  with  letter  postage,  but  in  which  is 
enclosed  or  concealed  any  letter,  memorandum,  or  other  thing 
chargeable  with  letter  postage,  or  upon  which  is  any  writing  or 
memorandum;  all  matter  to  which  no  specific  rate  of  postage  is 


DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS.  793 

assigned;  and  manuscript  for  publication  in  newspapers,  magazines 
or  periodicals,  three  cents  fob  each  half  ounce  or  fraction 

THEREOF. 

On  local  or  drop  letters,  at  offices  where  free  delivery  by  carriers 
is   established,   two   cents  for    each   half   ounce   or  fraction 

THEREOF. 

On  local  or  drop  letters,  at  offices  where  free  delivery  by  carriers 
is  not  established,  one  gent  for  each  half  ounce  or  fraction 

THEREOF. 

RATES  OF  POSTAGE  ON  THIRD-CLASS  MATTER. 

By  act  of  July  12,  1876,  third-class  matter  is  divided  as  follows: 

One  cent  for  two  ounces. — Almanacs,  books  (printed),  calendars, 
catalogues,  corrected  proofs,  hand-bills,  magazines,  when  not  sent 
to  regular  subscribers,  maps  (lithographed  or  engraved),  music 
(printed  sheet),  newspapers,  when  not  sent  to  regular  subscribers 
occasional  publications,  pamphlets,  posters,  proof-sheets,  prospec- 
tuses, and  regular  publications  designed  primarily  for  advertising 
purposes,  or  for  free  circulatien,  or  for  circulation  at  nominal  rates. 

One  cent  for  each  ounce. — Blank  books,  blank  cards,  book  manu- 
script, card  boards  and  other  flexible  materials,  chromo-lithographs^ 
circulars,  engravings,  envelopes,  flexible  patterns,  letter  envelopes, 
letter  paper,  lithographs,  merchandise,  models,  ornamented  paper, 
postal  cards,  when  sent  in  bulk  and  not  addressed,  photographic 
views,  photographic  paper,  printed  blanks,  printed  cards,  sample 
cards,  samples  of  ores,  metals,  minerals,  and  merchandise,  seeds 
cuttings,  bulbs,  roots  and  scions,  and  stereoscopic  views. 

Any  article  of  mail  matter,  subject  to  postage  at  the  rate  of  one 
cent  for  each  ounce  or  fraction  thereof,  which  may  be  enclosed  in 
the  same  package  with  items  subject  to  the  rate  of  one  cent  for  each 
two  ounces  or  fraction  thereof,  will  subject  the  entire  package  to 
the  highest  rate,  viz.;  one  cent  for  each  ounce  or  fraction  thereof. 

The  following  articles  are  unmailable: 

Packages  containing  liquids,  poisons,  glass,  explosive  chemicals, 
live  animals,  sharp  pointed  instruments,  flour,  sugar,  or  any  other 
matter  liable  to  deface  or  destroy  the  contents  of  the  mail,  or  injure 
the  person  of  any  one  connected  with  the  service.  All  letters  upon 
the  envelope  of  which,  or  postal  card  upon  which  indecent,  lewd, 
obscene,  or  lascivious  delineations,  epithets,  terms  or  language 
may  be  written  or  printed,  or  disloyal  devices  printed  or  engraved, 


794  DIGEST   OF   STATE   LAWS. 

and  letters  or  circulars  concerning  illegal  lotteries,  so  called  gift 
concerts  or  other  similar  enterprises  offering  prizes,  or  concerning 
schemes  devised  and  intended  to  deceive  and  defraud  the  public- 
Also,  all  obscene,  lewd  or  lascivious  books,  pamphlets,  pictures, 
papers,  prints  or  other  publications  of  an  indecent  character. 

REGISTERED  MATTER. 

The  fee  for  registering  a  letter  going  anywhere  in  the  United 
States  is  fixed  at  ten  cents  in  addition  to  the  regular  postage.  Post- 
masters are  required  to  register  all  letters  properly  presented  for 
that  purpose,  but  no  letters  are  to  be  registered  on  Sunday. 

Registered  letters  will  never  be  delivered  to  any  person  but  the 
one  to  whom  they  are  addressed,  or  to  one  whom  the  post-master 
knows  to  be  authorized  to  receive  them. 

MONEY  ORDERS. 

The  money-order  system  is  intended  to  promote  public  conven- 
ience and  to  secure  safety  in  the  transfer  through  the  mails  of  small 
sums  of  money.  The  principal  means  employed  to  attain  safety 
consists  in  leaving  out  of  the  order  the  name  of  the  payee  or  per- 
son for  whom  the  money  is  intended.  In  this  respect  a  money- 
order  differs  from  an  ordinary  bank  draft  or  check.  An  advice 
or  notification  containing  full  particulars  of  the  order  is  transmitted 
without  delay  by  the  issuing  post-master  to  the  post-master  at  the 
oflice  of  payment.  The  latter  is  thus  furnished,  before  the  order 
itself  is  presented,  with  information  which  will  enable  him  to  pre- 
vent its  payment  to  any  person  not  entitled  thereto,  provided  the 
remitter  complies  with  the  regulation  of  the  Department,  which 
prohibits  him  from  sending  the  same  information  in  a  letter  inclosed 
with  his  order. 

Under  no  circumstances  can  payment  of  an  order  be  demanded 
on  the  day  of  its  issue.  The  fees  or  charges  for  money-orders  will 
be  as  follows: 

On  orders  not  exceeding  $15 10  cents 

On  orders  over  $15  and  not  exceeding  $30 15  cents 

On  orders  over  $30  and  not  exceeding  $40 20  cents 

On  orders  over  $40  and  not  exceeding  $50 25  cents 

When  a  larger  sum  than  $50  is  required,  additional  orders  to 
make  it  up  must  be  obtained.  But  post-masters  are  instructed  to 
refuse  to  issue  in  one  day,  to  the  same  remitter  and  in  favor  of  the 
same  payee,  more  than  three  money-orders  payable  at  the  same 
postoftice. 


^y 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 

SWF^AZEWELLC0ffiv,  ILLINOIS  CHG 


^ 


J  01 12  025392918 


